TOP 5 BENEFITS OF CHOOSING US AS YOUR LIEN SERVICE PROVIDER
Large Research Team
Our UCC Research team is committed to delivering high-quality results in every search we perform — from UCC searches to local court searches. We allocate the resources of our growing team efficiently and focus on improved training and development for our employees.
Includes Everything You Need
We offer wide-ranging, comprehensive searches nationwide. Our team is prepared to search any civil index hearing matter of $10,000 or more and provide project estimates with competitive fees based on your search and jurisdiction requirements.
Experience in Leadership
Our experienced UCC and Lien department is led by passionate leaders who are not only well-versed in the complex world of UCC, but who also started their own careers in lien services. Their knowledge has set the standard for the department’s growth and development.
New (and Improved!) Technology
Our in-house developers and UCC team work together to enhance technological systems for better lien search service and electronic filing offerings. We use proprietary applications that extract data directly from the Secretary of State’s office to reduce errors and provide fast and reliable results.
Second Set of Eyes
Capitol Services ensures high-quality and dependable services by putting all search reports and filings through a rigorous editing process before being sent out. This extra step ensures that you receive results you can trust and rely on.
Well, not really. But, state filing officers and service company partners are working on rewriting the current version of Model Administrative Rules (MARS) that guide the filing and searching of UCC financing statements under Revised Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC RA9).
MARS are rules intended to provide guidance on how to file and search for UCCs within a jurisdiction. Developed and recommended to states by the International Association of Commercial Administrators (IACA), they address debtor naming conventions on filings, define what is considered sufficient information for a debtor name to perfect an interest, outline what makes a debtor name seriously misleading, and identify how a state’s standard search logic impacts debtor name effectiveness.
To account for how quickly technology and the business environment change, so too must these guidelines. Top areas being considered are: implementing new methods of delivery of a financing statement for filing, including during emergency office closures (i.e.: pandemic); addressing the various electronic means for delivery of filings; recording the date and time of receipt when filing a financing statement across various delivery methods; and more.
IACA meets every May to consider rules and regulations on businesses and secured transactions. It is very likely that this new MARS version will be considered by the full membership for adoption and recommendation to the states in a couple of months. Stay tuned for more news.
ROBUST LIEN AND LITIGATION REPORTING
Our search reports are designed with a focus on clarity and efficiency. We take pride in providing value-add deliverables to our clients at no extra cost.
Our litigation solution offers due diligence at a higher level, covering court jurisdictions that are often ignored by our competitors. This gives you the assurance of mitigating risk and making informed decisions. Our closed litigation reporting clearly specifies when a judgment is found, saving you valuable time when reviewing search results.
We also understand the importance of organization when it comes to large search projects. Our complimentary search findings project spreadsheet is automatically provided with every order. It includes clearer reporting with the ability for user manipulation. At Capitol Services, we strive to provide your results in the way that works best for you, whether it’s a link, a PDF, or a spreadsheet. Our goal is to ensure that you have exactly what you need to make your job easier.
Territory Sales Manager Dana Blankenship celebrated the 2022 giving season at the Houston Metropolitan Paralegal Association’s Toys for Tots Winter Social this past December. This event benefited the United States Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots Foundation and had a great turnout supporting the cause.
Photo (L–R): Dana Blankenship with a USMC representative and Nina Mata.
HMPA ANNUAL CLE
Dana Blankenship had the pleasure of attending the same organization’s 43rd annual Full Day Business and Litigation Continuing Legal Education event in early March, held at Norris Conference Center at CityCentre in Houston. While we typically sponsor this HMPA event, it was a treat to participate in person this year as it’s a fantastic learning and networking opportunity.
Photo (L–R): Dana Blankenship with Amy Rainwater.
DAVID TADLOCK
2016 · Tallahassee · UCC / Branch Manager
On my first day at Capitol Services, I will never forget…
Being paired with Sandra Wakeman; she had the driest and best sense of humor.
What sound do you love?
The sound of my 2 boys’ (ages 2.5 and almost 4) sound machines as they are sleeping peacefully instead of running around like maniacs.
Who’s your personal hero?
My parents, for more reasons than I can fit in here…. But they say never meet your heroes so maybe I should start keeping my distance.
What is your favorite quote?
“As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.” — Henry David Thoreau
MATTHEW KEELER
2021 · Tallahassee · UCC
On my first day at Capitol Services, I will never forget…
How friendly and welcoming everyone was helping me learn the ropes.
What sound do you love?
I have always been partial to slide whistles; they are a great way to entertain kids in a pinch.
Who’s your personal hero?
I’ve always admired Fred Rogers; my favorite anecdote of his is that when Congress held a hearing to decide if they would cut the funding for PBS, he instead convinced them to increase its budget by reading them poetry.
What is your favorite quote?
“So many things are possible as long as you don’t know they’re impossible.” — Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth
Ronnie Long (Tallahassee) and Larry Campbell wed among family and close friends in an intimate outdoor ceremony in Thomasville, Georgia, on December 1, 2022. They spent the following week nearby in Savannah eating fantastic food and enjoying the charms of River Street before returning home to settle into their life as newlyweds.
Right: Ronnie and Larry Campbell
NEW ARRIVALS
Ford Fischer
Jason Fischer (Austin) and wife, Rebecca, welcomed son, Ford Nelson, on November 30, 2022. Baby Ford weighed in at 6 pounds and 8 ounces, 19″ long, and joins big sister Macie-Leigh (2).
Right: Ford Nelson Fischer
WELCOME NEW EMPLOYEES
Albany
Our Albany office welcomes Fawn Baker to the team. She joins with extensive real property and paralegal experience, which makes her a great fit for our UCC Research crew. Fawn is a mother to 2 sons and a daughter, and lives in East Greenbush with her youngest son and cat. Outside of work, she enjoys painting and writing poetry. She recently took a vacation to St. Thomas, and cannot wait to return. Fun fact: Fawn and all 3 of her children help comprise the 10 percent of the world’s population who are left-handed.
Austin
Our Corporate team is pleased to be joined by Jenni Mintz. Recently graduating from Texas State University with a B.A. in Psychology, Jenni loves being active. In her free time, you can find her doing yoga, hiking a local trail, rock climbing, and spending time with her dog, Augustus “Gus” McCrae-Mintz (a Great Dane-Pointer mix aptly named after the infamous Lonesome Dove protagonist). When she’s not getting her zen on out in nature, she loves venturing out for live music. Her favorite vacations have included hiking Big Bend and Yellowstone National Parks, museum and gallery hopping in New York City, and Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Our Sales and Marketing team is excited to welcome Trey Sandifer, who joins as our Marketing Systems Administrator. Trey is an Air Force veteran with vast experience training teams, managing projects, and maintaining databases. Originally from southeast Texas, in the past year Trey and his husband have moved from Houston to San Francisco and back to Texas again, this time landing in Austin. He’s an avid spinner and loves gaming and travel. His favorite vacation was a 10-day Mediterranean cruise with stops in Italy, the Czech Republic, Malta, and Spain, among others. Trey’s family includes his husband of 3 years and their 2 Scottish Fold cats, Benjamino and Macchiato.
Janine Aldaba also joins our Sales and Marketing team with prior marketing experience. Originally born in south Texas, Janine spent her early childhood in the Philippines and was back in Texas in time for 1st grade. She ventured to Austin in 2009 by way of the University of Texas, and after graduation, did a 2-year stint in Korea as an English teacher. She lived in Hawaii for a brief period before making her return to Austin in 2018. A former kickboxing instructor, she’s currently a member of several local sports social leagues and also speaks 3 languages (4 if you include the survival Korean language that she learned while teaching). As busy as she is, she always finds time for her 13-year-old Shih Tzu, Pogi.
Lily Zamarripa-Saenz joins our Corporate team with a background in public relations and experience in customer service. This native Austinite volunteers locally with various groups focusing on voter registration and public service leadership. She recently worked on our city’s winning mayoral campaign and is currently involved with both the 2023 ATXelerator program and the League of United Latin American Citizens. Lily’s favorite trip to date was a graduation trip that included stops in Reno, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, and the Grand Canyon. Her favorite sidekick is her little pup named Albus (named after Albus Dumbledore).
Dover
Uronda Pertilla joins our Dover office bringing previous account management experience from a well-known national beverage company. Uronda comes from a family of animal lovers! She has had 15 cats and 2 dogs in her lifetime, and she currently lives with her mother’s cat, Sasha, who she fondly refers to as the princess of the house. She describes herself as fun-loving, loves to laugh, and is a helper by nature. Our Dover crew may want to leave a bit of room on their plates, because, in her downtime, you may very well find her in the kitchen — her absolute favorite hobby is cooking!
Our Dover team is also welcoming Meagan Drake, who brings beneficial previous customer service experience. Born in east Texas, she’s spent most of her life in Delaware and, alongside her partner, became a homeowner in 2020. Recently engaged, she and her fiancé, Kyle, live with their favorite cat, Tito. Meagan is an avid reader and movie-watcher, especially loving the classics, and when she’s not inside, she loves hiking, kayaking, and spending time in nature. She’s also an artist — she paints and draws both landscapes and portraits in her downtime.
LIFE OUTSIDE
Sandra Says Goodbye
Photo: Sandra Wakeman circa 1993.
Photo: Sandra Wakeman with her son and his family.
Our Austin office said a bittersweet goodbye to Sandra Wakeman with the close of 2022, marking the end of her 32 years with Capitol Services. Sandra originally joined us in 1990 and focused on lien services; she had most recently been applying her expertise behind the scenes on our more complex client projects.
In the few months of retirement that she’s experienced thus far, she’s done some traveling to see her children and their families. Her son lives in Commerce City, CO, and her daughter in Southlake, TX, which is where she eventually plans to move. Once she’s settled into retirement life a bit more, she’s looking forward to relaxing at home and enjoying her recently installed backyard pool.
We asked her what her favorite memories are from her time with us, and she says there are too many to write about! She has fond memories of holiday parties from the company’s smaller and younger years, which included company-provided hotel stays and open bars, which led to good times and many stories, as one could imagine. “All of us were pretty close, and we all spent a lot of time together outside of work, too.”
Cheers to good friends, good stories, and to Sandra’s next big adventure!
EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES
We’d like to give a big shout-out to the following employees who are celebrating 5 or more years with the Capitol Services group of companies this quarter. Thank you!
Valeria Villarreal
2/10/1985
Austin
Vickie Polanco
3/26/1990
Austin
Melanie Woolf
1/12/1998
Austin
Greg Wente
2/16/1998
Austin
Krista Abair
2/01/1999
Austin
Mike Yanez
1/12/2004
Austin
Jody Roberts
2/01/2004
Austin
Geneva Harrison
2/28/2004
Austin
Cory Whitsett
2/01/2005
Austin
Tara Morales
3/24/2008
Austin
Andy Erwin
1/14/2013
Austin
Tom Woodrome
2/17/2015
Austin
Lisa Rhodes
2/24/2015
Dover
Brittni French
3/16/2015
Dover
David Tadlock
1/19/2016
Tallahassee
Richard Gallegos
2/16/2017
Austin
Leah Rodriguez
2/27/2017
Dover
Amanda Dods
3/27/2017
Austin
Joe Digaetano
1/02/2018
Austin
Cindy Wamsley
3/26/2018
Tallahassee
L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE DE L’ÉTOILE
Logo stops to make a memory in front of the famous Parisian monument. Appropriately, l’étoile translates from French to English as the star. Très cool.
Get your good lookin’ self in our newsletter! Just take a photo in your Capitol Services t-shirt and share it with us.
Our UCC Filing Manager allows the ability to store data for UCC filings that have been filed outside of our UCC filing platform. This Historical Records feature not only offers the convenience of UCC record consolidation, but it also allows these UCCs to receive the benefits of our UCC filing management system, which include pending expiration notification and quick and easy UCC-3 preparation.
“I cannot thank you enough. The Capitol Services team always come through in a pinch!”
— Liz D.V. – Knoxville, TN
Leigh Goes the Extra Mile:
“YOU ARE AWESOME! It has been amazing working with you for 20+ years, you always go the extra mile for me and I truly appreciate it. You make me look good! And you have completely spoiled me, so much that when I have to go to another service company (because of a client request), it’s just awful compared to the service I have come to expect with you. It actually makes me appreciate you more!”
— Carolyn M. – Los Angeles, CA
Happy Client:
“Friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient staff. I’m so happy I chose Capitol Services as a solution provider to our most challenging UCC cases.”
— Matt M. – El Paso, TX
Teresa Sharpley-Van Steele
Leigh Johnson
Despite what many consider the beginning of a slight recession, we celebrated numerous achievements in 2022 including having another historic year for business volume as well as moving into our new Austin headquarters last July. The beautiful new office provides us with added space needed for our employees to collaborate. This is especially important as we continued to increase the size of our staff nationwide to keep up with our business growth — adding employees in almost every department and office throughout the country last year.
This continued growth in staffing was possible via the efforts of our newly hired Recruiting Coordinator as well as our newly created 3-person Learning and Development department. Their efforts have allowed us to better identify key talent and quickly train new hires to become part of the team of CSRs that you depend on.
Our people are the heart of Capitol Services and we plan to continue staffing and training in 2023 with a special focus on our UCC Research and Annual Report Management departments. These two teams are the fastest growing segments of our company. Our UCC Research team allows us to provide our clients with improved efficiencies in searches and better turn-around times while our ARMS team provides registered agent clients relief from the pain of filing annual reports.
Providing our clients with the best possible service remains our goal — for 2023 and beyond.
A trusted nationwide provider of registered agent, corporate, and lien services since 1978. Albany | Austin | Baton Rouge | Carson City | Dover | Sacramento | Tallahassee
