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Mr. Ford founded Guard-IT Corporation shortly
after an attorney friend called with a desperate
need for a source code escrow agent. Recognizing
the need and value, and foreseeing rapid growth
for the niche service, Ford launched Guard-IT as
a mere website in March 1999. The web quickly
became Guard-IT's own sales force, spawning
inquiries from around the world. Today most of
Guard-IT's business comes from web inquiries,
repeat business from existing clients and client
referrals.Ford's vision
and mission remains to help parties develop and
maintain customized escrow agreements quickly and
easily without rigid terms or expensive fees.
Ford developed a first-ever Online Client
Services area for software escrow, which allows
clients to setup agreements, submit secure escrow
deposits, enroll beneficiaries and make online
payments 24/7.
Prior to
Guard-IT, Ford spent more than 15 years
developing legal information systems in the news
industry. While at the Austin American-Statesman
in the 1990s, he transformed the Austin Daily
Record newspaper into one of the earliest online
databases, and later developed the first-ever
online access to the Statesman's news archives.
Ford graduated magna cum laude with a journalism
degree from Southwest Texas State University and
is the former program director and president of
Austin's Technology Advisors Group.
TEL: (512)
282-1995, E: jford@guard-it.com
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