Known throughout the skip tracing industry as the “Skip Guru,” Alex has spent 41 years developing his craft and sharing what he has learned with others. Today, as Director of Training and Development at LocateSmarter, teaching is at the heart of what he does.
But for someone who has spent much of his career at the front of the class, Alex is quick to point out that he is still a student himself.
His life’s greatest lessons have come from a high school principal, a drill sergeant, early bosses, industry colleagues, pastors, friends, and mentors. Some were part of his life for decades. Others arrived for only a season.
Together, they shaped the person and teacher he is today.
“If you look at Alex Price, I am only the sum total of the people over 64 years that saw something in me at that time in my life that was lacking, that I needed, and they filled that hole,” Alex shared.
That perspective has given Alex a simple responsibility: pass it on.
One of Alex’s most influential mentors is Chris Hadnagy, founder of the Innocent Lives Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works alongside law enforcement to help protect children from online predators.
Their professional connection grew into a friendship and mentorship, and Alex later became an ambassador for the organization, helping raise awareness and support its fundraising efforts.
Through Chris, Alex began thinking differently about empathy and approaching people without judgment.
“All empathy is is trying to see something through somebody else’s eyes, not just yours,” explained Alex.
The lesson changed the way Alex communicates and teaches. In an industry where success often depends on conversations with people in difficult circumstances, he learned how quickly trust can disappear when someone feels judged.
For Alex, caring about people sometimes means being willing to reconsider your own perspective first.
Alex also believes mentorship requires honesty, with someone willing to point out when something needs to be reconsidered. Alex has found that same quality in other important relationships throughout his life, including with LocateSmarter President Jonathan Brooks.
“It’s real good in life to have people that will check you,” Alex emphasized.
Remaining open to that kind of feedback is part of Alex’s approach to learning. Experience may bring knowledge, but it does not mean there is nothing left to learn.
That lesson has followed him professionally, personally and through his faith.
Years ago, a conversation with Pastor Aaron Fruh challenged Alex to reconsider a painful experience that had kept him away from church for decades. Their relationship eventually brought Alex back and opened another chapter of mentorship in his life.
Pastor Fruh established The Ugly Mug, a youth outreach program in Mobile, Alabama designed to create a place for young people who did not always feel they belonged elsewhere.
Alex was asked to help.
What began as an effort to provide structure quickly became something deeper. Alex talked with the kids, counseled them and built relationships that continued long after the program ended.
Years later, some still recognize him in stores or at the movies and stop to tell him what his presence meant to them. Many are now adults with spouses, careers and children of their own.
“Some of them that were the most lost are the ones that now have made the most out of their lives.”
Some still come to Alex when they are considering marriage, choosing a career or thinking about joining the military.
For Alex, that is what caring can look like: being available, sharing experience and helping someone think through the next step in their life.
That same philosophy defines Alex’s role at LocateSmarter.
After more than 40 years in the industry, he has accumulated knowledge through trial and error, success, failure and countless people who were willing to teach him. Now he sees value in making sure those lessons continue.
At LocateSmarter, Alex invests time in colleagues who want to learn. He sees mentoring as both a privilege and a responsibility, especially when someone is eager to understand the industries and customers we serve. “There’s a lot of responsibility that comes with that,” he shared.
He imagines someone he mentored years from now, further along in a successful career, remembering something he once taught them. For Alex, sharing knowledge is ultimately about legacy.
Of all the lessons Alex has collected, one of the simplest has stayed with him most.
At a Human Behavior Conference, Chris shared a motto: “Make them better for having met you.”
It captures much of what “We Care” means in practice.
Caring does not always require a grand gesture. Sometimes it means teaching someone what experience has taught you. Sometimes it means challenging someone because you want them to grow. Sometimes it means listening when a young person needs guidance.
Alex has spent a lifetime on both sides of that relationship. He has been shaped by mentors who invested in him, and he continues returning that investment through the people he teaches, supports and encourages today.
That is the cycle behind We Care: people helping people grow, then carrying what they have learned forward to someone else.
“We Care” is LocateSmarter’s mission and promise to serve our community. This guiding principle shapes every client interaction and extends into the daily lives of our team members. The We Care Blog Series highlights the many ways this principle comes to life through our people.
As a teenager, Brandon Medlin found what he still calls “paradise.”
It wasn’t a famous destination or a bucket-list adventure. It was his uncle’s property outside La Porte City, where a cabin sat among thewoods, the Cedar River wound through the landscape, and every visit offered a new sense of adventure.
Looking back, he realizes those weekends gave him more than a love for the outdoors. They taught him that the experiences whichchallenge us, connect us with others, and pull us away from everyday distractions often become the ones that shape us the most.
Today, Brandon is working to create those same opportunities for others.
As Director of Strategic Alliances at LocateSmarter, Brandon spends much of his time helping the company grow through strongpartnerships and long-term vision. Outside of work, that same mindset has fueled his involvement with Impact Outdoors, a nonprofit hehelped establish in 2012 to invest in outdoor recreation, conservation, and youth experiences across Northeast Iowa.
What began as a simple idea to keep locally raised dollars in local communities has grown into an organization that funds projects, educational programs, and outdoor opportunities throughout the region.
As the organization matured, so did the people behind it.
Many of the founding board members became parents, and with that came a broader understanding of what those parks and publicspaces could mean. The conversation shifted from simply creating places to helping people discover them.
“We’re just trying to provide that experience,” Brandon said. “There are kids and families who have never had these opportunities before. We want them to see that there are alternatives, things they might connect with, and experiences they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.”
Each year, Impact Outdoors introduces hundreds of children and families to fishing, kayaking, archery, camping, and other outdooractivities through events like Family Fun Day. Children leave with their first fishing pole, families discover parks they may never havevisited, and volunteers help newcomers experience activities that often become lifelong passions.
These first experiences help establish a deep appreciation and love for the outdoors and prove that adventure is available to you in yourown backyard.
The organization has also helped schools establish archery, trap shooting, and bass fishing programs, providing seed funding that givesstudents another opportunity to compete, belong, and build confidence. Partnerships with organizations like a local urban youthdevelopment program have expanded those opportunities even further by providing camping equipment, transportation, and outdoorexperiences for youth who might not otherwise have access to them.
For Brandon, the goal has never been to create more hunters or anglers. It is to create first experiences because he knows firsthandhow a single experience can shape an entire life.
Brandon still remembers his first hunting trip at 12 years old. He was nervous about everything, from walking into the woods to firing forthe first time. As the years passed, he discovered the outdoors offered something much deeper than the activities themselves.
“When you’re in the outdoors, separated from the everyday noise we all live in, there’s a peacefulness to it,” Brandon said. “Somepeople would say there’s a healing to it.”
That belief has grown into a philosophy he describes with two simple words.
“Go West.”
Each year, Brandon and a group of close friends head west into the mountains, carrying everything they need on their backs andleaving behind the routines of everyday life. Success is rarely measured by what they bring home. Instead, it is found in the challengeitself, the friendships strengthened along the way, and the opportunity to grow through unfamiliar experiences.
To Brandon, “Go West” has become more than an annual adventure. It is a challenge to embrace challenges, pursue growth, and encourage others to do the same.
That philosophy extends well beyond the outdoors.
Whether helping guide LocateSmarter through periods of growth, serving on nonprofit boards, or volunteering through his church,Brandon finds himself drawn to organizations looking toward what’s next.
“I hinge to things that are wanting more,” he said. “They’re wanting to grow… I want to have a positive impact.”
That same vision continues to shape Impact Outdoors. Every youth program launched, every community partnership formed, and everyfamily introduced to the outdoors creates another opportunity for someone to discover confidence, connection, and a lifelong passion.
Brandon often brings his nine-year-old son to Impact Outdoors events, not because he expects him to share every interest, but becausehe hopes he’ll understand the importance of creating opportunities for others. It is another way of passing forward the lessons he firstlearned in what he still calls paradise.
Years ago, Brandon found a place that challenged him, inspired him, and changed the direction of his life.
Today, through Impact Outdoors, he and countless volunteers are helping more young people discover places of their own wherefriendships grow stronger, confidence takes root, and a single afternoon outside can become the beginning of a lifelong adventure.
That commitment to helping others grow reflects the spirit of We Care. At LocateSmarter, caring means investing in people,strengthening our communities, and creating opportunities that continue making an impact long after the day is over.
Learn more about Impact Outdoors at impactoutdoors.org or by following the organization on Facebook.You may even find that the next place to create lifelong memories isn’t far away. It could be waiting at a nearby park, along a local trail,or anywhere the outdoors invites you to discover a little paradise of your own.
“We Care” is LocateSmarter’s mission and promise to serve our community. This guiding principle shapes every client interaction and extends into the daily lives of our team members. The We Care Blog Series highlights the many ways this principle comes to life through our people.
Communication is one of the most vital skills in any professional setting. The ability to tell an effective story, lead an imperative strategy session, or clearly communicate expectations and deadlines can be the difference between landing a dream opportunity and advancing a career.
Yet for many young professionals, developing communication skills is often overlooked.
Roger Hoeper, Software Developer at LocateSmarter, saw the importance of communicating with confidence and excellence in professional settings. To strengthen those skills, he sought out opportunities to improve through Toastmasters International.
“As an IT Professional, I am very much aware of the stereotype that IT people don’t communicate very well,” Roger shared as he explained why he began volunteering twelve years ago. “To combat that, I joined Toastmasters International to grow professionally.”
Toastmasters International is non-profit professional growth organization that is entirely volunteer-driven and dedicated to helping members gain the skills and confidence needed to grow both personally and professionally. Through speaking competitions, peer feedback, and mentoring, individuals are empowered to become more effective communicators and leaders.
Over the course of his involvement, Roger has served twice as an Area Director, once as a Division Director, and currently serves as President of Waterloo 101.
Founded nearly 90 years ago, Waterloo 101 was the first Toastmasters club established east of the Missouri River. Today, the club brings together a diverse group of individuals who are looking to improve their speaking abilities, expand their professional networks, and grow as leaders.
“Any organization that is primarily people trying to better themselves are the best people to get to know,” explained Roger. “I haven’t ever met someone who was trying to be a better person not [turn out to] be a good person to know.”
The sense of community is one of the defining characteristics of Toastmasters. While members join to improve communication and leadership skills, many also discover meaningful friendships and professional connections along the way.
Members come from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Some are pursuing career advancement, while others are seeking leadership opportunities or ways to give back to their communities. Some members are non-native English speakers looking to gain confidence communicating in professional environments while learning a new language.
“In truth, professional speaking is a skill that everyone needs to practice, even if you are a native English speaker. It builds your confidence. Even as someone who has been a Toastmasters member for a long time, when I nail a speech, that’s a confidence high that I can ride for a few days and be proud of myself.”
Connections formed through the club allow the individual who is learning to find the growth they seek, but it also creates a sense of unity and support between members.
The impact of Toastmasters extends far beyond weekly meetings.
In Iowa, one Toastmasters club operates within the prison system, providing incarcerated individuals with opportunities to strengthen communication skills that can benefit them both during and after incarceration.
Studies have shown that participants in these programs experience lower rates of reincarceration, in part because improved communication skills can lead to better employment opportunities and stronger interpersonal relationships.
“It’s an awesome program that has a proven success rate at helping people become a better citizen by learning how to communicate.,” Roger said as he shared a story of a speech competition held within the prison.
Finding a volunteer passion outside of work can be a meaningful way to give back, develop new skills, and find personal fulfillment. Toastmasters offers all of those opportunities while helping members build confidence and communication abilities that carry into every aspect of life.
“Toastmasters involves people from almost all walks of life; you get religious leaders, civic-minded community leaders, techy professionals. It’s just a great overall mixture of people and makes anyone a little bit better, a little more well-rounded individual,” Roger said.
Visitors are always welcome to attend a meeting and explore membership opportunities. To learn more about joining a local Toastmasters club, visit www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club.
“We Care” is LocateSmarter’s mission and promise to serve our community. This guiding principle shapes every client interaction andextends into the daily lives of our team members. The We Care Blog Series highlights the many ways this principle comes to lifethrough our people.
Actionable location intelligence helps repossession agents reduce research time, prioritize assignments, and accelerate recoveries
Cedar Falls, IA, June 10, 2026 — LocateSmarter and Repo Report announced a partnership that will integrate address data directly into Repo Report to enhance reporting and provide agents with more accurate insights into the location of a vehicle owner. The integrated solution will be showcased at REPO 2026, where attendees can visit the Repo Report booth for a live demonstration and see firsthand how the technology enhances day-to-day operations.
The new integration empowers repossession agencies with actionable address history data within Repo Report’s workflow platform, helping agents quickly identify the most relevant and accurate locations associated with a vehicle owner. By reducing the need for manual research and address verification, agencies can improve efficiency, make faster decisions, and increase recovery success rates.
Combining the power of LocateSmarter’s data with Repo Report’s analytics, the integration also reduces the need for maintaining multiple subscriptions as existing LocateSmarter users can leverage their existing relationship to seamlessly integrate with Repo Report.
Repo Report has established itself as a trailblazing cloud-based platform that automates critical information and processes for repossession agencies. The software helps organizations prioritize assignments, manage dispatch operations, coordinate recoveries, streamline updates, and make informed decisions through data-driven reporting.
“By leveraging LocateSmarter’s industry-leading data alongside RepoReport’s workflow and analytics platform, we aim to help agencies streamline operations, reduce administrative burdens, and focus resources on the assignments that matter most,” said Andy Sinclair, President of Repo Report.
“We are thrilled about our partnership and integration with Repo Report, embedding our data within their distinctive assignment report card, which will save the industry hundreds of hours in manual processes,” shared Alex Price, Director of Training and Development at LocateSmarter. “Together, we are helping drive a more productive and data-driven future for the recovery industry.”
LocateSmarter is an industry-leading data and analytics company providing invaluable skip tracing tools through its InvestigateSmarter solution. The best-in-class solution provides access to DMV vehicle ownership data, such as verified vehicle registration, lienholder, and contact information that leads to smarter recoveries.
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About LocateSmarter
LocateSmarter offers innovative online search platforms and API integrations to power your Skiptracing. Backed by millions of data records and decades of industry expertise, our products allow you to find what you’re looking for faster and with greater confidence. The InvestigateSmarter solution is an industry standout thanks to our quality data outputs, above and beyond customer service, and innovative attention to address lite-skip needs. Learn more at locatesmarter.com/investigatesmarter/
About Repo Report
Repo Report is a cloud-based repossession management platform designed to help recovery agencies streamline operations, automate workflows, improve communication, and make data-driven decisions. Its innovative reporting and analytics tools enable agencies to prioritize assignments, manage dispatching, and increase operational efficiency. Learn more at reporeport.io/
Each year, millions make a pilgrimage to Lourdes in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, the sacred site where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858. This April, as he has for the past fifteen years, Geoff Lee, Director of Channel Partnerships, was among them.
But Geoff did not make the journey alone.
As a leader within the Western Association of the Order of Malta, Geoff accompanied over 250 terminally ill patients on this holy and transformative pilgrimage. Affectionately referred to as “Malads,” the French term for sick patients, these individuals make the journey to Lourdes each year to find healing, connection, and peace.
Geoff’s journey with the Order of Malta began almost twenty years ago when his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. While learning more about the resources available to her, Geoff was drawn to the organization’s life-changing mission and the opportunity to support individuals during pivotal moments in their lives.
“It’s really a journey of treating somebody not like a patient, not with pity, but with dignity and honor… and like a person,” Geoff reflects. “It’s an absolute honor to have this opportunity, and I’ve embraced it so much that I cannot not go every year… The experience has changed me dramatically and it also resets me every time I come back.”
For Geoff and many volunteers who embark on the pilgrimage each year, the experience is more than literally or figuratively walking in someone else’s shoes. The pilgrimage teaches what’s truly important in life.
It reminds those who embark on the journey that what really matters isn’t the frustration in a workplace or the daily commute to work, it’s simply the gift of being alive and our ability to connect person to person.
“It’s really those moments where you least expect it that stay with you and remind you of why you’re there,” Geoff shared as he recalled a touching experience during a dinner towards the end of a pilgrimage.
At this dinner, a young mother with two daughters at home shared that, because of her experience on the trip, she found the ability to call her daughters and share that she had made peace with her diagnosis and that she was ready for the challenging days ahead.
“I only hope that someday, when my time comes, that I’m that brave and that dignified as so many that I’ve served have shown me over the years,” Geoff says.
A gifted storyteller and relationship-builder, Geoff has the ability to build connections with the Malades throughout the various stages of the seven-day pilgrimage. Often during the pilgrimage, the domain will host a candlelight processional where thousands of flickering candles illuminate the pathways through the entire village. During one of the processionals, Geoff assisted a young man in a cart struggling emotionally throughout the evening. The wind had extinguished the young man’s candle.
Hoping to lift his spirits, Geoff shared a childhood story about how 10-year-old Geoff would accidentally set the same paper illustration of Mary on fire while trying to shield his candle from the wind. To his mother’s disapproval, a young Geoff proudly called it a “Flaming Mary.”
As Geoff relit the young man’s candle and continued through the procession, he noticed a warm glow behind him. Turning around, he saw the young man smiling beside his own proudly blazing “Flaming Mary.”
“You never know what little things that happen between people will be remembered. Here I thought I went overboard sharing my childhood experience, little did I know I provided him a little temporary relief from what he was going through,” Geoff explained.
Returning from a transformative journey like the pilgrimage offers a fresh perspective. It becomes easier to recognize that very little changes whether we arrive five minutes earlier or move a little faster through our day.
“Stop. Pause for a moment,” Geoff says. “Nothing is going to change if I get in my seat five minutes earlier. Why don’t you focus on the stranger ahead of you and just be there for them? Just slow the heck down.”
The spirit of service resonates through many team members at LocateSmarter. The company culture allows for employees like Geoff to explore passions outside of our professional work.
“It’s one thing to say you care but to put it into practice [is different]. It can absolutely be sensed, and it resonates within the organization,” shared Geoff.
Whether serving the sick and poor or ensuring every client interaction is handled with compassion and respect, the team at LocateSmarter strives to live out its “We Care” mission each day.
There is always a need within the Order of Malta for people looking to do good in our world.
“What I love about us is that it’s not always about writing a check,” Geoff says. “If you want to be hands-on at a local level, we’re carrying on a mission to help people.”
To learn more about how you may play a part, visit orderofmaltawestern.us.
“We Care” is LocateSmarter’s mission and promise to serve our community. This guiding principle shapes every client interaction andextends into the daily lives of our team members. The We Care Blog Series highlights the many ways this principle comes to lifethrough our people.
New partnership brings verified registration, location data, and contact information directly into RecoveryConnect, reducing search time and accelerating repossession timelines
Medford, MA, March 31, 2026 – MBSi and LocateSmarter announced a partnership that will integrate DMV vehicle registration, location data, and valuable contact information directly into RecoveryConnect. This partnership significantly expands the data currently available within RecoveryConnect to help support recovery agents in their lite skip tracing efforts by streamlining data workflows, enhancing location accuracy, and accelerating recovery timelines. The integration will be on display at the North American Repossessors Summit (NARS) where attendees can see it firsthand at the MBSi booth (#56).
LocateSmarter is an industry-leading data and analytics company providing invaluable skip tracing tools through its InvestigateSmarter solution. The best-in-class solution provides access to DMV vehicle ownership data, such as verified vehicle registration, lien holder, and contact information that leads to smarter recoveries. The integration into RecoveryConnect allows for actionable searches within a single platform, saving time, reducing friction, and leading to faster repossessions. Agents using LocateSmarter’s DMV data have reported up to a 15% lift in first-night repossession rate using insights from the platform.
“Recovery agents have enough on their plates and should not have to jump between platforms to get the data they need,” said Alex Price, Director of Training & Development at LocateSmarter. “By integrating our DMV Lite Data Report into RecoveryConnect, we’re putting verified ownership data one step closer to the decision that matters—the recovery itself. We look forward to building on this momentum with MBSi.”
“LocateSmarter is the latest partner helping us align critical data sources within RecoveryConnect, giving agents direct access to skip tracing data within our platform,” says Heather Ford, SVP of Product & Marketing at MBSi. “This is exactly the kind of partnership that moves the industry forward — better data, less friction, stronger results for our clients.”
MBSi is focused on developing advanced technologies and tools to help our clients work more efficiently, effectively and safely while building trust, maintaining compliance and reducing costs. MBSi continually invests heavily in research and development and is product-driven and customer-focused, offering customers the most stable, scalable and compliant solutions on the market.
About LocateSmarter
LocateSmarter offers innovative online search platforms and API integrations to power your Skiptracing. Backed by millions of data records and decades of industry expertise, our products allow you to find what you’re looking for faster and with greater confidence. The InvestigateSmarter solution is an industry standout thanks to our quality data outputs, above and beyond customer service, and innovative attention to address lite-skip needs. Learn more at locatesmarter.com/investigatesmarter/.
About MBSi
MBSi is a leading Software as a Service (SaaS) provider in the auto finance industry, specializing in creating real-time connections between lenders, forwarders, and recovery agencies. MBSi is committed to developing technology solutions that increase efficiency, security, and compliance, helping our clients streamline operations and minimize risk.
Our flagship product, RecoveryConnect, enables seamless assignment management between lenders and recovery agencies, while VendorConnect offers transparency and compliance oversight for third- and fourth-party vendors. At MBSi, we blend industry expertise with cutting-edge technology to drive innovation and results.
For more information, please visit www.mbsicorp.com.
