Background Checks for Corporations and Consumers

Owned and operated by Merchants Information Solutions, Inc., the Senior Leadership Team collectively has more than 200 years of business information expertise. With experience in specialty fields ranging from employment screening, finance and collections to sales and marketing, our executives not only have the know-how, they also bring an unparalleled passion to the information needs of our clients. In addition, our team is comprised of licensed private investigators for the State of Arizona.

Click on a name to learn more about each team member:

Russell Johnson brings nearly a quarter century of financial services experience to the table. Prior to joining MIS, Mr. Johnson was Co-founder and COO of Outsource Financial Services. Before that, he held executive positions with Norwest Bank Arizona, First Interstate Bank, and Bank of America.

Mr. Johnson holds a BS degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, and is an alumnus of the Graduate School of Bank Management at the University of Virginia. He has numerous business, educational, and professional affiliations and is a respected leader in the financial services industry.

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Jim Collard has over 30 years of experience in operations, credit management and sales. Before joining Merchants, Mr. Collard served as General Manager for Babbitt Trading CO's Tuba City Division and was Chief Financial Officer for White Eagle Building Materials. Recently, Mr. Collard held the position of President of the Credit and Financial Development Division of NACM and was Chairman for the Phoenix Area Credit Executives.

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Mark Pribish has over 19 years of experience in working with financial institutions, associations and Fortune 1000 companies throughout the United States. His background includes the marketing and management of Identity Theft, Data Breach, Insurance, and Risk Management services. Prior to joining Merchants, Mr. Pribish was Senior Vice President for Aon Risk Services of Arizona, Inc., and National Sales Manager for AIG Life and AIG Environmental Banking Group.

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Michael Mortensen has over 20 years of experience in Information Technology, Accounting and Finance. Most recently Mr. Mortensen served as an Analyst with US Airways, supporting its merger with America West Airlines. Prior to that Mr. Mortensen was the Vice President of Information Technology at APPS Software, a boutique software consulting firm headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ and also served as Financial Analyst for NDC Health Information Systems.

Mr. Mortensen holds an MBA and a MS degree in Information Management as well as a BS in Accounting, all from Arizona State University.

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Stephen Swope has accumulated more than 20 years of experience in the finance and accounting arenas. Previously the CFO for Vital Processing Services in Tempe, he also held management positions with Wells Fargo and Bank of America.

Mr. Swope holds an MBA in Finance and a BS in Accounting from the University of Akron. A certified public accountant (CPA), he is an active member of the Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

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