Equifax's push into the Brazilian market was challenged by the economic difficulties there, especially the currency devaluation. The agency was founded by two brothers Guy and Cator Woolford, in 1899. Over the years the company has produced several profitable data-gathering and transaction-processing progeny, including Certegy, which became a separate entity in 2001, and ChoicePoint, which became a separate entity in 1997. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. In 1935 Cator Woolford donated a parcel of land he owned in Glynn County, adjacent to an old river plantation known as Elizafield, to the state of Georgia for use as a state park. Nestled on 39 acres of mature hardwoods, the Cator Woolford Gardens are situated on one of the few remaining intact historic estates in Metropolitan Atlanta and are located just a few miles from the heart of downtown. [10][11] Even though the company continued to do credit reporting, the majority of its business was making reports to insurance companies when people applied for new insurance policies, such as life, auto, fire and medical insurance. Eventually the company's ability to retrieve information by computer from vast data banks would prove one of Retail Credit's greatest assets. This was one of the last parcels in Druid Hills to be purchased, ostensibly because so much of it was considered The New Georgia Encyclopedia is supported by funding from A More Perfect Union, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. 1899CatorChattanooga . In 1975 the agency changed its name from Retail Credit Company to Equifax. All requests for permission to publish or reproduce the resource must be submitted to the rights holder. [51][52], In September 2017, Brian Krebs revealed that the Argentine arm of Equifax had left private data from approximately 14,000 consumers, and more than 100 staff members, available to anyone who entered "admin" as both the username and password for one of its online systems. In April 1903 Retail Credit closed its Augusta office, after clearly noting signs that the branch would not become profitable. Weve updated the security on the site. Retrieved Aug 19, 2013, from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/equifax/. [citation needed] Business customers include retailers, insurance firms, healthcare providers, utilities, government agencies, as well as banks, credit unions, personal and specialty finance companies and other financial institutions. Equifax has an annual revenue of over $3.1 billion. He was co-founder of Atlanta Retail Credit Company (now Equifax) and used part of his fortune to build this estate and mansion in the historic Ponce de . There is intrinsic vulnerability in collecting and storing personal financial information, and we need to have a meaningful discussion on how to protect and limit access to it. Among other directives given, the U.S. government ordered Retail Credit to stop rating employees by how much negative information they collected on consumers and to stop having investigators misrepresent themselves when conducting inquiries. Stock, Director Heather Wilson, Director John McKinley, Director & 6 others Equifax Competitors Credit Information Bureau 2000, Mumbai, $19.1M Canopy 2015, London, $12.4M Applied Data Finance 2014, New York City, $202M Aire 2014, London, $33.3M A decade later, the state legislature consented to the establishment of a home for underprivileged boys, Boys Estate, on the property. One of Atlanta's most meaningful hidden gems, the Cator Woolford Gardens provides a beautiful event space for life's special moments with all proceeds directly supporting the Frazer Center's mission of fostering inclusion and celebrating diversity in the Atlanta community. cemeteries found in Woolford, Dorchester County, Maryland, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy, We have a credit expert available right now to take your call. In mid-1992 Equifax agreed to provide consumers with a toll-free number and to begin investigating disputes within 30 days. In 1994 the company also greatly expanded its international operations through acquisitions and joint ventures, gaining a presence in 12 countries, including Argentina, Chile, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Equifax is the oldest and largest credit bureau in existence today. Cator Woolford got his start in the credit bureau business as a grocer in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Equifax was founded by Cator and Guy Woolford in Atlanta, Georgia, as Retail Credit Company in 1899. The company also developed its first form containing questions relating to fire insurance. Many years later, after Woolfords death in 1944, his former Druid Hills estate became the site of the Frazer Center, a rehabilitation facility for children and adults with disabilities, and the Cator Woolford Gardens, designed by landscape architect Edward Daugherty. There he supervised the compilation of a list of customers, with indications of their creditworthiness, for the local Retail Grocer's Association." This episode of our daily podcast, The Outline World Dispatch was all about the Equifax breach. Cator Woolford got his start in the credit bureau business as a grocer in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 1899: The Woolfords moved to Atlanta with the goal of making credit reporting their new career. Eventually the Frazers and Lanes acquired the former estate of Cator Woolford (founder of the Retail Credit Company, now Equifax), 39 acres located in Lake Claire/Druid Hills. The trouble-plagued ChoicePoint made headlines in 2005 for leaking consumers confidential information to identity thieves. [42] Equifax and other credit monitoring agencies are required by law to provide US residents with one free credit file disclosure every 12 months; the Annualcreditreport.com website incorporates data from U.S. Equifax credit records. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. They started their credit investigations by going door-to-door among merchants, asking about their customers and noting the findings in ledgers. [39][40], In February 2023, it was announced Equifax had acquired the Barueri-headquartered credit bureau, Boa Vista Servios for $596 million. This beautiful garden underwent major renovations in 1996 and 2017. Cooper Sanchez, an artist, gardener, and designer, has used his magical skills to convert the Cator Woodford Garden to a popular event venue in Atlanta. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. . There was a problem getting your location. Once the estate of Cator Woolford, founder of the company now known as Equifax, these lovely grounds include the beautiful Cator Woolford Gardens. Attempts to run facilities in Baltimore, Greensborough, and Philadelphia during this time failed, and the offices were closed. ). Soon offices in Chicago and San Francisco came on line. Cator Woolford Gardens, situated in the Frazer Center, was originally designed for Cator Woolford, one of the founders of Equifax Inc. Year should not be greater than current year. [4] Equifax collects and aggregates information on over 800 million individual consumers and more than 88 million businesses worldwide. With opportunities for expansion growing more limited in the developed world, Equifax turned to the Latin American and Asian markets, acquiring full or partial ownership of firms in Chile, India, Argentina, Peru, and El Salvador. The company has been in existence for over a decade, and it has stood the test of time to be among the largest consumer credit reporting agency of all time. In the following year, the company's capacity grew 40 percent, to cover all 50 states. Most of the credit work was then being done by a subsidiary, Retailers Commercial Agency. Please reset your password. The business soon became very successful. [64][65], Also on October 13, 2017, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service was reported to have suspended a $7.2 million contract with Equifax as a result of the attack. In a ten-year period, 104 smaller credit bureaus had been added to the Equifax network alone. [19], In September 2017, Equifax announced a cyber-security breach, which it claims to have occurred between mid-May and July 2017,[20] where cybercriminals accessed approximately 145.5 million U.S. Equifax consumers' personal data, including their full names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and driver license numbers. [76], In 2014, Equifax and Heartland Bank were sued by Kimberly Haman of the St. Louis area for reporting she was dead. Cambridge, Dorchester County, Maryland, USA. The company posted a loss of $2,242. [15] Also in 2001, Equifax spun off its payment services division, forming the publicly listed company Certegy, which subsequently acquired Fidelity National Information Services in 2006. On March 1, 2018, Equifax announced that 2.4 million additional U.S. customers were affected by the breach,[21] increasing the number of affected to 147.9 million Americans. Merchants paid $25 a year to use the book and subsequent credit reports; grocers paid less. There was a consent decree. Expanded into Insurance-Related Business in 1901. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. The same cybersecurity firm was hired following the MayJuly breach. Nevertheless, after the company pledged to monitor its procedures more carefully, the government halted its investigation. "[42], According to senator Michael Crapo, "The amount of data that the private industry and Government collect and store is very concerning. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Copyright 2018 Key Credit Repair. 28. For instance, in 1908 the company began issuing reports for automobile liability insurers. [11] RCC also investigated insurance claims and made employment reports when people were seeking new jobs. Leaving the direct-marketing business enhanced Equifax's public image without too much sacrifice; the relinquished activities provided only $12 million, or one percent of Equifax's revenues. After several visits to the city, the Woolfords rented an office consisting of a single room on the fifth floor of the Gould Building, at 10 Decatur Street, and had the words "Retail Credit Company" printed on the door in large black letters. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Founded by brothers. THE CATOR WOOLFORD ESTATE 1815 S. Ponce de Leon, Ave, NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 Determination and Scope for Fence Permit . [81], Consumer lawsuits claiming damages under the FCRA have been successful in small claims court. 1979: Retail Credit Company changes its name to Equifax. In 1920, however, Retail Credit's insurance business suffered a serious blow when a consortium of insurance companies formed the American Service Bureau to provide members with investigative reports of the sort that Retail Credit supplied. In June 1996 the company gained full ownership of Transax plc, the largest check guarantee company in the United Kingdom, while in March 1998 it acquired a leading U.K. risk and credit management firm, CCI Group Plc. Oops, something didn't work. 1923: The company forms Credit Service Exchange, a credit rating operations firm. Its customers included retailers, government agencies, healthcare providers, insurance firms, and credit unions, among many others. [83][84], In January 2020, Equifax agreed to a global settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and 50 U.S. states and territories. Some of the company's data storage equipment is pictured circa 1978. In 1948, Anne Lane was searching for a program for her daughter Anita, who had cerebral palsy. The increased competition resulted in a serious slump in Retail Credit's life insurance and credit reporting activities in 1921. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. The companys name was changed to Equifax in 1976, perhaps, some thought, to counter the lingering memory of the companys brushes with government regulators. As consumers, we often take for granted all the hard work that goes into building a great company. Nestled on 39 acres of mature hardwood forest, Cator Woolford Gardens at the Frazer Center is located on one of the few remaining intact historic estates in Metropolitan Atlanta, just a few miles from the heart of downtown.The Gardens were originally created as part of the estate of Cator Woolford, one of the principal founders of Retail Credit Company (now, Equifax, Inc.). And though Equifaxs story isnt quite as tenured as Experian, its roots date back to the late1800swhen it began as a grocery store. 0 cemeteries found in Woolford, Dorchester County, Maryland, USA. Equifax's image-polishing moves came just as the company's net income had declined from $64 million in 1990 to $5 million in 1991; the general recession had held down demand for credit and credit reports, plus a restructuring that cut about 1,900 jobs resulted in a $19 million charge. It has employed more than 32,000 workers globally, and it is traded at the New York Stock Exchange under the name EFX. The law also restricted the kinds of information credit bureaus could sell. 2017: Equifax is the victim of a massive cyber hack, which is believed to have exposed the personal, confidential information of about 145 million Americans. Guy Woolford was also inclined to make lasting contributions to his community. Retail Credit's activities in the consumer credit business were regulated for the first time in 1971, when Congress passed the Fair Credit Reporting Act, effective in April. In June the pages of the book were run out on a mimeograph machine and bound between hard covers with the title "Merchant's Guide.". The company handles or facilitates more than ten million electronic transactions per day for 300,000 customers worldwide. [47], Between May and July 2017, yet-identified hackers were able to use a known exploit on one of Equifax' web servers that had yet to be updated to access the credit records of more than 140 million Americans as well as some British and Canadian citizens before the breach was detected and shut down. Try again later. Once the estate of Cator Woolford, founder of the company now known as Equifax, these lovely grounds include the beautiful Cator Woolford Gardens. Cator Woolford (1869-1944), Atlanta businessman, civic leader and philanthropist, founded the Retail Credit Company (the precursor to Equifax) in 1899. The agency handles information on more than 88 million businesses and 880 million individuals globally. Cator actually got the idea from his grocery business, where they collected customers' names and evidence of credit worthiness. Take a virtual tour of Georgia's museums and galleries, Fashion and politics from Georgia-born designer Frankie Welch. According to Bloomberg, Equifax enlisted Mandiant (owned by FireEye, Inc.) to assist in investigating the March attack. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Different inspectors carried out the two types of investigations. Equifax collects and also aggregates information on more than 88 million businesses and more than 880 million individuals worldwide. Equifax also holds the number one position in check guarantee and verification in the United States, Canada, France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Its headquarters are located on Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta. Failed to delete flower. In 1973, in one sign of its giant growth, Retail Credit Company again faced off against the Federal Trade Commission, this time for monopolistic practices. With the 1993 acquisition of Integratec Inc., Equifax gained a leading provider of debt collection and other back-office services for credit card issuers and other lenders. 2); Equifax Ventures, Inc.; Financial Institution Benefit Association, Inc.; Financial Insurance Marketing Group, Inc.; First Bankcard Systems, Inc.; Global Scan Ltd. (U.K.); Global Scan (USA), Inc.; Goldleaf Technologies, Inc.; High Integrity Systems, Inc.; The Infocheck Group Ltd. (U.K.); Infolink Ltd. (U.K.); Light Signatures, Inc.; Market Knowledge, Incorporated; Stewardship, Inc.; Tecnicob S.A. (France); Transax Australia plc (U.K.); Transax France plc (U.K.); Transax (Ireland) plc; Transax Ltd. (New Zealand); Transax plc. [46] Additionally, the security researchers said they were able to gain shell access on Equifax's servers and discovered and reported to Equifax additional vulnerabilities. Founder of the Retail Credit Company of Atlanta, Ga., now Equifax, one of the three major credit-rating agencies in the US. That year also saw Equifax introduce a record 25 new products. The agency also purchased a business intelligence company known as eThority, which has headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina. 1989: Equifax forms an alliance with CSC Credit Services. Try again. All rights reserved. Gilbert. The number grew to 258 over the next ten years. Equifax is the oldest and largest credit bureau in existence today. Along withTransUnionand Experian, Equifax helps make up the big three of the credit reporting bureaus. To make amends, Equifax announced in August 1991 that it would cease using credit information to compile lists for the purposes of direct marketing. (U.K.); Transax pty Ltd. (Australia); Transax S.N.C. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. In 1989 Equifax had commissioned a poll that showed that 71 percent of all Americans thought they had lost control over information concerning their lives and 79 percent considered privacy a basic right. The company continued expansion by opening new branch offices throughout the decades following the war. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Four months later, the company spent $9 million to open an elaborate consumer services center which provided information to callers about their credit file in eight languages. The agency has recorded a very big growth over the years, and they have total assets worth $7.23 billion. "[45], According to an October 2017 report from Motherboard, around December 2016, a security researcher examining Equifax's servers found that an online portal, created for Equifax employees only, was accessible to the open Internet. As a trustee of the Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta, Woolford helped to acquire land that would become a buffer for the Fernbank Forest. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. [6], Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Drag images here or select from your computer for Cator Ringgold Woolford memorial. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. To cover the costs of this effort, Woolford sold copies of the book to other merchants. Try again later. [68], The company has been fined by the Federal Trade Commission on two occasions for violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"). Towards this end, the company opened five new insurance-related offices in that year. Three years later, Retail Credit ran afoul of the new federal regulations and was charged with violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act. Failed to report flower. [47], According to Bloomberg, a person familiar with the breach believed this early-March intrusion may have been carried out by the same party that breached Equifax's computer systems again in May. [11], Equifax expanded into commercial credit reports on companies in the United States, Canada and the UK, where it came into competition with companies such as Dun & Bradstreet and Experian. Once the home of Cator Woolford, a principal founder of what is now known as Equifax, the Italian-style gardens serve as a wedding and event venue infused with decades of classic beauty and Southern charm. Family members linked to this person will appear here. The business soon became very successful. As of Apr 06 -3.03 / -1.52%. Also proving helpful was the advent of credit bureau associations which had begun springing up as the exchange of information between fellow creditors became more common. Cator Woolford, John Kallassy Get Updates for Jobs and News Equifax Jobs Nearby Equifax Jobs Equifax Similar Companies Show More Find Jobs from Similar Companies Personalize your job search. In 1908 the company opened five new insurance-related offices cator woolford equifax Chicago and San Francisco came on line a,. Years, and Asia Pacific credit closed its Augusta office, after company! Mayjuly breach cator woolford equifax the goal of making credit reporting bureaus Guy and Woolford! Halted its investigation, the government halted its investigation were seeking new jobs Bloomberg. To this person will appear here closed its Augusta office, after the company forms credit Service Exchange a! Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy, we have a credit rating operations firm ( owned by,... 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