Executive Change: Carl E. Harkleroad Joins the Columbia Ultimate Family of Companies as Chief Innovation Officer

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Columbia Ultimate, a collections industry leader at the forefront of technology and integrated solutions,  is pleased to welcome Carl E. Harkleroad to the Family as chief innovation officer as part of the company’s move to support clients and extend service throughout the ARM industry.

Carl Harkleroad

Harkleroad joins Columbia Ultimate with more than 30 years of IT experience; 24 years within the collection industry. Harkleroad founded Latitude Software in 1997 and has since served as the CEO and president for over 15 years. During this time, he pioneered the introduction of  hosted  collection software in the ARM industry.

“Carl is a powerhouse of innovation and progress within the collection industry. His remarkable experience will undoubtedly strengthen our value proposition with innovative approaches that help our clients and the industry,” said Columbia Ultimate’s President & CEO R. Fred Houston.

In this role, Harkleroad will provide insights and guidance on all Columbia Ultimate solutions for clients, as well as grow opportunities to new ARM markets.

“I am thrilled to be joining the team at Columbia Ultimate.  There is great momentum at the company right now and opportunity to expand our involvement and impact in the role technology innovations can play in the ARM industry,” said Columbia Ultimate Chief Innovation Officer Carl E. Harkleroad. “Requirements are changing every day and I intend to ensure Columbia Ultimate remains ahead of the curve.”

About Carl E. Harkleroad

Carl E. Harkleroad served as CEO and president of Latitude Software, Inc. Harkleroad has more than 30 years of IT experience, of which the last 24 years have been within the collection industry. He founded Latitude Software in 1997. Prior to that, Harkleroad served as Vice president of IT at Capital Credit Corporation, Corliss Credit Services, Inc. and The Master Collectors, as well as vice president of Central Credit Services, Inc.  Connect with Carl on LinkedIn.

About Columbia Ultimate

Established in 1979 and headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, Columbia Ultimate is a privately held corporation servicing healthcare, collections agencies, debt buyers, banking and finance, retail and government sectors.

The Columbia Ultimate family of companies includes Columbia Ultimate, RevQ, and The Intelitech Group. RevQ provides industry leading software solutions and consulting services to improve collections in the government sector. The Intelitech Group is a business management and debt recovery consulting company that provides technology solutions designed to enhance profitability.

More information is available at www.columbiaultimate.com