Jerry Colasurdo Serves Papers and a Helping Hand
- September 14, 2010
- by ServeNow.com Staff
ServeNow.com member Jerry Colasurdo stumbled into the process server profession about 30 years ago and has given it his all ever since. From befriending the people he serves, to serving some of America’s most rich and powerful citizens, Colasurdo has just about done it all. We asked him about some of his experiences and opinions, and here’s what he had to say.
How did you get started in the process serving business?
I got started in process serving after helping out an attorney who was a friend about 30 years ago. He could not find anyone to serve a document so I did it for him. This continued to happen so I continued to help him. Before I knew it, I realized that I loved what I was doing and decided to open up my own process service business. Thirty years later I still love what I do and my friend is one of my clients!
What is the size of your agency/company?
We employ 85 process servers throughout New Jersey, New York, and Eastern Pennsylvania and have 30 office personnel. We also have affiliates nationally and internationally.
What associations do you belong to?
DGR is a member of NAPPS, NJPPSA, NYSPPSA, CAPPS, FAPPS, GAPPS, OAPS, and TPSA.
What are the conferences/trade shows you frequent?
We recently went to the NJAJ convention in Atlantic City and we attended the ALA Convention this past fall. We also go to the NAPPS Convention every year and love to meet other process servers from around the country.
What is the most exciting/interesting thing that has happened to you when you served someone?
I remember a case where I was serving a subpoena on an elderly man and had to re-serve him many times over the course of several months for an ongoing deposition and then the trial. We became such good friends that I started bringing him coffee and donuts and visiting with him if time permitted. Afterwards, he would pick fresh vegetables from his garden and give them to me to bring home.
Another instance was when we had to serve a husband and wife foreclosure papers and they couldn’t pay their mortgage because both of them had cancer. After service was completed I sent the server to the local food store and filled up a shopping cart with food to bring back to them. Not only could they not afford their mortgage but they couldn’t afford to eat as their medications took up all of their monthly allowances. I feel very fortunate to be a process server and have these opportunities to help others.
Have you ever served anyone famous?
Many times! I’ve served famous celebrities, football players, baseball players, hockey players, famous writers, etc.
What is your favorite aspect of the job?
I am very fortunate to balance my job and my life at the same time. I love owning a process service because I’m not locked into a 9-5 job. Even though most of the time the hours are much longer! I am still happy, however, to have the flexibility to see my family and enjoy my life.
What other types of services do you offer?
DG – The Source for Legal Support is a full-service legal support company. Aside from process services we also offer messenger service, due diligence inquiries, property/occupancy inspection services and surrogate searches, and all members of our staff are notary publics offering notary services.
Do you have any tricks to make sure someone will open the door when serving them papers, such as using disguises or carrying a box with flowers?
Disguises and flowers work very well and I have used them in the past. We do not resort to that style of service often and the best formula is using a straightforward approach in almost every case. I once had to disguise myself as a tax collector and another time as the president of a division in a major car company. All of these techniques work very well!
What is the most challenging thing you’ve encountered in the business?
I think that due to the current state of the economy, the responses that we receive from people being served are a bit harsher than in the past. It is challenging to deal with the elaborate accusations that homeowners come up with when being served and we have had to deal with that much more recently, especially as we handle a very large volume of foreclosure matters.
What initially drew you to advertise with ServeNow.com?
ServeNow.com has a wonderful layout. Your website is very user-friendly, and it is affordable to be listed. It is also very well promoted online.
What has your experience been with Serve-Now.com?
Our company has gotten a great deal of feedback from ServeNow.com. We are happy to be listed on this website!
What advice would you give to someone who is just beginning in the process serving industry? What did you wish you knew when first starting out?
My advice would be to work extremely hard. This is not an easy industry, and the success does not come without a great deal of time, sacrifice, and endless amounts of hard work. I wish that I knew to NEVER PUT YOUR GUARD DOWN! I learned this early in my career after, unfortunately, getting kicked in the groin by a 65-year-old woman!
What is the most exciting thing that has happened while serving papers?
The most exciting service I ever made was to serve the richest man in the world who, at that time, was on the cover of Forbes magazine. We met the client who we were working for at a private airport when he arrived from out of state. My associate and I took him with us to the location of service in order for him to point out the individual when he arrived in his motorcade. He had an entourage of people. It was certainly exciting to be able to maneuver our way past them and serve this individual.
Where do you see your business and the process serving industry going in the future?
I hope to see my business continually grow as it has in the past. I see the process serving industry continue to prosper as well. I know that many process servers are leery about e-filing and e-process, but we must join together and embrace the changes that we are about to encounter.
Are you a glass-half-full or half-empty kind of person?
I definitely feel that the glass is half full! I always feel that a positive attitude is the most important aspect of a business and no matter how the day goes, optimism will ultimately make you successful.
What do you look forward to every day working in the process server industry?
I look forward to coming to work every single day because I honestly love what I do. I really enjoy the challenge every day and knowing that we are completing a cycle in the legal community that starts off every single case for an attorney. Without our input and professionalism, they would not be able to institute a case without professional process servers.
What do you do outside of work?
Outside of work, I spend time with my wife, Debbie, who is the Vice President of DGR. We enjoy going for rides and eating at Hot Dog Johnny’s in New Jersey! We also like to garden and travel to the Islands and to Cape May, New Jersey, to see the beautiful Victorian homes. I enjoy working on old cars as a hobby which one day I would like to be able to collect.
What is your favorite quote?
“Live today as if tomorrow will be your last”
To learn more about becoming a member of ServeNow.com’s trusted network of process servers, contact us online or call (877) 737-8366.
If you would like to redistribute this article or any other content for your website, newsletter or other publication, contact us to find out how. And if you’re interested in writing articles for the process servers, ServeNow.com is always looking for guest writers to share their industry knowledge.