Expanding its leadership in notary education at a time when national demand for trusted notarizations and consumer protection is at an all-time high, the National Notary Association (NNA) has named Thomas Heymann its new president and chief executive officer.
Amid the national mortgage settlement, the foreclosure robo-signing crisis and proliferating real estate fraud, Heymann will focus on strengthening the NNA’s training, support and outreach programs to employers of notaries in the mortgage service industry, in addition to refining its programs for individual notaries nationwide. These efforts will help boost consumer confidence in the legal, financial, and real estate sectors, among many others.
“The nation’s 4.8 million notaries are a critical factor in restoring trust and confidence in document transactions,” said NNA Chairman Milt Valera. “We are fortunate to have in Tom Heymann a consummate leader who has an intimate understanding of the NNA’s challenges and the tremendous opportunities available for notaries.”
“Tom is a trusted friend, advisor, colleague and a very important and influential member of the NNA’s Board of Directors,” Valera said. “His distinguished track record of leadership in several diverse industries will allow the organization to provide notaries with the tools and training they need to fulfill their essential functions, particularly in light of the mortgage and foreclosure issues facing the country.”
As the NNA’s longtime president, Valera is stepping down from day-to-day duties after more than 43 years to focus fulltime as chairman of the association and its service entities. As president of the NNA’s philanthropic arm, the National Notary Foundation, Valera will also be devoting more time to its important programs and activities.
“Because trust, integrity and confidence are among the top concerns for today’s consumers and businesses, I expect to focus our efforts on helping notaries and their employers meet these needs,” Heymann said. “For 55 years the NNA has served to support and improve the notary office and it’s a privilege to be in a position to build upon that legacy.”
Heymann, 55, brings to the association impressive credentials in finance, risk management and organizational development following more than 34 years of experience in executive management and corporate governance in operationally complex, service intensive environments spanning a variety of industries, including education, retail, technology and restaurant.
In education, he served as chairman and chief executive officer of Knowledge Learning Corp., the nation’s largest private provider of early education. In retail, Heymann served as president of Disney Stores Inc., which included their global presence in retail, online and catalog enterprises. In technology, he currently serves as the presiding member of EveryPenny LLC., and has served on the boards of several public technology companies, including MP3.com, Loudeye Technologies, Atari and Tickets.com. Additionally, he was the managing director and co-founder of venture capital firm Digital Coast Ventures. In the restaurant industry, he was co-founder and president of Levy Restaurants and, most recently, CEO of Mastro’s Restaurants LLC. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Northwestern University.