Leadership by Experience
At Clear Title, our management team is defined by experience in not only the Title and Escrow business, but in bringing out the best in our team members. We strive to build a balance of work and family life, personal and professional development and team participation that results in uncompromising Title and Escrow services for our customers…day in and day out.
Meet the Officers
In 2003 Mr. Clifford accepted a position with First American Title Insurance Corporation, as President of the Arizona division of The Talon Group. The Talon Group was established as part of First American’s separate branding initiative to increase market share nationally. Starting with only three branches, Jim was successful in growing the Talon Group’s operations in Arizona to include 14 locations, with over $24,000,000.00 in annual revenues.
In January of 2011, Mr. Clifford joined Clear Title of Arizona as the President, Chief Operating Officer and a Principal partner in the Company.
Jim has previously served on the Arizona Mortgage Bankers Association, and is a member of the Land Title Association of Arizona.
Over the next 22 years, Nick rose to the position of Arizona District Manager and Vice President for US Life Title and its predecessor United Title Agency. In 1996, after the sale of United Title, Nick teamed with his long-time colleague and business partner Jim Clifford to join Capital Title Group (NASDAQ: CTGI) and open a division of Capital Title Agency of Arizona in Maricopa County.
During a seven year span from 1996 to 2003, Nick was instrumental in growing the Maricopa County division of Capital Title to include twenty four branch locations with annual revenues exceeding $20MM.
In 2003 Nick, who had become recognized as industry leader, joined the Talon Group (a division of First American Title Insurance Company) as Chief Executive Officer of their Arizona operations. Starting with only three branches, Nick was successful in growing the Talon Group’s operations in Arizona to include 14 locations, with over $24,000,000.00 in annual revenues.
In January of 2011, Nick joined Clear Title of Arizona Nick has previously served on the Arizona Mortgage Bankers Association, and is a member of the Land Title Association of Arizona.as the Chief Financial Officer and a Principal partner in the Company.
Mike Winters began his career in the title insurance industry as an ambitious 18 year old in 1988 as a courier. As the years passed he gracefully worked his way up within the field through the ranks of front desk, assistant escrow officer, and assistant branch manager. It was in these positions he obtained an education of escrow and closing processes. He swiftly developed a keen sense of the exceptional customer service required to build and maintain solid customer relationships. Mike is proud to say several of the relationships with clients made back in the mid 1990’s are still with him today.
Mike has remained firmly rooted with the same upper management team throughout acquisitions and company startups including, ATI Title, Capital Title and The Talon Group, a division of First American Title. Remaining steadfast, and having great successes in spite of some of the most volatile markets that Arizona real estate has experienced over the last decade, he has continued to prove himself a leader in the escrow industry. As of early 2011, Mike joined forces with Clear Title where he currently serves as Vice President of East Valley Operations.
Mike married his beloved wife Nikki in 1990. In January of 1991 their son Jacob was born, followed by their daughter Marni in October of 1992. The Winter’s family is no stranger to an active and fast-paced lifestyle. They spent many years enjoying winter trips to the Sand Dunes and attending Jacob and Marni’s water sports competitions in the summer. Both Jacob and Mari married in 2012 and the Winter’s welcomed their granddaughter Lydia to the family in August 2015.

Dane Briggs, who has held various leadership positions with title insurance, real estate and technology companies in Arizona, leads sales strategy and technology implementations for Clear Title Agency of Arizona. In this role he has day-to-day oversight of sales operations and customer retention strategies.
In addition to sales operations, he leads efforts to evaluate and implement emerging technology to help support the companies fast-paced growth in the Arizona market.
Dane has been a speaker and ambassador for Inman News Real Estate Connect Conferences in San Francisco and New York. He has spoken at a number of annual conventions and provided sales coaching and technology training to thousands of agents and numerous brokerages.