J. Patrick Altes has been a Florida State-licensed private investigator for over 30 years, and has been largely involved in the automobile recovery industry since 1973. He is considered one of the few International recovery specialists, and has supervised over 1,000 auto recovery accounts outside the United States, including recovery accounts in Mexico, The Netherlands, Iceland, Italy, Australia, Korea, former Czech Republic, Panama, Guam, Samoa, Scotland, the Philippines, and elsewhere. 
He is a former professional surfer, and a professional surf photographer, and has travelled to Hawaii, Australia, Costa Rica, Mexico, California and throughout the Caribbean pursuing these interests. His photos and journalistic work has been featured in SURFER, SURFING, SWELL, ESM, TRACKS, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, and various other local, national and international surfing publications. His work will be featured in an upcoming presentation of the “History of Florida Surfing” at Florida Atlantic University in March 2012. Pat also plays guitar & bass at his local church (although not particularly well).
J. Patrick Altes is the owner of Falcon International, one of the nation’s oldest and largest independantly-owned repossession agencies. He also works with Time Finance Adjusters, one of the three major trade associations for the repossession industry.
He has been featured on The Discovery Channel, USA Today, Fox Business News TV, MSNBC News, SubPrime News, Automotive News, the Daytona Beach News Journal, Collection Advisor Magazine, the American Spectator, Professional Repossessor Magazine, and many others.
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Member:
World Association of Detectives
Time Finance Adjusters (Board of Directors since 1992)
National Finance Adjusters
American Recovery Association
Association of Christian Investigations
National Association of Fraud Investigators
United Recovery Alliance
Florida Association of Licensed Recovery Agents (former Board of Directors) now FLACARS
Author (Recovery Industry):
Professional Repossessor Magazine (articles published 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003)
TimeLine News (Publication of Time Finance Adjusters (1992-present)
TowTimes Magazine (2008, 2009)
Manhunt, The Book
Television:
“The Repossessors” The Discovery Channel 2003-2004
MSNBC News 2008
WESH-TV 2008
Speaking Engagements:
Repossession Risk Management Seminar, Dallas, Texas November 2003 (promoted by United Recovery Alliance)
Time Finance Adjusters Conference: guest speaker at annual conventions, 1997-present
Prime Safety Seminar, Dallas, Texas; March 2003 (promoted by Prime Inc. Insurance Company)
Manhunt Skiptracing Seminar
Other:
Consulted with U.S. State Department, Washington D.C. in 1997 to help develop strategy for recovery of impounded vehicles from Republic of Mexico.
Developed strategy for recovery, remarketing and/or reshipment of POV’s associated with US SOUTHCOMM, Republic of Panama, 1996-2000.
National Finance Adjusters “Member of the Year” 1997-1998
Appointed Expert Witness, Superior Court of California 2004
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