Cliff Torrence, founder and CEO of Retriever Services, launched his first company at age 19 and was involved in the start-up of three companies during his early twenties. He has always been a strong leader in each business in which he has been involved, holding upper-level management positions at Tandy Corporation and SunCom, now known as RadioShack Corporation and AT&T Wireless, respectively.
Governor Kirk Fordice named him Young Entrepreneur of Mississippi in 1996. Also that year, Cliff earned Mississippi Businessman of the Year and garnered the same title in 1997 and 1998. He was named Top 40 under 40 among the state’s business people by the Mississippi Business Journal in 1997.
After the sale of his last company, Cliff became an agent for Retriever in July 2001 and has remained in the payment processing industry for nearly a decade. His innovative sales approach has made him a leader in the service and technology industry for more than 20 years. He is one of few individuals in the nation selected to sit on the Advisory Board for the National Payment Corporation.
Cliff’s successes can be attributed to many factors, including his understanding of customers’ needs and continuing to deliver premium service after the sale. Operating on these principles has grown Retriever Services into a well-trained staff that manages thousands of active merchant accounts throughout the country from Boston to Napa Valley.
Cliff is a member of the Mississippi Arts Council, as well as several Chambers of Commerce. Retriever Services has partnered with several charities including the Mississippi chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association and Arthritis Foundation.
Cliff resides in Madison County with his wife Laura and their children, who range in age from one to 15. The Torrences are longtime supporters of fundraisers benefiting Jackson Academy, Parklane Academy in McComb, and other schools throughout the state of Mississippi. They proudly sponsor the Jackson Futbol Club, North Jackson Youth Baseball and youth sports programs across the state.