Collector Connector

Collector Connector
inside:
• New Rules Cover Debt Collections in Texas JP Courts
• 10 Things Extraordinary Bosses Give Employees
• ACA of Texas 66th Annual Conference Highlights
• And Much More - Inside!
PERMIT #372
AUSTIN, TX
PAID
US POSTAGE
PRESORTED STANDARD
The Of ficial Quar ter ly Publication of the American Collector s Association of Texas • V ol. 26 No. 4 • Fall 2013
southwest
ACA OF TEXAS
SILVER
SPONSOR
ACA OF TEXAS
ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
table of contents
features
From Paul’s Desk: Sales Tips...............................................................................9
Paul Morrow
New Rules Cover Debt Collections in Texas JP Courts.....................................11
Shelly Akerly
M & A Update for the ARM Industry..............................................................15
Mike Ginsberg
10 Things Extraordinary Bosses Give Employees..............................................16
Tim Connor
ACA of Texas 66th Annual Conference Highlights...........................................21
Can a Manager Be a Coach..............................................................................29
Baron Christopher Hanson
departments
President’s Letter............................................................................................ 5
Executive Director’s Comments..................................................................... 7
Legislative Update........................................................................................19
CollectPAC...................................................................................................39
Professional Education and Development...................................................40
Index to Advertisers......................................................................................46
Cover Photo: Three reasons for our terrific conference (and all three are outstanding attorneys); (L to R)
Loraine Lyons, Leslie Bender and John Bedard. Loraine is a National ACA Board member from Texas; Leslie
Bender is from Louisiana and is the 2013/14 ACA International President; and John Bedard is a MAP attorney
from Georgia. Loraine was part of the attorney panel on Tuesday afternoon and Leslie and John co-presented
the day and a half ACA CFPB compliance seminar.
southwest collector connector is designed by Joseph Moreno, ArtJam Productions, Inc.
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ACA OF TEXAS
Collection Software for Peak Performance
www.dakcs.com • 800.873.2527
SILVER
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from the president
PRESIDENT
Mike Ryalls
President
RGS Financial, Inc.
1700 Jay Ell Drive, Suite 200
Richardson, TX 75081
mryalls@rgsfinancial.com
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Jeff Hurt
President
Southwest Credit Services
4120 International Parkway, Suite 1100
Carrollton, TX 75007
jhurt@sw-credit.com
VICE PRESIDENT
Ron Nunley
President
Certified Recovery Systems, Inc.
6161 Savoy Drive, Suite 600
Houston, TX 77036
ron@certifiedrecovery.com
TREASURER
Andrew Marancik, Esq.
Attorney
Bush & Ramirez, PLLC
5615 Kirby Drive, Suite 900
Houston, TX 77005
amarancik@bushramirez.com
PAST PRESIDENT
Greg Mason
President
Service Bureau, Inc.
2705 81st Street
Lubbock, TX 79423
gmason@servicebureauinc.com
NATIONAL DELEGATES
Julie Goforth, San Antonio (2013-2016)
Tom Stockton, Carrollton (2013-2016)
Vic C. York-Houston (2011-2014)
Stephanie Rifenberg, Amarillo (2011-2014)
STATE DIRECTORS
Carrie Finney-Carrollton (2013-2016)
Steve Whigham, Round Rock (2013-2016)
Ken Bone, Carrollton (2011-2014)
Tim Britt, Arlington (2011-2014)
Daron Ratcliff, Carrollton (2012-2015)
Katie Zugsay, Carrollton (2012-2015)
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Thomas G. Morgan
18604 Interstate 20 West
Lindale, TX 75771
512-458-8666
tmorgan@texascollectors.com
Chicken Little was right but it’s not all bad.
Over the last 20+ years that I have been involved in this industry I have seen massive changes.
From technological advances to societal shifts, these forces have changed the shape of our
businesses. Collection agency operators are great innovators and for the most part have adapted
remarkably well.
Lately, however, the rate of change seems almost unmanageable and something else is different
this time - something very important. As I attend conferences,
read the news, review e-lists, and chat with colleagues, I have
sensed something previously unknown. The difference is the
attitude, the feeling, of us - the collective us - that is this industry.
I have heard many times that smaller agencies lack the resources
to respond and larger agencies are often too muddled in their own
bureaucracy to change. The feeling that is so palatable is fear.
Fear of CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau).
It is beyond my ability to change the collective fear that seems to
have gripped us but I am going to try to add a little perspective
and hope you will at least consider the possibility that this is all good.
First of all, I think it is important to say that the CFPB is not going anywhere and soon will be
everywhere. If you are hanging on a thin hope that a new administration or lawsuit will save the
day, you are wrong. The CFPB is here to stay. If you think that your company is out of reach
because you only work medical or have lower revenues, again, you are wrong. The CFPB will
extend to medical, ultimately, and any size agency is within its enforcement reach.
Now that we know they are here to stay and everyone is within target range, let’s look at the
positives, of which there are many.
Well run compliant agencies suffer a competitive disadvantage to cheaters and lawbreakers. One,
because our costs are much higher while following the rules and two because our collection
recovery rates are often lower than abusers. To say it another way, cheaters collect more and spend
less. Consistently enforced, nationally recognized regulation levels the playing field. If you, as a
compliant agency, are competing against a bad agency, you are at a competitive disadvantage and
should be looking forward to the new world. If you are an agency that abuses consumers and
generally breaks the law, then fear is appropriate.
Next, there are no surprises with the CFPB. They have been very transparent and all indications
are that is likely to continue. They are not playing ‘gotcha’ politics and sneaking around hiding.
Go to their website and start researching and you will be inundated with information. The
Supervision and Examination Manual, available for download on the site, is over 900 pages alone.
They have posted comments, bulletins and even the Debt collection examination procedures to
insure that we, the regulated, are well informed. A Facebook page, Twitter feeds and email
Continued on page 37
Fall 2013
Southwest Collector Connector 5
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ACA OF TEXAS
ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
executive director’s comments
We’re Almost There – The End of Yet Another Year!
Hopefully, you have managed to weather the rocky 2013 economy and are poised to take on whatever the New Year may bring.
As I write this I am wrapping up everything from the conference last month. What a great lineup of speakers we had! If you
missed the conference, you missed a great one. We began on Monday with the ACA CFPB compliance seminar with 57 attendees (and a big THANKS to Leslie Bender and John Bedard). We ended on Wednesday with an all morning “wrap-up session
on the CFPB with a focus on managing complaints and the examination process presented by
Rozanne Andersen and Keith Wier. Mark your calendar for the 2014 Conference which will be in
San Antonio (dates are September 22-24, 2014) at the historic Menger Hotel.
I would also encourage you to extend thanks to our conference exhibitors and sponsors (see pages
22-23). Their participation and generous support for our conference enables us to have a conference that is high quality and very reasonably priced.
On the Legislative front this year we had a good year. It did become apparent, however, that we
need to be aware of not only events in Austin but also we are seeing cities across the state becoming more active in regulating businesses. We would encourage our members to keep an eye on
what their city councils and county commissioners are doing in this area of business regulation.
With the Legislature now in recess, this is a great time for our members to make it a point to meet and get to know your state
representatives and senators. Some specific things you can do to help protect our industry (your business) are; 1) invite them to
your office and educate them regarding what you do and the positive impact your business has economically for your clients and
your community; 2) if you support their political positions, personally contribute to their campaigns; and 3) contribute to CollectPAC and help us to make a difference in Austin. See Paul Nagy’s Legislative Committee Update for more specific information.
Also, your association needs your help. We are always looking for members willing to give of their time and energy to help
make this association the great association that it is. This year we again welcome two new “servants” to our board; Katie Zugsay
with Southwest Credit in Carrollton and Daron Ratcliff with Medical Debt Management, also in Carrollton. Please contact me
if you too would be interested in sharing your talent and expertise.
Check out the wide variety of articles in this issue. From Sales to M&A activity, from new rules in JP courts to “Ten Things
Extraordinary Bosses Give Employees”, and it’s not just about money!
Let us not forget that as we enter this season of Thanksgiving, while we ourselves may be facing difficulties, there is always someone else worse off. Take the time to encourage your employees, your friends, your neighbors and especially your family. Reach
out to help and you will be blessed in the doing.
As always, thank you for allowing me the privilege to serve as your Executive Director. If I can assist you in any way, please do
not hesitate to give me a call or send me an email.
Sincerely,
Tom Morgan,
Executive Director
Fall 2013
Southwest Collector Connector 7
ACA OF TEXAS
ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
Sales Tips
From Paul’s Desk
GETTING TO THE DECISION MAKER
By Paul Morrow
Just like all sales professionals, you probably have had a sales
cycle that ended with your company not getting the business—
and you later found out that someone you were not aware of
actually made the final decision.
Someone to whom you had never spoken!
Someone who doesn’t even know you or your product!
Not knowing the right people or finding a way to reach them is
a big mistake you cannot afford to make. It’s very important to
do your research in advance of the climax of the sales cycle—
before these people can unexpectedly (and at the last minute)
reveal their involvement. Know who the senior managers are.
Try to meet them so they will remember you when the decision
about your services is made.
But this is one of the most difficult things to do during the
sales cycle—getting to the next higher level in an organization
(working your way up the so-called food chain) after you have
made contact with a prospect who is not the ultimate decision
maker.
It is always important to get a buy-in from your mid-level
contact for many reasons, but especially if you want to be
invited to see the higher level of management. Make sure your
mid-level contact is on your side or at least interested in your
services before you ask to see the higher-level manager.
If the situation is handled incorrectly, your mid-level contact
will think you are going over their head, which is the wrong
message to send. Your mid-level contact will not suggest that
the conversation be elevated to a higher level of management
unless he or she believes there is a good reason to do so. It is
your job to give them that reason.
You can set the stage by asking questions that are important to
the receivables management process—questions only a higherlevel contact can answer. For example, if you can establish that
your mid-level contact thinks that knowing roll rates on a bad
debt portfolio is an important statistic in A/R management,
and if that person does not have the information on roll
Fall 2013
rates for the portfolio under consideration, then this is your
opportunity to turn the situation into a chance to get invited
to visit with the next level of management.
Also, try using the higher-level manager’s name somewhere in
a conversation to indicate your awareness of the organization’s
food chain. If you have gone to conferences or meetings in
the past and know the higher-level manager’s name from the
attendee list, you can still mention this, even though you may
have never met the person. Try to determine the role of the
higher-level manager early in the process. You can ask, “How
will Mr. Big also be involved with the ultimate decision on
your selection of an agency?” This will indicate to the mid-level
manager that you understand the organizational hierarchy and
have studied the organization and will serve as encouragement
for the mid-level person to take the process even more seriously
and consider including others in the conversation.
Many senior managers tell their staff they do not want to meet
with collection agencies. One of the best ways to get around
this—other than the preceding suggestions—is to find someone
(a third-party facilitator) who knows the higher-level manager
and ask that person to mention your name to the higher-level
manager or get permission to use the third-party facilitator’s
name during any introduction to the higher-level manager.
Finding such a facilitator can be accomplished when you are
visiting someone else in the same industry who might know
the person you are trying to reach. Asking for a referral to a
specific person is just another way of asking for referrals.
This article is by Paul Morrow, sales consultant to the collection
industry. If you would like to discuss any subject with Paul, please
contact him at 215-643-4282 or paul@pjm-sales.com..
“The best way to
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- Steve Jobs
Southwest Collector Connector 9
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NEW RULES COVER
DEBT COLLECTION IN TEXAS JP COURTS
Until recently collectors of small accounts were severely hampered in collecting those debts in Small Claims Courts in Texas.
The small dollar amounts involved coupled with the necessity
of engaging legal counsel presented a cost prohibitive obstacle
to collection efforts. New rules adopted August 31, 2013 by
the Texas Supreme Court will greatly remove those obstacles
and facilitate the collection of small claims in Texas.
What Changed?
One of the most significant changes made regarding collection
of small claims in Texas is the
abolishment of Small Claims
Courts. Previously, there
were three types of courts:
small claims, evictions and
justice courts. Each of these
courts had slightly different
rules and procedures. Starting August 31, 2013, the
justice cases and small claims
court cases are combined into
one court, the JP Court. All
small claims, those between
$1 and $10,000, are now
prosecuted in JP Court.
Also previously, small claims courts could not hear suits brought
by lending institutions or collection agencies or suits for assigned claims. In both courts, financial institutions seeking to
collect debt obligations, collection agencies, and assignees for
purposes of collection were precluded from prosecuting claims
in their own name and were required to retain counsel. That
has all changed.
The Rules After August 2013
The biggest change in the law that affects the collection industry is that according to Rule 508, financial institutions, debt
collectors, collection agencies or persons or entities primarily
engaged in the business of lending money at interest can bring
suit on their own without hiring legal counsel. The courts still
Fall 2013
have many rules and procedures to follow with particular attention to be paid to dates and deadlines. However, petitions for
debts of less than $10,000 now can be addressed more economically without legal counsel. A common sense or rational fairness now seems to be in place to address these debts of less than
$10,000. The goal of this change in law was to make the justice
court easier for both plaintiffs and defendants with streamlined
paperwork with an emphasis on cases being judged on their
merits instead of on following small details of procedure.
Some examples of this fairness is that Rules of Civil Procedure
and Evidence do not apply
unless the judge determines
that a specific rule must be
followed to all ensure fairness. Petitions must be filed
in the defendants (debtor’s)
JP precinct which ensures
that the case is handled locally, many times in a courthouse substation verses the
traditionally imposing central
court house. The judge may
question and summon witnesses as necessary; discovery
is permitted only when the
judge considers it reasonable
and necessary. Service of citation can be made through personal
service or certified registered mail as well as some other alternative means of service.
Although the rules have made the procedures somewhat easier
for the petitioner (collector), the rules also state that the judge
must rule for the debtor if the debt or damage is not proven.
Therefore, care must be taken to proceed cautiously and accurately.
Getting a Judgment doesn’t ensure collection or make funds
magically appear where there were none before, but a Judgment does give the collector or lender more leverage to collect
against future assets. A judgment can result in garnishments or
Southwest Collector Connector Continued on page 31
11
Wishing you and your
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Holidays
and a prosperous New
Year!
Solutions to your insurance needs!
800-211-0317
collectors@pathfinderlld.com
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NEW ACA OF TEXAS
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M & A Update
HQ | 6010 Executive Boulevard, Suite 802, Rockville, MD 20852
(p) 301-907-0840 |(f) 301-907-0808 | hq@kaulkin.com
By Mike Ginsberg
Debt collection agencies, debt buyers and other accounts receivable management firms have adjusted their business strategy over recent years to operate successfully in an industry fraught with intense regulatory scrutity, dramatic client change and challenging economic conditions. The “New Norm”, as this time period is often referred to, has also had profound effect on mergers and acquisitions within the industry. The number of transaction closings As this comparison illustrates, the number of ARM transactions closed is showing an uptick after a d rop off from the middle of 2011 to the end of 2012. We expect a flurry of transactions to occur as owners of small and mid-­‐size collection agencies and debt buying operations seek to sell out or combine forces with larger firms to combat increased operating costs running as stand-­‐alone businesses. We are also seeing significant and newfound interest in purchasing ARM companies in the healthcare, government and student loan sectors from non-­‐industry (financial and strategic) and industry participants which will add to the overall number of transactions completed in the ARM sector. Continued on page 34
Fall 2013
Southwest Collector Connector 1 15
10 Things Extraordinary Bosses Give Employees
Good bosses care about getting important things done.
Exceptional bosses care about their people.
By Jeff Haden
Good bosses have strong organizational skills. Good bosses
have solid decision-making skills. Good bosses get important
things done.
Exceptional bosses do all of the above--and more. Sure, they
care about their company and customers, their vendors and
suppliers. But most importantly, they care to an exceptional
degree about the people who work for them.
That’s why extraordinary bosses give every employee:
1. Autonomy and independence.
Great organizations are built on optimizing processes and
procedures. Still, every task doesn’t deserve a best practice
or a micro-managed approach. (I’m looking at you,
manufacturing.)
Engagement and satisfaction are largely based on autonomy
and independence. I care when it’s “mine.” I care when I’m in
charge and feel empowered to do what’s right.
Plus, freedom breeds innovation: Even heavily process-oriented
positions have room for different approaches. (Still looking at
you, manufacturing.)
Whenever possible, give your employees the autonomy and
independence to work the way they work best. When you do,
they almost always find ways to do their jobs better than you
imagined possible.
2. Clear expectations.
While every job should include some degree of independence,
every job does also need basic expectations for how specific
situations should be handled.
Plus, goals are fun. Without a meaningful goal to shoot for,
work is just work.
No one likes work.
4. A true sense of purpose.
Everyone likes to feel a part of something bigger. Everyone
loves to feel that sense of teamwork and esprit de corps that
turns a group of individuals into a real team.
The best missions involve making a real impact on the lives of
the customers you serve. Let employees know what you want
to achieve for your business, for your customers, and even your
community. And if you can, let them create a few missions of
their own.
Feeling a true purpose starts with knowing what to care about
and, more importantly, why to care.
5. Opportunities to provide significant input.
Engaged employees have ideas; take away opportunities for
them to make suggestions, or instantly disregard their ideas
without consideration, and they immediately disengage.
That’s why exceptional bosses make it incredibly easy for
employees to offer suggestions. They ask leading questions.
They probe gently. They help employees feel comfortable
proposing new ways to get things done. When an idea isn’t
feasible, they always take the time to explain why.
Great bosses know that employees who make suggestions care
about the company, so they ensure those employees know their
input is valued--and appreciated.
Criticize an employee for offering a discount to an irate
customer today even though yesterday that was standard
practice and you make that employee’s job impossible. Few
things are more stressful than not knowing what is expected
from one day to the next.
6. A real sense of connection.
Every employee works for a paycheck (otherwise they would do
volunteer work), but every employee wants to work for more
than a paycheck: They want to work with and for people they
respect and admire--and with and for people who respect and
admire them.
When an exceptional boss changes a standard or guideline,
she communicates those changes first--and when that is not
possible, she takes the time to explain why she made the
decision she made, and what she expects in the future.
That’s why a kind word, a quick discussion about family, an
informal conversation to ask if an employee needs any help-those moments are much more important than group meetings
or formal evaluations.
3. Meaningful objectives.
Almost everyone is competitive; often the best employees are
extremely competitive--especially with themselves. Meaningful
targets can create a sense of purpose and add a little meaning to
even the most repetitive tasks.
A true sense of connection is personal. That’s why exceptional
bosses show they see and appreciate the person, not just the
worker.
16
Southwest Collector Connector
Continued on page 31
Fall 2013
ACA OF TEXAS
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TEXAS LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
It’s Time to Tend to Our Business(es)
By Paul Nagy, Legislative Committee Chair
O
ur column this issue is less about happenings in Austin,
as the legislature is not in session again until January
2015 (unless the Governor sees a need to call a Special
Session), as it is more about you and your business.
First, your Legislative Committee is seeking information from
you regarding who you may know either in the Texas Legislature (Representative or Senator) or in your local (City/County)
government. In the next week or so, please be watching for an
email with a link to a Legislative Survey included. Our best
offense in dealing with onerous legislation/regulation is a good,
solid defense founded on relationships. Relationships forged
by our members with their elected legislators, city council
members and county commissioners.
Second, one of the very best ways to forge those relationships
is through personal contact right where you are; your city and
county. With the legislature in recess (and with many of them
wanting to run for re-election), now is the time to invite them
to your office; have a “show and tell” as very few office holders
even know about our industry, much less what we do, how we
do it, and the economic impact we have. Who better to educate them than our members? When laws and regulations are
proposed that can be detrimental to our businesses, it may very
well be too late to form a relationship favorable to our industry;
those who oppose us have already set the tone of any discussion
and it will not be in our favor.
Some may be asking, “Well, I understand the need for relationships with our state legislators but why with the city and
county?”
To which we would point out that already 7 Texas cities have
passed laws regarding the regulation of Pay Day Lenders. This
is an industry very similar to us in that they collect on the loans
they make. As of this writing neither state nor have local regulators addressed their collection practices, yet. Regulators (at
all levels) have a propensity to “regulate” with a broad brush;
i.e., such laws reach further than originally planned and can
have huge “unintended consequences.” In addition, there are
groups who are actively seeking to implement their pro-consumer and anti-business agenda by specifically targeting cities.
San Antonio is one such city that has been named by one or
more of those groups.
So, to summarize, we are asking all of our members to, a) let
us know who you know, and b) work on building those critical
relationships now, before it is too late. What will the Legislative Committee do with this information? Nothing in the
immediate future but, when issues arise, it will be extremely
helpful to be able to call on those members who have built the
relationships that can make a difference; both for themselves
and their businesses and for our industry. This is important,
this is tending to business.
ONLY IN AMERICA…
Can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.
Are there handicapped parking spaces in front of a skating rink.
Do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions
while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
Do people order double cheese burgers, large fries and a diet Coke.
Do banks leave both doors to the vault open and then chain the pens to the counters.
Do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.
Do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won’t miss a call from someone we
didn’t want to talk to in the first place.
Do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
Do we use the term ‘politics’ to describe the process so well: ‘Poli’ in Latin meaning ‘many’ and ‘tics’ meaning
‘bloodsucking creatures’.
Do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.
Fall 2013
Southwest Collector Connector 19
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American Collectors Association
of Texas
Downtown skyline from Tranquility Park in the Theater District. Photo courtesy of the Greater Houston CVB.
66th Annual Conference & Southwest Exposition
Sept. 23 – 25, 2013
Sheraton Brookhollow Hotel
Houston, Texas
Conference Highlights
AS WE CELEBRATE OUR CONFERENCE AND WRAP-UP 2013
PLEASE GIVE A SINCERE “THANKS” TO OUR
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS, EXHIBITORS AND SPONSORS!
ACA International – Exhibitor
ACI Worldwide – NEW Exhibitor
Applied Innovation – Exhibitor
Automated Voice & Data Solutions – Associate Member
BillingTree – Associate Member and Platinum Sponsor and
Conference Tote Bag Sponsor
Business Ink – Associate Member
CBC Innovis – Exhibitor
CDS Software – Associate Member
Columbia Ultimate – Associate Member
CompuMail – Associate Member
CXM – New Exhibitor
DAKCS Software – Associate Member and Silver Sponsor
DataTrax Services – Bronze Sponsor
eBureau – NEW Associate Member
EFT Network – Associate Member
Focus 1 Data – Exhibitor and Bronze Sponsor
Global Connect – Associate Member and Silver Sponsor
Immediate Mailing Services –Exhibitor
Information Access Technology – Associate Member
22
Southwest Collector Connector
Fall 2013
AS WE CELEBRATE OUR CONFERENCE AND WRAP-UP 2013
PLEASE GIVE A SINCERE “THANKS” TO OUR
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS, EXHIBITORS AND SPONSORS!
LexisNexis – Associate Member
LiveVox, Inc. – Associate Member
Marion Financial – Bronze Sponsor
Matrix Imaging Solutions – Bronze Sponsor
Merchant Solutions International – Associate Member
NobelBiz - Exhibitor
Ontario Systems – Associate Member
Pathfinder LL&D – Associate Member and Silver Sponsor
Polaris Assessment Systems – NEW Exhibitor
Renkim – NEW Associate Member
RevSpring – Associate Member and Silver Sponsor
Silicon Benefits, Inc. – Associate Member
Source HOV Services – Associate Member
TCN, Inc. - Exhibitor
Tech Lock – Exhibitor and Gold Sponsor
Thomson Reuters – Associate Member
TriVium Systems – Exhibitor
Weaver – Bronze Sponsor
Fall 2013
Southwest Collector Connector 23
NEWS FLASH!
Bottle Auction Sets Sales Record!
O
nce again we had a fantastic Bottle Auction. We
are always surprised at the extent of the creativity of
the various decorated bottles. If you will look closely, the
“boat” is made up of mostly wine corks. It was designed
and constructed by the 14 year old daughter of Tom
Clark from Pathfinder Insurance (Tom was more than
happy to supply all of the corks she needed) and was the
Grand Prize winner, as well as garnering a winning bid of
$1,000! The “house” was the creation of Angie Martin
and friends at Silicon Benefits.
Yes, there really is a bottle in there
After all was said and done, more than $5,000 was
raised for CollectPAC and ACPAC, a new record!
Our sincere thanks and appreciation goes out for all
who donated bottles, for the hours spent in decorating
them, for all the bidding back and forth, and especially
a great big Texas Thanks to Ron Brown who came all
the way from Oklahoma City to be our auctioneer. All
monies raised go to assist the legislative efforts of both
ACA of Texas (CollectPAC) and ACA International
(ACPAC). If you have not yet made a contribution to
either of these PACs we would encourage you to do so
(see the CollectPAC contribution form later in this issue
or, for ACPAC, contact Rae Ann Bevington at ACA,
bevington@acainternational.org).
Another crazily decorated bottle (in the house)
Winners always attract lookers
24
Southwest Collector Connector
Fall 2013
Tuesday Evening dinner
Yes, it is TRUE, Mike Ryalls
did put his face in the cake!
The dinner was a resounding success. A great meal was enjoyed by all and the fellowship was wonderful. The new officers
and directors were properly installed by ACA President Leslie Bender (with new VP Ron Nunley, middle, second row)
and the unit presented the following awards; Chris Croly (to Mike Cramer), Ken Harris (to Vic York) and Al Knox (to
Paul Nagy). Entertainment was provided by Mike Ryalls, Ron Nunley, Greg Mason and Paul Nagy as they donned
chef ’s jackets and “volunteered” to demonstrate their “expertise” in cake decorating. It was a “hoot” as the crowd rooted
and cheered. All four cakes were auctioned off for a contribution to CollectPAC. Todd Langusch, from TECH LOCK,
(top middle) bid $1,000, “If Mike Ryalls will put his face in the cake!” and, the rest is history.
Fall 2013
Southwest Collector Connector 25
Conference Highlights
26
Southwest Collector Connector
Fall 2013
Conference Highlights
Fall 2013
Southwest Collector Connector 27
2013 Annual Unit Meeting Summary
The Annual Unit Meeting of the American Collectors Association of Texas was called to order by President Mason at 4:38 pm
on September 24, 2013 at the Sheraton Brookhollow Hotel, Houston, TX.
After determining that a quorum of members was present and that proper notice of the meeting had been given to the membership,
the minutes of the 2012 Annual Meeting were read and approved with a small change. The members then heard from President
Mason on the “state” of the association along with an overview of the Strategic Planning Task Force. In addition, the members heard
the Treasurer’s report and a report from the Legislative Committee.
There was no Old Business to discuss and the New Business consisted of the following:
a. The election of Officers; Mike Ryalls as President, Jeff Hurt as President-Elect, Ron Nunley as Vice President and Andrew
Marancik as Treasurer.
b. The election of Tom Stockton and Julie Goforth each for three-year terms as National Delegates.
c. The election of State Directors; Carrie Finney and Steve Whigham each for full three year terms. Katie Zugsay was
elected to fill the remaining term of Russ Jakubowski who resigned his seat (2 years). Daron Ratcliff was elected to fill the remainder
of Andrew Marancik’s term (2 years).
There being no further business to consider, the meeting was adjourned at 5:30pm.
The above is a brief summary of the annual meeting. If anyone is interested is reading the full minutes of this meeting, please
contact the Executive Director at either 512-458-8666 or tmorgan@texascollectors.com .
SUMMARY OF BOARD ACTIONS
Fall Board of Directors Meeting: The board met on September 22, 2013 and took the following actions; approved the
minutes from the April board meeting, approved the Treasurer’s report on the financial statements, heard reports from the different committees (Membership, Professional Education, Ethics and Grievance, CollectPAC Trustees and Educational Foundation
Trustees). In addition, the board heard the report of the Legislative Committee. The board heard updates from the Council of
Delegates (Rifenberg and York) meeting in July, followed by Loraine Lyons (National Director) who reported on the activities of
the national board of directors.
The board also heard updates from the Executive Director on the 2013 Conference, the Legislative Summit that was held in Austin (April 1-2, 2013), and the 2014 Conference to be held in San Antonio (September 22-24, 2014).
The board approved a board resolution regarding approved depositories (all monies of the association will be moved into new
accounts with United Heritage Credit Union of Austin). A board resolution regarding the dues structure for 2014 was tabled
pending resolution of changes to the association’s classes of membership (to conform to the changes made by ACA International).
The board nominated candidates for all open officer and board seats (all to be elected at the Unit Business Meeting). The board
elected the following; 1) Paul Nagy as Legislative Committee Chair and Loraine Lyons and Ken Bone to three year terms on the
Legislative Committee; 2) Vic York as Chair of the CollectPAC Trustees and Carrie Finney and Jeff Hurt to three year terms as
CollectPAC Trustees; and 3) Rick Goforth to a three year term as a Trustee of the Educational Foundation.
Conference Wrap-up Board Meeting: The board met briefly on September 25, 2013 and, 1) approved the Executive
Director to identify hotels in the DFW area as possible sites for the 2015 conference, 2) commended the Executive Director for
his hard work and dedication over the past year, approving a bonus payment and 3) approved a board resolution regarding membership categories. In addition, the board discussed various ideas for improving the annual conference experience for members,
generating more sponsorships, changes to the bottle auction, and improving/enhancing the “Exhibitor Introduction” session. It
was also recommended that the Executive Director explore possible productivity and time-saving tools and technology.
28
Southwest Collector Connector
Fall 2013
Can a Manager Be a Coach?
By: Baron Christopher Hanson
Can a manager be an effective coach? Some (often, professional coaches) say that they can’t and shouldn’t, because they have
too much of a vested interest in the outcome of the coaching
and couldn’t possibly be neutral enough to hold back on their
opinions.
2. Managers have to believe that every employee has the
potential to grow and improve.
Then again, a lot of managers think they are already coaching
when what they are really doing is a lot of teaching, advising
and telling — or, worst case, micromanaging (think Pointy
Haired Boss from “Dilbert”). They use the phrase “coaching”
to describe just about any conversation they have with an
employee.
Yes, it’s quicker and simpler to tell and give advice. Coaching does take a little more time and patience upfront, and
it takes deliberate practice to get good at it. However, it’s an
investment in people that has a higher ROI than just about
any other management skill I can think of. People learn, they
develop, performance improves, people are more satisfied and
engaged, and organizations are more successful.
Both are valid positions. It all depends on how you define
what “coaching” is. I like to think of it as the skill and art of
helping someone improve their performance and reach their
full potential. There is a spectrum of coaching skills — from
directive (teaching, advising, giving feedback, offering suggestions), to asking questions and listening — the real magic
of coaching is when the coach takes a more non-directive
approach (asking questions and listening) and the person can
solve his or her problems. When people can come up with
their own solutions, they are more committed, the fixes are
more likely to be implemented, and these people are more
likely to develop and solve similar problems next time on their
own.
Great coaches help minimize the “noise” and distractions that
are getting in the way of someone’s ability to figure out what’s
going on and what to do about it. Great coaches know how
and when to ask the right question at the right time, when to
give feedback, when to advise, how to get the person to focus
and how to gain commitment.
Managers can do this; in fact, I’ve seen some do it very well.
But they have to let go of a few beliefs and pick up a few
mindsets and skills. Here’s a summary of what I think needs
to happen.
1. Managers need to let go of the belief that their job is to
have all of the answers.
While many managers won’t admit they think they know
more than the sum total of their entire team, they still act
that way. It’s human nature. We all like to be advice columnists when it comes to other people’s problems. The problem
is, when you don’t give employees the opportunity to solve
their own problems, they don’t develop. Instead, they become
dependent and never reach their full potential.
Fall 2013
3. Managers need to be willing to slow down and take the
time to coach.
4. Managers need to learn how to coach.
You can’t just throw a switch and be an effective coach. You
need to have a framework, and it takes practice. Most coaches
I know use the GROW model as their framework. They like
it because it’s easy to remember and provides a road map for
just about any coaching conversation. While there are many
versions of the GROW acronym, the one I use is:
G = goal. “Tell me what you want to get out of this discussion?”
R = reality. “So what’s actually happening?”
O = options. “What could you do about it?”
W = what’s next. “What are you going to definitely do about
it? By when?”
To learn how to coach, I’d recommend that managers experience what it’s like to be coached by someone who’s really good
at it. Then, read a good book on the topic. I just finished “Effective Coaching,” by Myles Downey, but there are many
other good ones. Then, practice, practice, practice and get
feedback. After a while, you become less dependent on a
linear framework and begin to comfortably bouncing from
one step to another. It also helps to have a toolkit of favorite
questions to ask for each step in the GROW model.
Managers who want to be effective coaches will most likely
need to let go of some assumptions about themselves and their
employees, be willing to learn and practice a style of management that will initially feel unnatural and awkward. However,
the rewards will be well worth the effort.
Southwest Collector Connector 29
ACA OF TEXAS
ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
Continued from page 11
liens. A default judgment will stay on a credit report for seven
years and if the judgment is abstracted, the judgment can live
on for longer.
Conclusion
The landscape for collecting small claims in Texas has changed
significantly and for the better. Today, businesses or their collection agency assignees can recover small claims in JP Courts
in the State of Texas in their own name, without the necessity and added cost of engaging legal counsel. Changes to the
procedural rules currently in effect will enable greater access to
JP Court to recover small claim; however, the procedures involved can be cumbersome and pitfalls await the inexperienced
business or collector. Caution should be had when proceeding
without counsel in any legal forum. If you want to avoid the
expense of hiring legal counsel, you do not have to go it alone.
There are firms which specialize in recovery of small claims,
usually on a fixed fee/contingency basis far less than what an
attorney would charge. Bottom line: be careful out there.
Shelly Akerly is President of Bonafide Asset Recovery LLC. She can be
reached at shelly@bonafideassetrecovery.com
Continued from page 16
7. Reliable consistency.
Most people don’t mind a boss who is strict, demanding, and
quick to offer (not always positive) feedback, as long as he or
she treats every employee fairly.
(Great bosses treat each employee differently but they also treat
every employee fairly. There’s a big difference.)
Exceptional bosses know the key to showing employees they
are consistent and fair is communication: The more employees
understand why a decision was made, the less likely they are to
assume unfair treatment or favoritism.
8. Private criticism.
No employee is perfect. Every employee needs constructive
feedback. Every employee deserves constructive feedback.
Good bosses give that feedback.
Great bosses always do it in private.
9. Public praise.
Every employee--even a relatively poor performer--does
something well. Every employee deserves praise and
appreciation. It’s easy to recognize some of your best employees
because they’re consistently doing awesome things. (Maybe
consistent recognition is a reason they’re your best employees?
Something to think about.)
Fall 2013
We specialize in collecting
charged off deficiencies on
first and second lien notes,
filing and monitoring claims in
bankruptcy,
and
pursuing
collection of small claims in
Justice of the Peace Court.
Contingency and fixed fee
arrangements available.
Working for Mutually
Beneficial Results
www.bonafideassetrecovery.com
866-531-8984
You might have to work hard to find reasons to recognize an
employee who simply meets standards, but that’s okay: A few
words of recognition--especially public recognition--may be the
nudge an average performer needs to start becoming a great
performer.
10. A chance for a meaningful future.
Every job should have the potential to lead to greater things.
Exceptional bosses take the time to develop employees for the
job they someday hope to land, even if that job is with another
company.
How can you know what an employee hopes to do someday?
Ask.
Employees will only care about your business after you first
show you care about them. One of the best ways is to show that
while you certainly have hopes for your company’s future, you
also have hopes for your employees’ futures.
JEFF HADEN learned much of what he knows about business and
technology as he worked his way up in the manufacturing industry.
Everything else he picks up from ghostwriting books for some of the
smartest leaders he knows in business. @jeff_haden
Southwest Collector Connector 31
ACA OF TEXAS
ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
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collections data and analytics can make to your bottom line.
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• LexisNexis® Collect Point Web Agent: Interact with customers
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We also offer solutions such as Scoring, Contact and Locate,
Bankruptcy Management and Workflow Optimization.
For more information, contact us at
1.866.528.0780 or visit
lexisnexis.com/risk/receivables-management.
ACA OF TEXAS
ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
Risk Solutions
Receivables Management
LexisNexis and the Knowledge Burst logo are registered trademarks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used under license. Other products and services may be trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2013 LexisNexis. All rights reserved
HQ | 6010 Executive Boulevard, Suite 802, Rockville, MD 20852
(p) 301-907-0840 |(f) 301-907-0808 | hq@kaulkin.com
Continued from page 11
The types of deals getting done The most common type of deal getting done in today’s market involves industry buyer expansion (referred to as horizontal mergers), accounting for 38% of all transactions during the first half of 2013. Vertical mergers, or transactions between 2 companies for client or services expansion purposes within a particular market sector, accounted for 15% of the total; however we anticipate this will spike up over the next 18-­‐24 months due to increased operating costs associated with running ARM companies with emphasis on compliance amidst significantly increasing government regulation. Some owners will choose to make the necessary capital investments to position their business for growth while others will seek to exit from the industry. Pricing in today’s market We provide this current snapshot of valuation multiples for service providers in the ARM industry. As always, there were outliers, but these ranges should give you some guidance on current approaches to valuation based on designated size categories. Multiples/Structure
Size of Acquired Company ($ Revenues)
Small*
Mid-Sized**
Large**
(< $5M)
($5-10M)
($10-25M)
Platform**
($20M+)
Multiples
2-4X SDE
3-6X Adj. EBITDA
5-7X Adj. EBITDA
5-8X Adj. EBITDA
Structure
0%-100% cash
25%-100% cash
50%-100% cash
50%-100% cash
* SDE = Seller's Discretionary Earnings (Seller c ompensation + e xpenses c ombined with EBITDA)
** A dj. EBITDA = Adjusted EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation + Amortization a djusted for non-­‐recurring
e xpenses that would not e xist post-­‐transaction)
34
2 Southwest Collector Connector
Fall 2013
HQ | 6010 Executive Boulevard, Suite 802, Rockville, MD 20852
(p) 301-907-0840 |(f) 301-907-0808 | hq@kaulkin.com
Some points worth noting as you review this chart and determine how it might apply to your own business or acquisition you might be contemplating: 1. Transactions that include little or no cash at closing are typically mergers among industry players and do not typically apply to outright sales or purchases. 2. Higher amounts of cash tend to drive lower multiples for smaller size transactions or underperforming companies but not typically for the larger size transactions or performing companies. 3. In those instances when severe client concentration exists, less cash is typically paid at time of closing and more is paid out over time based on retention of key client(s) 4. Multiples have exceeded 8 times for platform companies with strong financial performance and desirable client base and/or service offerings. Structuring today’s transactions We estimate that cash accounted for more than 70% of the ARM M&A transactions completed over the first 6 months of 2013. This percentage is relatively consistent with prior years; however it is worth noting that we experienced less use of earn-­‐outs in the first half of 2013 compared to prior years. Looking forward, we expect to see more risk sharing in the form of more deal structure, especially among debt buyers and those ARM companies focused on the financial services sector. Where the deals are getting done Fall 2013
3 Southwest Collector Connector 35
HQ | 6010 Executive Boulevard, Suite 802, Rockville, MD 20852
(p) 301-907-0840 |(f) 301-907-0808 | hq@kaulkin.com
Where the deals are getting done
Target Geography
Location
We estimate that 54% of ARM M&A transactions in the first 6 months of 2013 involved selling companies based in the U.S. We did not find any M&A transactions in the ARM industry that involved a U.S seller and a non U.S. buyer. However, one large U.S. ARM company made a significant purchase of a European ARM company as we cited earlier and 2 large European ARM companies expanded through acquisition into other European countries. In the future, we feel it is likely that significant cross-­‐border deals involving U.S. sellers will occur and we also expect to see an increase in the number of transactions involving U.S. buyers and non-­‐U.S. sellers. Important trends developing on the mergers and acquisitions front •
•
•
•
•
Large credit grantors may seek to consolidate their ARM vendor networks even further as they collapse various business lines that were previously managed separately into one focused center. As a result some specialty ARM companies will be forced to consider rapidly expanding or merging with other specialists to successfully maintain existing client engagements. Because of the intense regulatory environment, and the increased demands placed on collection agencies by credit grantors across virtually all market segments, acquiring an ARM company will be more desirable than starting a new firm. Some ARM companies focused on the financial services and telecom sectors will make acquisitions a part of their growth strategy to diversify their focus. Healthcare receivables management, student loan service providers, and ARM companies focused on state and local government collections continue to be actively pursued by larger agencies and first time new market entrants. We are starting to experience an uptick in cross-­‐border M&A transactions involving ARM companies and we expect this trend will continue. 4 36
Southwest Collector Connector
Fall 2013
HQ | 6010 Executive Boulevard, Suite 802, Rockville, MD 20852
(p) 301-907-0840 |(f) 301-907-0808 | hq@kaulkin.com
•
•
•
•
•
•
On the debt buying front, we expect more transactions involving small and mid-­‐size debt buyers exiting by divesting their portfolios to larger debt buyers. However, sellers will have to produce nearly complete data in order for industry buyers to satisfy the needs of the CFPB when purchasing debt portfolios in the secondary market. We are starting to see debt buyers who are not also servicers acquire stand-­‐alone collection agencies to comply with anticipated regulatory and client changes. Increased regulation will accelerate consolidation within ARM industry. The intense regulatory environment is creating, for the very first time in the ARM industry, a true barrier-­‐to-­‐entry in the U.S. ARM industry. Many corporate buyers are hoarding large amounts of cash and availability of debt financing has improved and, as a result, we anticipate an increase in M&A activity for the remainder of 2013 and into next year. Some smaller companies, battling escalating operating costs and increased regulation, will find it more challenging to remain independent and may look more favorably toward a sale. In the history of M&A in U.S., there has always been a big wave of M&A activity after an economic downturn. As the U.S. economy continues to improve and distance itself from the worst recession since the Great Depression, and companies strengthen their own financial performance, we expect to experience an uptick in M&A transactions. Mike
is the President and CEO of Kaulkin Ginsberg, the leading strategic advisor to the ARM industry. As a
About MGinsberg
ike Ginsberg thought leader, Mike
blogs frequently on various subject matter including: M&A activity as well as important business
ownership topics. Mike You can
most recentand thoughts
is find
the his
President CEO atof www.kaulkin.com/connect/.
Kaulkin Ginsberg, the leading strategic advisor to the ARM industry. As a thought leader, Mike blogs frequently on various subjet matter including: ARM industry hot topics, M&A activity as well as important topics business ownership topics. You can find his most recent thoughts at Continued from page 5
evolution of our industry and let’s be positive agents of change
www.kaulkin.com/connect/. together. The ACA is the outline and structure by which that
notification systems are all also available to keep us up to speed.
The only thing to fear here is ignorance and inaction.
can happen and needs your support.
My last point, but I think the most important, is that
compliance is good for business. If your clients are anything
like mine, the conversation has shifted from performance to
compliance. Maybe medical clients are too focused on other
issues right now but I believe they too will change soon.
Being the most compliant, having a compliance management
system in place and living the philosophy from the top, is a
winning strategy. Business will increase, law suits will decrease
and, once established, your businesses will run better. Being
ACA members, we have always lived by a higher standard and
professional clients understood what our membership meant.
Now we, as an industry, have an enforcement arm that will
ensure everyone lives by the same standards or lives in fear.
As the new president of ACA of Texas, I invite each one of you
to join with me as we continue to move our industry forward
through the changes and struggles and, ultimately, to greater
success.
As we have done so many times before, as an industry and
as individuals, let’s be positive. Let’s embrace this inevitable
Fall 2013
Best Wishes to each of you for a better and more prosperous
future,
Michael Ryalls, President
ACA of Texas
5 Southwest Collector Connector 37
The following member achieved the
Professional Collection Specialist(PCS) Designation
Arthur Dyer, VRM, Carrollton
These individuals received the Scholar Designation
Michael Cramer, Dyck O’Neal, Arlington
Greg Mason, Service Bureau, Inc., Lubbock
Amy Mitchell, Mitchell & Duff, LLC
James Thorpe, Bush & Ramirez, PLLC, Houston
Keith Wier, Bush & Ramirez, PLLC, Houston
Christopher Meier, The CMI Group, Carrollton
Wendy Rivera, Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation, Round Rock
Katie Zugsay, Southwest Credit Systems, LP, Carrollton
Kudos to the following member who achieved their Certified Credit
and Collection Compliance Officer (CCCO) Designation
Jennifer Skornik, Account Control Technology, Inc., San Angelo
We salute our latest member to obtain the Fellow Designation
Clint Walton, Conn’s, Beaumont
MEMBER NEWS
The CMI Group Bolsters Compliance and Improves Efficiency with Speech Analytics
Carrollton, Texas – October 1, 2013 – The CMI Group, Inc, a leader in the receivables management industry for over 28 years,
announced today that they have implemented CallMiner Eureka, the leading speech analytics solution for accounts receivables
management, to ensure continued compliance and reduced regulatory risk.
Serving a number of industries through a variety of debt collection and call center services, CMI has been at the forefront of regulatory change and continues to lead by example in strengthening its compliance program.
“I am extremely pleased with the addition of CallMiner to our collection technology tool chest,” said CMI CEO Tom Stockton.
ACA of Texas member, Receivable Management, Inc. (RMI), Arlington, has
proudly announced that their Collection Supervisor, Lesley Beale, has just
received her ACA Credit and Collection Compliance Officer certification
(CCCO) in October. Ms. Beale joined the staff of RMI in 2009.
38
Southwest Collector Connector
Fall 2013
CollectPAC NEEDS YOUR HELP
The primary purpose of this column is to encourage our members to participate in providing the funds needed to allow us to make
campaign contributions that help to elect pro-business, conservative legislators who will work to make the Texas business climate better
for all businesses. To that end, we want to always recognize and give thanks to those members (below) who have been faithful to support
our PAC.
2012 - 2013 MEMBER HONOR ROLL
Contributors shown below made a significant contribution to our efforts for this upcoming election cycle.
$1,000+
Diamond
$500+
Platinum
Tom Stockton
Carrie Finney
Mike Cramer
Jeff Hurt
Darlene Mead
Fred Bassett
Loraine Lyons
Stephanie Rifenberg
Mike Ryalls
Jean Bryant
$250+
Gold
$100+
$100+
$50+
Silver
Silver
Bronze
Paul Nagy
Steve Lappin
Felipe Ossa
Michael Rash
Sharon Morgan Paul Gauerke
Bonnie Finley
Sherri Engberg Greg Mason
Steve Whigham
Reid Kuhn
Michael Foote
Bruce Cummings Tom Morgan
Judy Jordan
Cliff Stephens
Mike Ginsberg Chris Meier
Greg Mason
Rich Turner
Sandy Capeheart
Ron Nunley
Terry Simonds Bil Edwards
Russ Jakubowski
Vic York
Tim Britt
Pete Concannon
Pat Morris
Kevin Haire
Under $50
Friends
33 Employees
- The CMI Group
Andrew Marancik
Brad Odom
GOOD NEWS: A major fundraiser for CollectPAC is the bottle auction held during the Opening Reception at the Annual Conference. This year, over $5,000 was raised for CollectPAC and ACPAC. A great big “THANKS” to our lucky (and very generous) bidders
and to all those who contributed one of the wildly decorated bottles. In addition, an additional $4,000 was raised during the PAC
Reception and the Awards Dinner on Tuesday evening.
Please consider your renewal right now or, if you’re not listed above you may have been on the contributors list for the previous
election cycle, and if, you have not previously contributed, please consider doing so now. Just take a minute right now and fill
out the form provided below and send it to our Association office. You may also call the office (512-458-8666) with your pledge and
credit card information. Contributions can be scheduled on either a monthly or a quarterly basis by calling the Association office.
Only personal checks or credit cards can be accepted. If contributing by credit card, fax this form to 512-458-8740. Thank you for
supporting the efforts of your business’ Trade Association and those who volunteer to maintain a pro-business climate. Your support
makes a difference.
Thank you for making a difference!
Vic C. York, IFCCE, MCE.
Chair, CollectPAC Trustees
#
American Collectors Association of Texas Political Action Committee
CollectPAC Contribution & Pledge Card
Member Contribution Levels
Diamond-$1,000
Platinum-$500
Gold-$250
Silver-$100
Bronze-$50
Add my name to CollectPAC’s Honor Roll!
Name: _________________________________________ Agency: ___________________________________
Personal Check for $ ___________ enclosed
Charge $_________ to my ___ Visa ___ MC ___ Am Ex
Name on card: _ _________________________________ Card #: _________________________________
Expiration date: ______________ Security Code ___________ Authorized signature: _________________________
For more information or to establish a monthly or quarterly payment schedule, contact Tom Morgan at 512-4588666 or tmorgan@texascollectors.com State law prohibits corporate checks. Mail your check and this pledge
card to: ACA of Texas CollectPAC, 18604 Interstate 20 West, Lindale, TX 75771
Fall 2013
Southwest Collector Connector 39
Professional Education &
Development
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING A BETTER DEFENSE AGAINST COSTLY LAWSUITS?
Lawsuits have consistently proven two facts: A well-documented training program, which provides
thorough education of all appropriate staff, is the best way to prevent becoming a defendant in a lawsuit, and
it also is the best defense against a lawsuit!
The ACA of Texas Professional Education Committee is committed to assisting members with training issues,
and with coordinating professional skills development training programs sponsored by ACA International. Examples
of the training programs, courses, and services available from ACA include:
• Unit Training Library – members may check out the unit’s “FDCPA Essentials for Collectors”
and the “Essential Collection Skills & Techniques for Collectors” [CD-ROM] Training programs.
This service is provided free to our members (just pay the shipping to return the CDs)!
• Assistance in scheduling ACA Seminars in specific cities, or in-house training for members.
Contact either our state office (512-458-8666) or the committee chair for more information, or
to arrange a seminar.
Campus ACA is the umbrella organization for ACA International’s diverse professional and educational certification
programs for collectors and agencies. Resources include local and in-house seminars, on-line seminars and teleseminars, web
courses, conferences and conventions, training materials and the Professional Practices Management System (PPMS). Some
upcoming educational opportunities:
Date
11/5
11/6
11/6-8
11/12-13
11/19
11/19-20
11/26
12/10-11
1/8-9/14
1/15-16/14
1/22-23/14
Event
Location/Type
ACA Foundational Training on PPMS
Chicago
Credit and Collection Compliance Officer Seminar
Chicago
2013 Fall Forum & Expo
Chicago
Essential Collection Skills & Techniques
On-line
How Small Agencies Can Meet Big Compliance Expectations
Teleseminar
FDCPA: Essentials for Collectors
On-line
Operational Challenges with Accepting Electronic Payments
Teleseminar
Data Security & Privacy 1
On-line
Sales: Strategies & Techniques
On-line
FDCPA: Essentials for Collectors
On-line
Essential Collection Skills & Techniques
On-line
For more information and a complete listing of these educational opportunities,
visit www.acainternational.org or contact the Education Department at 952.928.8000.
Please let us know how we can better serve your education and training needs!
Education Committee Chair:
Ron Nunley, Houston
713-464-8219,
ron@certifiedrecovery.com
Area Coordinator Info:
(Houston) Jason Bryant,
936-756-7741
jasonbryant@montgomerycountycreditbureau.com
(Austin/Central TX) Open
(West Texas/Panhandle) Open
(Dallas/Ft. Worth)
Daron Ratcliff, Carrollton
972-406-6704
dratcliff@hosrec.org
(North/Northeast Texas) Open
(San Antonio/South Texas)
Julie Goforth-Osantowski
210-410-6061
julie.goforth@accountservices-usa.com
Please contact Ron Nunley if you would be willing to serve as an Area Coordinator.
40
Southwest Collector Connector
Fall 2013
ACA OF TEXAS
ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
ACA OF TEXAS
ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
ACA OF TEXAS
ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
ACA OF TEXAS
ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
ACA Members Receive Best Places to Work Honors
Thirty-two association members were named to annual list. Includes one Texas Member.
Thirty-two ACA International members were named as winners of the sixth annual Best Places to Work in Collections. This award
program was designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best places of employment in the accounts receivable management
industry. The program was created and facilitated by insideARM.com and Best Companies Group.
ACA of Texas member Capio Partners, LLC, Sherman, Texas, was among those honored. Our congratulations to Jim Richards
and the management and employees of Capio Partners for attaining this recognition.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
New Agency Members
Texas Guaranteed, Round Rock
North Texas Collections, LLC, Granbury
Collins Asset Group, LLC, Austin
Second Round Sub, LLC, Austin
Bonafide Asset Recovery, LLC, Coppell
MEET eBUREAU
ACA OF TEXAS’ NEWEST ASSOCIATE MEMBER
eBureau offers receivable management firms powerful predictive scoring and skip tracing solutions that maximize profit-per-account.
These solutions guide mail, telephone and resource allocations to increase recovery rates and lower costs. Through its innovative data
warehouse and predictive analytics system, receivables management professionals can score and prioritize every account.
For more information on how eBureau can meet the needs of your business, contact either Sherri Engberg at
sherriengberg@ebureau.com or Lera McGerty at leramcgerty@ebureau.com or call 320-534-5000.
“You don’t have to be great to start,
but you have to start to be great” - Zig Ziglar
Fall 2013
Southwest Collector Connector 45
Business Address
Changed?
New Website or
E-mail Address?
Help us keep our membership records
c u r re n t s o t h a t y o u re c e i v e t h e m o s t
up-to-date information possible. This will
become especially important during the
upcoming year. Contact tmorgan@texascollectors.
com or call 512-458-8666 with updated mailing
and e-mail addresses and phone numbers. Also, be
sure to send us your website address for posting to
www.texascollectors.com.
Index to Advertisers
ACA International ..........................................48
AVDS ................................................................10
Billing Tree .......................................................18
Business Ink .....................................................14
CDS Software ..................................................40
Columbia Ultimate . ........................................20
CompuMail........................................................32
DAKCS .............................................................4
EFT Network....................................................31
Global Connect ...............................................47
HOV Services...................................................43
IAT ......................................................................6
LexisNexis ........................................................33
LiveVox................................................................8
MasterFiles........................................................12
Merchant Solutions International . ...............28
Ontario Systems...............................................17
Pathfinder/LL&D............................................13
RevSpring............................................................2
Silicon Benefits Insurance .............................44
Thomson Reuters ...........................................42
Membership Event Postings
The ACA of Texas’ Southwest Collector Connector will post member
announcements for anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, weddings or
other significant events that occur in the lives of our members. Since
this is a quarterly publication, the announcements can be in the recent
past or in the future.
Please send all announcements to tmorgan@texascollectors.com and, if
possible, they will be published in the next issue to be published. Include
your name and a contact phone number.Membership Event Postings
46
Southwest Collector Connector
Fall 2013
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ASSOCIATE
MEMBER
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Contact Us: (952) 926-6547
collectorsinsurance@acainternational.org