What Have You Done Lately to Support ACA International?

Dave Rudd

ACA International is the largest not-for-profit trade association for credit and collection professionals in the world. This association was founded in 1939 and today boasts a total worldwide membership of over 5,000 entities which includes creditors, asset buyers, attorneys, vendor affiliates and third-party collection agencies.

In my 20+ years in the industry, I have watched ACA represent us well. ACA leaders and staff work hard as trusted advocates for our industry. ACA benefits the ARM Industry by establishing industry ethical standards, providing educational opportunities, and helping politicians and the community recognize the ARM industry’s vital role in our economy. I also appreciate ACA’s willingness to listen to its members, evaluate their own performance and implement positive changes within their organization.

Are you an active ACA Member? If our only contribution to ACA membership activity is paying annual dues, then how strong is our Association and consequently our companies? Not very strong! We need more than just trade associations talking to politicians, so that they know how regular industry members feel about regulations. And by not participating in conferences and trainings you miss out on learning from industry experts and from fellow trade association members. Sometimes the best learning comes from discussing your needs and concerns with other association members.

What you can do to support ACA. As members of ACA, it is our duty to support ACA conferences, trainings and legislative activities. Members can select the activities that best fit their abilities and schedule, which could include:

• Contributing to ACA state chapter events and efforts
• Fighting for positive regulatory changes on the state level
• Attending ACA conferences and webinars
• Volunteering to be on an ACA committee
• Participating in ACA Washington D.C. fly-ins
• Becoming an ACA trainer specialist for your company
• Donating cash to support government issues

Next week ACA International will be holding its 73rd Annual Convention & Expo in Hollywood, Florida. I look forward to seeing my industry friends, customers, and competitors and forging new acquaintances. I’m especially excited to attend numerous sessions to learn about how my company can participate in education opportunities and help ACA meets its goals. I hope to see you there!

Dave Rudd is DialerFan, a champion of the collection industry, focused on improving collection capabilities through technology and political action. He energetically participates in lobbying efforts for the industry through donations, writing letters, making phone calls, participating in seminars and attending events in Washington D.C., including the most recent ACA International Fly-In. Well acquainted with debt collection, Dave spent two years debt collecting before joining IAT in 1990. He has held a variety of positions at IAT — a provider of collection-specific dialing technology — including President/CEO and most recently Senior VP of Finance & Administration.