ACA International Welcomes New President, Board Officers and Board Directors

At its 74th Annual Convention in San Diego, Calif., ACA International swore in President Leslie Bender, Esq. of Coast Professional in La.; President-Elect Rick Doane of The Sunrise Family of Companies in N.Y.; and Treasurer Rick Perr, Esq. of Fineman, Krekstein & Harris in Pa.  Each board officer will serve a one-year term.

“I am honored and humbled to lead ACA International as we look forward in reshaping the environment of consumer debt collection,” said Bender. “My priorities include strengthening industry compliance and actively growing our association’s advocacy at the national, state and local levels.”

In addition, Nick Jarman of Delta Outsource Group in Mo.; Dan Russell of CollectionCenter, Inc. in Wyo.; Tom Gavinski of I.C. System in Minn.; Mel Shaw of UCSB in Calif.; and Keith Kettelkamp of Remex, Inc. in N.J. were each elected to three-year terms on ACA International’s 15-member Board of Directors.

“This is an unprecedented time of change and ACA’s Board of Directors, comprised of exceptional leaders with diverse expertise and perspectives in the Accounts Receivables Management industry, is well-positioned to meet these important challenges on behalf of the membership,” said ACA International Chief Executive Officer Pat Morris.

Third-party debt collection is essential to the national and state economies, which are built on the foundation that those who provide credit, goods and services expect to be repaid. Recovering rightfully owed debts helps businesses survive, prevents layoffs, keeps cost down and ensures that credit, goods and services are available to consumers.

ACA International is the comprehensive, knowledge-based resource for the credit and collection industry.  Founded in 1939, ACA brings together nearly 5,000 members in the United States and abroad, and their more than 150,000 employees, including third-party collection agencies, asset buyers, attorneys, creditors and vendor affiliates.  ACA establishes a wide variety of products, services and publications.  For more information on ACA International, visit www.acainternational.org.