Dear DBA Members,
I hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of summer and all the season has to offer. Thank you for your leadership within our industry and continued commitment to DBA International to support your success!
As we approach the 20th anniversary of DBA, I want to take a moment to reflect on our past and also look ahead to our future. It’s so gratifying to witness the monumental progress we’ve made as an association. We have overcome what may have seemed to some as insurmountable challenges – the North Carolina Consumer Economic Protection Act of 2009, the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in 2011, the creation of the Consumer Complaint portal for debt collection in 2013, and the CFPB consent orders of 2015 and 2016.
Despite all of that, we have a vibrant, dynamic and growing membership base that reflects the entirety of our industry today. DBA’s national certification program has been well received by the industry as well as state and federal regulators alike. You have helped to make that possible.
When I took over as president of DBA International this year, I had three primary goals for 2016:
- Maintain the integrity of the certification program and work to ensure that every active debt buyer is certified or completing their certification. To date, 122 companies and 213 individuals are certified! This is an amazing accomplishment and the numbers continue to grow.
- Continue to be the leader in advocacy at the local, state, and federal level, with a priority on working with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to promote responsible resale. The release of DBA’s White Paper on Resale, our continued advocacy in DC, and our lead work in Maine, Connecticut and Maryland has more than exemplified our successes here.
- Continue to grow and diversify our membership to represent the comprehensive receivables management marketplace. To date this year, we have added 55 new members. Membership numbers exceed where we were a year ago, and we continue to develop new market outreach to more than 20 trade associations.
The receivables industry, by its very nature, will always have challenges from external sources be it the media, political pundits, or the public. However, I believe that how we prepare for and respond to these challenges will ultimately define us, help us grow and thrive. To this point, DBA International is consistently taking strides to make sure we’re improving our association, which includes the following initiatives:
- The Board of Directors has met to explore methods to enhance our media response protocol, which has resulted in the creation of a Strategic Action Plan and relevant Task Forces that will involve key committees, staff members and consultants for the most informed recommendations.
- We have enhanced communications between the highly-respected consultants retained by DBA International to gain thoughtful perspective and feedback from each of their constituencies.
- The Education Committee is strengthening protocols for speakers presenting at DBA webinars, conferences and other speaking engagements, including improved development and management of our messaging.
- The Membership Committee and Certification Council are developing enhanced application and screening criteria, as well as heightened background checks.
- Our Editorial Committee is working with our public relations firm on promoting positive DBA member stories through social and print media campaigns.
These are just a few examples of what DBA International is doing behind the scenes to maintain and enhance the integrity and positive reputation of our industry and association – and ultimately make them better. I’m also excited to share with you that we’re very close to rolling out version 4.0 of DBA’s Certification program, which will continue to strengthen us as an organization and demonstrate our commitment to serving and developing professionals that play a critical role in the credit ecosystem and lives of consumers we assist.
The most important thing we as an organization, and you as members and industry leaders, can do is to focus on the positive impact we’re making and will continue to make each day. I’m personally grateful for all that you’re doing to make this happen!
I look forward to seeing all of you and more great discussions at the Executive Summit in Hilton Head, South Carolina in August or the recently announced D.C. Symposium — Debt Buying and the Beltway — in Washington, D.C. in September. Your involvement, ideas and voice are critical to our collective future.
Sincerely,
Todd Lansky
DBA President
This Alert is intended for Members of DBA International and is for informational purposes only and is in no way intended to provide legal advice. Members are encouraged to consult with an attorney of their choice for legal advice concerning this matter.