Dinner with Larry Bird? NBD for Andrew Robinson, whose lively upbringing and commitment to client service have helped kick Associated Credit Services into growth mode.
10/4/2019 9:00
Andrew Robinson’s strong work ethic has helped him achieve success in every job he’s had, including his current role as president of a thriving accounts receivable management company. Here’s how he got his start, in his own words:
“I grew up a half hour outside of Boston. There were six kids in my family: three boys and three girls. My dad worked as an entrepreneur who started a basketball camp for kids with K.C. Jones, a Boston Celtics player and coach.
He also worked as a referee for high school and college games across the country.
My mom helped him run the business. We had all the Celtics greats come and talk at my dad’s basketball camps, which led to spaghetti dinners with the likes of Larry Bird and John Havlicek.
It was a unique way to grow up. Around that time, I also developed a keen interest in geology and collecting rocks. My mom and I went to rock shows and local flea markets, where I was always on the lookout for new additions to my collection.
So, naturally, I went to school to be a geologist, as all bill collectors do. I went to Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts (now Bridgewater University) and enrolled in the geology program. It was a tough curriculum.
After a few years, I changed my major to business and chose a minor in energy and environmental resources management.
Growing up, in addition to a strong work ethic, my parents taught us we had to earn our way after college and live on our own.
Not long after graduating, I found an apartment and a job working as a collector for Financial Collection Agencies (FCA) International in Boston.
It took me some time to learn the ropes, but I understood working hard. In turn, I found mentors and life lessons. After a year at FCA, the owners of Associated Credit Services Inc., John Burwick and Ned Seder, recruited me to start an office in Boston.
They founded Associated Credit Services Inc. in 1969. I came on board in 1986 with a staff of 12 to 15 people, and we now have about 70 employees.
Over the years I moved from being manager to vice president, president, to a 50% stockholder when I bought out one of the partners. In 2015, I purchased the other half of the company. I am now in my 33rd year here.
The reason I’m still in this industry is because I was fortunate enough to work for Burwick, who taught me his dynamic approach to business leadership. Every time I started to get to the point where I said, ‘I am really delivering for this company and I’m not getting paid what I’m worth,’ he would beat me to the punch and give me a raise or a promotion.
I’ve always remembered that and tried to do the same with my staff by constantly evaluating the value they bring to the company. As a result, we have staff who have been with the company for 15 to 20 years—several as long as 40 years.
I’ve had friends come to work with me because of the growth opportunities and career stability in this industry. Bolstering my extremely talented executive team, my son Jake is now in his fifth year with the company and working as our hiring, training and retention manager.
In addition to our dedicated employees, we have longtime clients in banking, utilities and health care among other lines of business, and have expanded into first-party work and other related services.
Success to me is not measured in how big a company gets, it’s measured in what kind of life we provide for our employees and what kind of services we provide for our clients. We have been voted a “Best Place to Work in Collections” for the last four years running and are ranked No. 1 by the majority of clients we service.
We focus on treating consumers right on behalf of our clients. As a result, we are in continuous growth mode. We have a new look, and we opened another 75-seat call center in January this year.
It’s an exciting time as ACS continues to grow and prosper. Providing best-in-class service to our clients and greeting a truly happy and engaged staff every day is extremely rewarding.
My career keeps me busy, but when I’m not working, I spend time with family and friends and keep up with my hobby studying geology and collecting rocks—of course.”
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