These inspiring association members have devoted their time and talent to advance the accounts receivable management industry.
7/16/2019 9:00
ACA International recognized members who have made significant contributions to the association and the accounts receivable management industry as a whole on Tuesday at the 2019 Convention & Expo in San Diego.
This year’s Member of the Year Award was given to industry leader Mike Frost, partner at Malone Frost Martin PLLC, in Cedar Falls, Iowa, in recognition of his dedication, commitment and tireless work related to the association’s success.
Frost is a member of ACA’s Board of Directors and the Iowa Association of Credit and Collection Professionals. He previously served as president of the Iowa Association’s board. Frost has received ACA’s Judicial Advocacy Award, International Fellowship of Certified Collection Executives Award and Unit Leader of the Year Award. He has been part of Collection Advisor magazine’s Top 25 Most Influential Collection Professionals, Who’s Who in Collections, and Stars of Compliance.
He also represented accounts receivable management industry companies through Consumer Financial Protection Bureau examinations as well as served the ARM industry on panels for various regulatory agencies.
He has tenaciously defended several important cases, creating jurisprudence for all industry participants to follow. He was also instrumental in the development of human intervention technology, which is the most efficient way to stay compliant with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act under existing laws.
ACA introduced a new award this year: the Janis St. Martin Industry Champion Award. Janis St. Martin was the vice president of Collectors Insurance Agency, a wholly owned subsidiary of ACA International, who died earlier this year. Her namesake award is given to the ACA member who most exemplifies St. Martin’s spirit of protecting the accounts receivable management industry from those who would seek to profit by pursuing meritless claims, which negatively impacts industry participants.
This award was given to Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co, LPA in Cleveland. Weltman received the award as a result of the strength, character and determination it demonstrated in response to baseless claims made by the CFPB. Scott Weltman, the firm’s managing shareholder, testified in March before the House Financial Services Committee about the firm’s experience successfully prevailing in their CFPB lawsuit.
In 2017, following an extensive civil investigative demand process that began in 2014, the CFPB exerted tremendous pressure on Weltman to sign a Consent Order that would have continued the regulation by enforcement policy of former Director Richard Cordray. After the firm refused to be strong-armed into signing that Consent Order, the CFPB filed a lawsuit against Weltman, which it successfully defended and ultimately prevailed at trial, albeit at great expense. Weltman’s aggressive defense resulted in total vindication with a finding that the CFPB’s lawsuit was without merit and the law firm’s actions were legal and appropriate.
Other valued ACA award winners include:
ACA International All In™ Awards: Larry Steller, CEO of Quality Asset Recovery LLC in Gibbsboro, New Jersey (individual award); Encore Capital Group in San Diego, California, (company award); and the California Association of Collectors (unit award).
The Fred Kirschner Instructor Achievement Awards: Joe Adams, John Bedard, Jay Gonsalves, Irene Hoheusle, Christopher Morris and Brian Watkins.
The Charles F. Lindemann Certified Instructor of the Year Award: LaDonna Bohling, IFCCE, chief compliance officer for Contract Callers Inc. in Augusta, Georgia.
The International Fellowship of Certified Collection Executives Designations: David Kelley, CEO-president of The Preferred Group of Tampa in Tampa, Florida, and Niel Welborn, vice president of Todd, Bremer & Lawson Inc. in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
The ACA International Education Foundation Fellow Award: David Kaminski, partner at Carlson & Messer LLP in Los Angeles.
Harry Strausser Jr. ACPAC Ambassador Award: Tom Haag, IFCCE, chairman and CEO of State Collection Service Inc. in Madison, Wisconsin.
Honorary Membership Award: Donna Nicholson Stief, executive director of the Credit Bureau of Lancaster County Inc. in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; David Glezerman, assistant vice president and bursar for Temple University; and Richard Hoffman, IFCCE, CEO of Los Angeles Collection Service Inc.
The James K. Erickson Continuous Service Award: Wendy Badger, vice president of corporate compliance for ECMC Group in Minneapolis.
The Jonathan Elliot Judicial Advocacy Award: Robbie Malone, member/attorney at law at Malone Frost Martin PLLC in Dallas, Texas.
The Unit Leader of the Year Awards: Kelsi Hamilton from the Washington Collectors Association was honored in the category of 66-100 members. Dick Williams of Gulf States Collectors Association was honored in the category of 36-65 members.
These industry leaders have devoted their time and talent to the betterment of the credit and collection industry. Are you ready to join them? Learn more about ACA’s member awards program at www.acainternational.org/education/member-awards.
Pictured: Jack Brown, ACA’s former board president, and president of Gulf Coast Collection Bureau Inc.