ACA’s flagship event of the year kicked off yesterday, uniting credit and collections professionals to explore collaborative leadership, innovative technologies and valuable networking opportunities in Chicago.
07/26/2023 7:00 P.M.
4 minute read
The buzz from bringing together accounts recovery management professionals, vendors and expert speakers was unmistakable on day one of ACA’s Annual Convention & Expo in the Windy City.
Welcoming attendees from the U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Korea, South Africa and many more international hubs, the first day of the Convention & Expo in Chicago offered networking opportunities for new members and first-time guests and an opening reception in the Expo Hall before the education and advocacy sessions the remainder of the week.
At a special pre-Convention compliance session, sponsored by TransUnion, Leslie Bender, senior attorney at Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, LaDonna Bohling, chief operating officer for Contract Callers Inc., and Debra Ciskey, senior compliance advisor at ARM Compliance Business Solutions, LLC, led a group of two dozen attendees through lively discussions about how companies can address specific compliance scenarios and the lessons that can be learned from Consumer Financial Protection Bureau enforcement actions.
Welcome to Chicago
Wednesday’s opening festivities came on the heels of ACA’s announcement of new board members and officers, which you can read more about here.
Following the compliance session, first-time attendees and new members had a chance to meet with ACA staff and longtime members to learn tips on how to make the most of their convention experience at the First Timers & New Members Reception, which was a precursor for the Young Professionals Reception, sponsored by Bayview Solutions, LLC.
Main Stage and Opening Remarks
Following opening remarks from ACA CEO Scott Purcell and 2022/23 President Courtney Reynaud, Jon Gordon, bestselling author and speaker, delivered an engaging presentation on the main stage on how positive leaders transform teams and change the world.
Purcell introduced the formal kickoff to Convention, saying it was an honor to represent the industry while recognizing ACA members who have recently passed away, including Purcell’s former boss and mentor, Joe Hawes, and past ACA president Tom Haag. You can read about each of their legacies and all the ACA members who have passed in the last year in the Guidebook app’s Memoriam section.
“While we all face mortality, we also daily get a chance to embrace the opportunity to build a legacy,” Purcell said. “At Tom’s memorial, I had a special conversation with Nick DiGiovani, who reminded me there’s never been a challenge that we haven’t been able to overcome. There’s no reason to believe that won’t continue to be the case.”
Meanwhile, in Gordon’s illuminating talk, he emphasized that positive leaders lead with optimism, vision, and a clear mission, encouraging leaders to help their team members find meaning and purpose in their work.
Later, members headed to the Expo Hall for a chance to network and meet with vendors and exhibitors at the Welcome Reception, sponsored by Collectors Insurance Agency, Aon, and AXIS.
The Expo Hall will be open from 10:10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Thursday, July 27, and 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, July 28. Our exhibitors and sponsors are excited to share the industry’s newest technologies and services to help you achieve the results you are looking for.
Convention: What You Need to Know
With ACA’s flagship event of the year now underway, here are a few other details to guide you through convention—all available in the Guidebook app.
Registration is open from 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Thursday, July 27, and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, July 28.
Education sessions begin at 8 a.m., and don’t miss special events such as the Visionaries Reception Thursday at 4:45 p.m. and the awards breakfast Friday morning.
We are beyond excited to come together as an association with members, vendors and expert speakers during this three-day event, which has something for everyone, from new professionals in the industry to emerging leaders and seasoned collections experts.
Stay Connected at Convention
The official Know-Before-You-Go message was sent to attendees, speakers and vendors last week. It includes information on Convention session handouts, ticketed events and much more. Download the app to build your own schedule, save a short list of exhibitors to visit, see speaker bios, view the attendee roster and more!
Be Social
Share the excitement and your experience at ACA’s annual convention on social media using #ACACONV23.
Thank you to the 2023 Convention & Expo Sponsors: Provana, Uniphore, QBE, REPAY, TCN, TransUnion, TEC Services Group, Bayview, Connect International, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, EFT Network Inc, Quantrax, Factual Data, Interprose, CSS Impact, Nationwide, Finvi, Beam Software, RevSpring, Payscout, Balch & Bingham LLP, Nordis Technologies, CollectOne, Collectors Insurance Agency, CompuMail, Payment Savvy, Solutions by Text, AXIS, AON, and Nutun.
Remember, subscribe to ACA Daily and Member Alerts under your My ACA profile when logged in to acainternational.org to receive updates on the ACA Huddle.