This is your seat at the table.

The Consumer Relations Consortium is a membership group for forward-thinking organizations that wish to influence the direction of collections compliance, legal strategy, and regulatory policy.

Interested in the CRC?

Practical Collaboration

The CRC creates the conditions for collaboration among industry stakeholders to advance reform and best practices that are practical, and enhance the consumer experience.

Proactive Outreach

The CRC takes the unique approach of proactive outreach to consumer groups. We engage in high-quality dialogue to get beyond talking points and bridge the gap of understanding between consumers and collectors, and to give regulators the benefit of hearing this in-depth discussion.

Progressive Members

The CRC attracts progressive accounts receivable organizations with revenues of at least $10 million; creditors who seek a space to delve deeply into the compliance and regulatory issues associated with collections and agency management; and technology firms that are prepared to engage at the senior executive level (non-sales) to advance collaborative solutions for the industry.

CRC member organizations have a considerable impact on the consumer debt space. Collectively, we represent or serve the largest U.S. financial institutions and consumer lenders, healthcare organizations, telecom providers, and other creditors. We are on the front lines of consumer communication, initiating millions of contacts every month.

This is a very tight, well-informed group, willing to share information and work together to truly impact our industry. The group's size keeps it nimble, and frequent interactions with regulators enable members to propose actual solutions to shared concerns. This is what keeps my organization involved and coming back!

Trudy Weiss Craig - General Counsel, Unifund CCR

Year after year, I’ve found the CRC meetings in Washington, D.C. to be a great investment of my time. I really appreciate the direct engagement with regulators, as well as the friendships I’ve developed with the leadership of other large market participant companies. I sincerely appreciate all you’ve done to keep the content of these meetings meaningful.

Eric Pittman - President, Vital Solutions Inc.

It was fantastic to be back. Having been away from the CRC for a period of time, I was struck by both the growth of the group, and the level of engagement. The increase in membership is impressive, yet the CRC has maintained its identity as a grassroots organization of people and companies committed to dialog on the issues that matter to all participants – agencies, tech companies, debt buyers, attorneys, and most importantly, consumers.

Tim Stapleford - President & CEO, Spring Oaks Capital

How We Operate

In-person Meetings

Members meet twice/year in Washington, D.C. to engage with external stakeholders and to engage in working sessions that advance member companies and the industry.

2023 schedule:

June 7-8

Nov. 9-10

Steering Committee

The steering committee meets on a bi-weekly basis to provide input regarding outreach to consumer groups and regulators, and to discuss research and proposals regarding relevant legal and compliance matters.

Working Groups

Focused working groups come together as needed to advance our various initiatives such as data privacy or our commenting on proposed federal or state regulation.

Peer Groups

These functional groups meet regularly to build relationships and share current challenges:

Compliance/legal (every 2 weeks)
CEOs/presidents (monthly)
IT leaders (bi-monthly)

Engagement with Regulators

Ongoing engagement with state and federal regulators allow us to provide perspective, expertise, and specific/practical recommendations for further consideration or implementation.

Engagement with consumer groups

Ongoing engagement with consumer groups and others help us to encourage a deeper mutual understanding and to create the conditions for productive discussion and compromise.

Leadership

A Regulatory Steering Committee guides the advocacy vision and actions of the CRC

Committee Members:

Rozanne Anderson - Finvi

John Bedard - The Bedard Law Group

Lance Black - Radius Global Solutions

Andrew Blady – Spring Oaks Capital

Trudy Weiss Craig - Unifund

Amir Erez - Cedar Financial

Martha Hanson - DCM Services

Stefanie Jackman, Troutman Pepper

Jessica Kagansky - Crown Asset Management

Jessica Klander, Bassford Remele

Kelly Knepper-Stephens - True Accord

Michael Kraft - The CCS Companies

Ralph Liberio - NCB Management Services

Joann Needleman - Clark Hill

Robert Obringer - Phillips & Cohen Assoc.

Abigail Pressler - Ballard Spahr

John Rossman, Moss & Barnett

Lisa Saidel- MRS BPO

Jim Schultz - Sessions, Israel & Shartle

Steve Wilansky - Attunely

Chair:

Missy Meggison - The iA Institute