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.
- 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.
As usual, last week’s meeting lived up to its great reputation. 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
Senior executives of all members three times/year in Washington, D.C. to engage with consumer groups, regulators, and others; to share operational issues and best practices; and to engage in substantive education, feedback and working sessions that advance member companies and the industry.
2020: April 2-3, August 11-12, Nov. 17-18
[Note: All 2020 meetings will be virtual. We hope to return to in-person meetings in 2021. Tentative 2021 dates are April 13-15, August 3-4 and November 9-11]
Regulatory Steering Committee
The committee meets on a 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 comment on the CFPB's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
Email updates
Regular email updates inform members about our latest progress and activity and serve as a mechanism to request input on specific initiatives.
Regular discussions 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 Andersen - Ontario Systems
Andy Balthaser - Alorica
Lance Black - Radius Global Solutions
Tim Bauer - DCM Services
Leslie Bender - BCA Financial Services
Andrew Blady – Spring Oaks Capital
Matt Clark - EOS USA
Trudy Weiss Craig - Unifund
Shelly Gensmer - ERC
Stefanie Jackman - Ballard Spahr
Kelly Knepper-Stephens - True Accord
Michael Kraft - The CCS Companies
Larry Laskey - Windham Professionals
Michael Meyer - MRS BPO
Katie Neill - The iA Institute
Robert Obringer - Phillips & Cohen Assoc.
John K. Rossman – Moss & Barnett
Director:
Stephanie Eidelman – The iA Institute
Working Groups
These 2020 working groups are driving new solutions for the industry.
Consumer Groups - Participating in roundtables, working together on consumer training materials, engaging with the CFPB Consumer Education group.
Mass Disputes - Identifying examples of consumer harm from mass disputes submitted by CROs, developing documentation and education around this issue
Data Privacy - Developing roadmap and templates for implementation of CCPA and other state/federal data privacy laws
Disclosure Testing - Developing possible tests, engaging with CFPB to pinpoint scope, developing formal proposals, participating in testing
State Regulators - Building relationships with selected state regulators
CRC meetings are engaging and interactive working sessions
If you want parties, head to Vegas. If you want to work with forward-thinking peers to advance the industry, come to Washington.
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