Message from NCBA President: See You in Orlando!

Greetings NCBA Members,

Happy Easter and Passover to you and yours!

It is hard to believe that by the time I see you in Orlando it will have been 19 months since many of us have seen each other in person. When we were last together at the 2019 Fall Conference in Washington, D.C., I was welcomed and officially sworn in as NCBA President and we also introduced Liz Terry as our new Executive Director. The 2019 Fall Conference was bustling, U.S. unemployment was low, business condition expectations were high, and none of us had any idea how much our world would change in just a matter of months.

Now well into the second half of my term as association President, I can truthfully report that our board, staff, and countless volunteers are as busy and effective as I have ever seen in 25 years of volunteering for NARCA/NCBA. Like you, we have all participated in more Zoom meetings than can be counted. While Zoom may be preferred over the old-fashioned conference call, I for one am very excited to see many of you in-person in just about 45 days in Orlando at the May conference.

NCBA has a great line-up in store for us in Orlando, including:

Clients: A key feature of our conference is the opportunity to meet face-to-face with existing or potential new creditor, network and forwarding clients. In the past week alone, we have added 2 more creditors for a total of 11 clients. We will announce client meeting schedules in the next week or two, so stay tuned!

Exhibitors/Sponsors: Another key benefit of conference attendance is the ability to network with and learn from our vendor affiliate partners. What are your peers doing with email and text messaging? Online payment portals? Chat? Meaningful Attorney Involvement? Insurance and bonding? Cyber security and data privacy? You will find these topics asked and answered throughout the endless opportunities to lean into and learn more on where your practice can improve.

Our partners and sponsors stuck with us through 2020 and helped in so many ways. We are very grateful for their leadership and partnership. Orlando is no different and I want to personally welcome and thank our year-round partners for their support and to encourage all who attend to stop by and take a chance on asking these experts some questions about your practice issues. I guarantee that you will be glad you did.  We have nearly sold out of our Orlando exhibit hall space and there will be countless opportunities for valuable networking and review of the latest compliance and technical innovations that have and are emerging, particularly related to Regulation F.

Education and Creditors Rights Specific CLE: Another top reason to attend the Orlando conference is the comprehensive educational sessions being provided. If you are wondering who should attend from your firm – think Regulation F compliance, policies, operational controls and staying out of regulatory trouble. We have assembled a world-class panel of subject matter experts with an unmistakable theme of providing informational toolboxes for our members to prepare for and succeed under the CFPB’s Debt Collection Regulation F.

Social and Networking Events: Finally, and probably my favorite part of the Conference, are the networking events and the opportunities to see old friends and meet new ones. I cannot wait to catch up with each of you—socially distanced of course. Orlando by its nature lends itself to outdoor meet and greet areas and the restaurants and lounges will be safely open and serving guests inside and out. Please join me to “tee up” the conference week in Orlando at the NCBA golf tournament, where I hope to see you out on the course Tuesday, May 18, 8:00 a.m. The proceeds from this event will benefit the NCBA Advocacy Support Fund. You will want to arrive in Orlando Monday for the early Tuesday golf. Make it a priority to enjoy some beautiful weather, networking, and boosting our advocacy fund.

As you can see, there are no shortage of events and opportunities just 45 days out. Be sure to register before “Early Bird” ends on April 15, 2021. Also, please email me at [email protected] if I can do anything to help make your conference experience a success for you and your firm’s attendees.

Hope to see you there. Please stay safe and be well!

Mark Groves
President, NCBA