ARA December Update

A Letter from ARA President, Vaughn Clemmons

It’s been a whirlwind 2022, the festive season is now upon us. As we all plan to spend time gathering near our families and the ones we hold dear, the ARA wanted to reflect on how grateful we are this year.

We are thankful that we are gearing back up to be in full swing, as our business volumes have risen in the last quarter. We are thankful that we have the opportunities we have been afforded in this great country of ours. As we travel all over the nation to spend time with our families over meals, we are reminded of those less fortunate than us and hope we all take time out of our day to give back in some way.

We remain grateful for the ARA members who allow us to speak on their behalf and the faith and confidence they have instilled in our board to manage the affairs of our association. As we near the end of this year, one of the things we are most grateful for is the completion of the CCRS platform and the freedom of choice it has added to the industry. Several weeks ago, the ARA monitoring compliance system onboarded our first forwarding company, Primeritus. We are excited for the opportunities the CCRS platform will continue to provide to our members and the entire industry.

We recently held our first fireside chat and are thankful to everyone who attended. There was a lively exchange of ideas and perspectives, and it was truly invigorating to engage in meaningful conversations. We are excited to dive into further conversations in the next fireside chat next quarter.

We are anticipating our annual ARA conference as well as our NARS convention to be one of the best ever. We have set an amazing agenda along with a great list of clients that will attend. This year’s conference will be held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in beautiful Orlando, Florida. The theme for the 2023 NARS is, “United Repo Kingdom, Putting the Magic back in Repossessions.”

This venue will allow us to showcase our industry like never before. We will educate both lenders and forwarders on what it really means to be a recovery agent. Our goal is to give them a better understanding on why there is a persistent need for change and communication at the agency level. Who better to educate the clients and forwarders in this space other than the highly skilled and trained recovery specialists of the American Recovery Association.

Finally, Wells Fargo recently extended their $500.00 increase across the country, including the six states that were previously excluded, until January 31, 2023. We are grateful for this news and believe Wells Fargo is setting a precedent – one the ARA believes other clients will soon follow. The winds of change are blowing favorably upon our industry in ways we haven’t experienced in decades. We are thankful; however, we understand the fight continues.

I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas, a blessed and prosperous New Year, and that you enjoy the season of giving to its fullest.

Merry Christmas,