September Webinar – Creating a Culture of Safety: Dealing with Angry People

New Webinar – Do You Know How to Deal with Angry People?

In Part 2 of our Creating a Culture of Safety series, we’re discussing how to effectively deal with angry people and strategies you can use to relieve tense situations. In this webinar, you’ll:

• Better understand the different levels of anger
• Learn proven strategies to deal with angry people
• Communications process
• Effective listening/speaking skills
• Telephone techniques
• Knowing your people
• Administrative policies and procedures

The problem-solving techniques you will learn can be applied both in and out of the field! To register for this webinar, click the button below!

Wednesday, September 18
1:00 p.m. CST

August Webinar: Developing a Culture of Safety and Active Shooter Awareness

In light of recent domestic events, the American Recovery Association will hold a special safety-centered webinar on August 22 entitled “Developing a Culture of Safety and Active Shooter Awareness.” We highly encourage all our members and their employees to attend this crucial webinar. Our goal is to equip you with the tools you need to know the warning signs and understand what to do if the unthinkable were to happen.

August Webinar – Developing a Culture of Safety and Active Shooter Awareness

ARA to Present Special Safety Webinar

Thursday, August 22nd 
1:00 p.m. CST / 2:00 p.m. EST​

About ARA Webinars

ARA Announces Enhanced Workers’ Compensation Services

In partnership with Harding Brooks Insurance Agency, the American Recovery Association is excited to announce our latest insurance benefit for all of our compliant member companies:

Preferred pricing for workers’ compensation!

With the addition of this perk, we deepen our organization’s commitment to you, your business, your employees, and your families. We want to ensure the well-being of the people most important to you and protect your business from expensive lawsuits.

Harding Brooks will handle everything for member companies who opt into the improved workers’ compensation. This includes securing the best pricing available by working directly with carriers to show the compliance of ARA members and negotiate lower rates. This service is not a payroll program, so members who take advantage can continue using their own payroll system.

Contact Mike Peplinski at Harding Brooks (315) 214-5822 to learn more about this offer and other ARA member programs, including health care and life insurance.

July Webinar – Polish Your Professional Image

Register Today for ARA’s July Webinar

Join Mike Peplinski & Renee Low from Harding Brooks and Joel Bowen from CALTECH Employees Federal Credit Union, as they discuss how to put your best foot forward as a recovery professional

Wednesday, July 24th 
1:00 p.m. CST / 2:00 p.m. EST
​

The American Recovery Association provides a free continuing education webinar series for recovery and remarketing professionals. This one-hour webinar series offers education about the latest recovery laws and regulations, compliance policies, industry issues, and more. These presentations are geared towards owners, managers, employees, and field agents.

As an ARA member, you must register online for this webinar using your personal e-mail address so that you receive your certificate of completion. In the event that computer sharing is necessary for your office, please provide a list of employee names and email addresses in an excel spreadsheet to tricia@americanrecoveryassn.org.

If you have any questions or feedback about our continuing education webinar series, please contact ARA Home Office at 972-755-4755 or homeoffice@americanrecoveryassn.org.

Announcing our New Health Insurance Program

Cost-Effective Health Insurance Program Open to All Members

In partnership with Harding Brooks, we are proud to announce our newest member benefit: a national, cost-effective health insurance program open to all members.

A rich benefits package is key in retaining quality employees and obtaining health insurance for small business’ has not always been an easy option. We are always working to find ways to add value to your membership and we are thrilled to now offer a cost-effective insurance program for the recovery industry.

Harding Brooks will now serve as your one-stop-shop for health insurance, ensuring you are getting the best rates possible. This includes, educating you and your staff on coverages, deductibles and co-pays while putting together the best plan from top healthcare providers across the country.

Contact Mike at Harding Brooks (315) 214-5822 to discuss which health care plan is the best option for you and your employees.

And stay tuned! We’ll be rolling out more offerings in the coming months.

The Case for Unifying Industry Standards

People are buzzing about what’s happening at ARA. Joel Kennedy, Chief Operating Officer at TruDecision and NAF Association Board member, contributed a recent article in Non-Prime Times Magazine. This article is definitely something every Repossession Professional needs to read.

Since the partnership between NAF and ARA was formalized in 2018, the conversation around forwarders is shifting. Kennedy’s article contains important insights you need to understand regarding:

• structural changes and technology
• regulations
• market changes
• and positive signals for growth.

Read The Full Original Article Here

Member Highlight: Richard Frame

This month, we want to highlight Richard (Dick) Frame, from Midland Recovery. Dick has been an ARA member since 2006 and currently lives in Columbia, South Carolina.



Dick came from the business world as a national sales manager before transitioning into the repossession industry. Though Dick has had many professional accomplishments, including serving on the ARA Board of Directors back in 2010, he states that his family and children are his proudest accomplishment to date. Dick currently has two children in college and one in high school. 

Over the years, Dick has found that success in our industry correlates to professionals treating their businesses like businesses. He understands the impact of being an ARA member has for all industry professionals first-hand. His recommendation to others just starting out is to look at being profitable first and foremost, then set goals from there. 

Dick has great insight into our industry and believes that communication is the key to success. Since every professional has differing experiences, it’s important to be open to the thoughts and viewpoints of others. You should also look for opportunities to learn from others mistakes and make changes from what has been shared with you. He also recommends that ARA members should accept and acknowledge that things in the industry are ever-changing – clients and personnel move around all the time – so it is important to stay in touch with other professionals in the industry.

While several reasons have kept Dick invested in ARA, the networking and communicating with like-minded people stand out to him the most. He’s been able to connect with so many different people across the country over the years, so he knows that ARA has something to offer to everyone.

Member Highlight: Dave Kennedy

While it might seem highly unusual for our “Member Highlight” to feature a sitting ARA President, we felt it was important to showcase how dedicated Dave has been to serving everyone. Not only has he committed countless hours and personal expense into continuing his education to better serve our association, but Dave has also taken a series of safety classes to improve the quality and diversity of our field agent training modules. There is no doubt that our training program is one of the best.

On top of all he is doing as our President, Dave spent considerable time playing Santa for various charitable organizations in his community. It is always heartwarming to see the pictures and hear the stories of how the children and families appreciate the way he keeps his wonderful Santa Claus figure all year. That is how committed Dave is!

We realize our members are facing challenging issues to their very existence. Our entire Board is dedicated to creating a better future for our entire industry, but Dave is working overtime behind the scenes to form new partnerships and find strategies that will directly benefit your bottom line. In fact, you will be receiving a series of emails outlining some of these plans over the next few weeks, and Dave has been instrumental in bringing them all to pass.

Member Highlight: Patrick Altes

This month we’d like to highlight Patrick J. Altes, the newest addition to the ARA Board of Directors, after our recent merger with Time Finance Adjusters. Patrick started in the repossession business in 1974, shortly after high school, as a part-time employee at his father’s repossession business. Initially, he had planned to get a “real job” after graduation, however, as many of us know, his dad, Harvey C. Altes, was quite a legend in the industry and Patrick was quickly drawn into the family business.

Patrick was able to pick up some of his father’s skills along the way and the father-son duo worked together working for some interesting non-repo-related clients on investigation and research, including nationally-known attorneys and celebrities. For many years they worked as researchers for CBS TV’s “48 Hours” TV show.

Over the years, Patrick developed the “international” aspect of his repossession agency, Falcon International while also working with Time Finance Adjusters, helping his sister, Nicki Merthe, with the management of that great organization. Patrick’s main role there was that of an industry advocate. He has been a writer, blogger, and point-of-contact for the mainstream media, to advocate for the professional repossessor and the worth and value of their services. Patrick has fought hard against practices, like contingent repossession work, which he believes to yield dangerous, unprofessional results that don’t best serve the lender, their proxies, or the consumer. After having done this for so many years with TFA, it is especially exciting for him to now partner with the “new” ARA in being a united, single voice for the industry.

In his free time, Patrick is a musician and worship leader at his church and has been involved with the music for over 27 years. Patrick still does photography and a little video production work and has been married to his favorite person, Sharon, for 37 years. They have 5 tremendous grandchildren. They work hard to be a big part of their lives, hopefully in a positive way. Patrick believes that will be his legacy, undoubtedly more enduring, and important than whatever else he has done or will do in the world.