NASHVILLE — The 2018 edition of ACA International‘s annual convention officially kicked off here last night and the vibe could not have been more positive and the outlook could not have been rosier.
Rather than in years past, when a pall of doom and gloom hovered over the event as agency executives and industry professionals congregated and shared concerns about the proliferation of lawsuits and the growing presence of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, the conversations at this year’s event had the feel of a high school reunion where everyone was happy to see each other.
The magic of the #ACAConv18 is in the people who participate & seeing your colleagues again. pic.twitter.com/PcdyI5deQL
— ACA International (@ACAIntl) July 23, 2018
Attendance at the event topped 1,200, according to Rick Perr, a partner at the law firm of Fineman Krekstein & Harris and the outgoing president of the association. That total represents the largest turnout “in quite a long time,” Perr said during his remarks before the keynote address yesterday.
A change in leadership at the top of the BCFP, along with some notable industry wins in lawsuits and court rulings have provided the industry with cautious optimism that operating a collection agency may not be as difficult as it has been in years past.
Perr mentioned during his remarks that the expectation is that Kathy Kraninger will be confirmed by the Senate to lead the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection and that she will likely continue to operate the bureau on the same “common sense path” that was set forth by current acting director Mick Mulvaney.
Industry-related topics and sessions begin today here in Nashville and continue through tomorrow.
