I am thrilled to announce that the “Getting to Know” series is now being sponsored by TCN. TCN is a leading provider of cloud-based call center technology for enterprises, contact centers, BPOs, and collection agencies worldwide. Founded in 1999, TCN combines a deep understanding of the needs of call center users with a highly affordable delivery model, ensuring immediate access to robust call center technology, such as SMS, email, predictive dialer, IVR, call recording, and business analytics required to optimize operations while adhering to callers requests. Its “always-on” cloud-based delivery model provides customers with immediate access to the latest version of the TCN solution, as well as the ability to quickly and easily scale and adjust to evolving business needs. TCN serves various Fortune 500 companies and enterprises in multiple industries, including newspaper, collection, education, healthcare, automotive, political, customer service, and marketing.
As a compliance attorney, Jonathan Poss has the benefit of having had worked on both sides of the courtroom, firsts an enforcement attorney and now as a chief compliance officer. It’s odd to have questions after reading through a profile, but maybe learning what constitutes an “inordinate number of cats” is better left to the imagination. Read on to learn more about Jonathan and how he is not afraid to change the status quo.
Name: Jonathan Poss
Company: Chief Compliance Officer for First Investors Financial Services, Inc. and its subsidiary, First Investors Servicing Corporation
Length of time at current position: 13 years
Length of time in industry: 20 years as a consumer protection/compliance attorney
How did you get your start in the industry?
I graduated from the Emory University School of Law in 1997. After spending time at a law firm, I worked as an enforcement attorney for the Georgia Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs, enforcing compliance with the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act. I then served as general counsel for a national mortgage lender until I commenced working for First Investors Financial Services, Inc.
What is your career highlight so far?
Creating and implementing a brand new compliance management system, including compliance policies and procedures, a complaint management program, compliance training and internal examinations.
When or how are you most productive?
Nights and weekends when the telephone is not ringing.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
Too many to name just one. Robert Savoie of McGlinchey Stafford PLLC, Stefanie Jackman of Ballard Spahr LLP, and Michael Benoit of Hudson Cook LLP to name a few compliance attorneys who serve their clients well.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
I cannot imagine that I do anything better than anyone else, but, despite being a bit of a goofball in my personal life, I take my professional obligations very seriously, especially focusing on consumer concerns and root cause analysis, and understand that compliance lapses may result in catastrophic liability. To be an effective compliance officer, one cannot avoid being assertive and fear not conforming. What has always been done is frequently wrong and what has never been done may be required. I find that I am able to be assertive and provide opinions and recommendations so that management can make informed decisions.
What do you like most about this industry?
The challenge of managing a compliance program in a highly regulated, ever-changing and misunderstood industry. I never get complacent or bored.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
I would want to have the public understand that importance of this industry to the economy and to know that most individuals and companies involved in it are ethical. It is unfortunate that the public perception of this industry is skewed by misinformation. I would also want to see a focus on protecting ethical companies form frivolous litigation and disputes and have regulatory agencies and consumer advocates focus on the truly bad actors in the industry.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
Public defender or running a cat café.
Describe a typical work day.
Obsessing over compliance and potential liability every waking hour.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Punk rock.
The Getting to Know Series is Sponsored By:
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Everyone lies.
What are you currently reading?
“The Quantum Labyrinth: How Richard Feynman and John Wheeler Revolutionized Time and Reality” by Paul Halpern and “The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, and Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats” by Richard A. Clarke and Robert Knake.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
I am an animal welfare advocate and reside with an inordinate number of cats.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
Blaise Rodon.
I am thrilled to announce that the “Getting to Know” series is now being sponsored by TCN. TCN is a leading provider of cloud-based call center technology for enterprises, contact centers, BPOs, and collection agencies worldwide. Founded in 1999, TCN combines a deep understanding of the needs of call center users with a highly affordable delivery model, ensuring immediate access to robust call center technology, such as SMS, email, predictive dialer, IVR, call recording, and business analytics required to optimize operations while adhering to callers requests. Its “always-on” cloud-based delivery model provides customers with immediate access to the latest version of the TCN solution, as well as the ability to quickly and easily scale and adjust to evolving business needs. TCN serves various Fortune 500 companies and enterprises in multiple industries, including newspaper, collection, education, healthcare, automotive, political, customer service, and marketing.