I am thrilled to announce that the Getting to Know series will be sponsored by TEC Services Group in 2024. TEC Services Group is the leading technology and professional services firm in the credit collections industry offering both leading industry solutions along with unrivaled, unbiased, and experienced support. TEC is now extending its services by offering proven, industry-leading technology solutions alongside of our Professional Services to help Clients feel confident in their technology decisions. Learn more at ww.tecsg.com.
Just when she thought she was out, they pull her back in. Melissa Plunkey is on her third stint in the family business, but it looks like she might be here to stay this time because she’s now the owner. Running the business started by her aunt and uncle instills a lot of pride in Plunkey, who has also spent 10 years working as a nurse with critical care and hospice patients. Read on to learn more about Melissa, why she doesn’t want to be judged for her guilty pleasures, and why she likes to ask so many questions.
Name: Melissa D Plunkey
Job Title: Owner, Chairman, and CEO
Company: L J Ross Associates, Inc. (LJRA)
Length of time at current company: 6 years
2018 – 2021 – CEO
2021 – present – CEO, Owner
Length of time in industry: I started with LJRA in 2001, left the first time to move to Florida from Michigan, came back to LJRA again for a few years and left again for 10 years to train and work as a Registered Nurse (Critical Care, Hospice). I didn’t have any intentions of coming back to the ARM industry for a third time, but as they say “third time is a charm”!
How did you get your start in the industry?
I was recruited by my uncle Al Ross into sales at LJRA upon college graduation from Ferris State University, with a degree in business administration. Alphonso Ross retired from Michigan’s largest utility company at 55 years old and knew he needed a new challenge, so he started a company doing something related to his responsibilities at the utility, which included accounts receivable recovery management. Al also dreamed of creating jobs in Michigan and having a direct impact on the local community. My Uncle Al Ross and my Aunt Linda officially incorporated L J Ross Associates, Inc. in October of 1992.
What is your career highlight so far?
Being invited to co-panel with one of our client’s CFO’s at their national industry conference was definitely a highlight! The subject of the panel was essentially about the exponential value vendors can have on an organization’s community impact goals when the vendor and organization have aligning values and ideals. To be sought out for the panel was humbling and made me really proud to tell the L J Ross & Client success story.
When or how are you most productive?
During the day at the office, with the team, is how I’m most productive in helping move the ball forward. I keep a running list of this week, this month, and so on, things to do, people to see and ideas to explore. I live by my list so I can easily refocus between the unexpected things that pop up.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
There are many admirable professionals in the ARM industry, but I have one in mind that never ceases to amaze me with her thirst for knowledge and desire to positively impact our industry and to use that knowledge to ensure our clients, community, and employees are benefited and/or protected. My most admired ARM professional is Rebecca Roberts-Stewart, the Chief Operating Officer of L J Ross Associates. From her near 20-year corporate ladder climb at LJRA, to her long-standing involvement in ACA International as a delegate, to her participation as a board member of our regional association, Great Lakes Credit & Collections Association (our division was formerly known as the Michigan Association of Collection Agencies or MACA), or to her volunteerism in Junior Achievement to raise awareness in young people about financial literacy, Rebecca is the epitome of shattering glass ceilings. Nothing will stop her. I consider myself lucky to work alongside her. I met her when she started working at LJRA as a debt collector as a side hustle while she was earning her degree in Criminal Justice. Fortunately for us, she fell in love with the relentless pursuit of accomplishments and having control over how much money she could earn through commission. She’s most likely the best debt collector I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to on the phones. As a leader, Rebecca shines. She’s an exceptional example of our core values: Agility, Integrity, Diversity, Engagement, and Tenacity.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
I’m not so certain I do it better than everyone else, but I definitely ask more questions than most. I have a natural tendency to be curious and to have a global understanding of how things work, how parts make a whole, and how all the parts work together. I love telling stories with data, too. I enjoy picking apart data more than most.
What do you like most about this industry?
The exact same thing about the industry that makes me crazy is what I love most about it: no day is the same. Between regulatory changes in the ARM industry and the regulatory changes in our clients’ industries, things change on a dime. The fast pace, creative problem solving, and team work I get to experience make me love my role in the industry. The industry itself does not get recognition for the value it provides, and I am happy that LJRA takes an active role in bringing attention to the benefits of the ARM industry.
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What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
I wish I could change the perception of the industry with respect to individual, personal debt. The average consumer deems the ARM industry as a nuisance, as the “bad guys”, or simply as unnecessary. Partly because it’s not a required subject in early education in the United States, personal finance is highly misunderstood. Many people do not understand or appreciate the immense value our industry provides in helping to control the costs of goods and services, in addition to helping consumers improve their financial health. The first thing I would change if I could, is to make personal finance classes required every year in public K-12 education.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
I would be working in healthcare as a nurse or nurse practitioner. Healthcare is my second favorite field next to ARM. I’ll always be a nurse.
Describe a typical work day.
A typical day is that it won’t be like yesterday. Last week I was focused on human resource related long-term planning, while this week I’m focused on shorter term sales and marketing efforts. I am very lucky in that the Team at LJRA is pretty well sufficient in their respective areas of expertise: we’ve got a talented and long-tenured group in IT that manages all the systems and technology, our Ops team has all worked together for over a decade and they function like a well-oiled machine, then we have an amazing 20+ year veteran that oversees Compliance and she thinks learning rules and regulations is fun, and HR/Accounting/Client Support is covered by another seasoned group that bends over backward to ensure our staff and clients are engaged, paid, and nurtured. I have the pleasure of vacillating between departments to ask questions, ensure all teams are on the same page, and using the information I have to continue crafting on our Big Hairy Audacious Goals! Most days, though, I work closest with the rockstars of the Business Development Team crafting new strategies.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Don’t judge me … Gangster Rap and Wordle
What is the best advice you have ever received?
My uncle Al always gives me the best advice, so I’ll share a few of his short and sweet one-liners:
- Everywhere you go, there you are.
- Pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered.
- Expect but inspect.
What are you currently reading?
For fun – Ray Wenck’s Danny Roth Mystery series. Ray, the author, is the brother of a long-time LJRA team member. The character of the books spends time in northern Ohio and in the suburbs of Detroit. It’s fun to read books that include familiar towns, street names, and businesses.
For work – “Contact Center Management on Fast Forward” by Brad Cleveland. LJRA is currently growing its Call Center portfolio, and this is “the book”, I’m told, to learn all about Call Center management and performance.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
Not necessarily about me, per se, but when I’m asked how being a nurse in my past life has anything to do with debt collecting, I can say without any uncertainty that working as a nurse in critical care and hospice has prepared me in managing all the twists and turns of the ARM industry. It’s expected in the hospital that it only takes seconds for things to get wild! I was not expecting the same of the ARM industry, but some days it’s like the Wild Wild West! Fortunately for me I can remember that this is nothing compared to things I’ve worked through in healthcare. I often refer to my previous experience to help my teammates gain perspective. If nobody’s dying, it’ll be ok.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
Bobbie Blue over at Renkim. 😊
The Getting to Know series is sponsored by TEC Services Group. TEC Services Group is the leading technology and professional services firm in the credit collections industry offering both leading industry solutions along with unrivaled, unbiased, and experienced support. TEC is now extending its services by offering proven, industry-leading technology solutions alongside of our Professional Services to help Clients feel confident in their technology decisions. Learn more at ww.tecsg.com.