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Executive Change: Portfolio Recovery Associates Appoints Elizabeth Shumadine VP, Biz Dev

2010-10-26T07:25:59-07:00

NORFOLK, VA -- Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc., (NASDAQ: PRAA) a company that purchases and manages portfolios of defaulted consumer receivables and provides a broad range of receivables management and payments processing services, today announced the hiring of Elizabeth Shumadine as vice president, Business Development.

Shumadine was appointed to the new role at Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA) this month. Her position involves efforts to diversify and grow PRA's base of revenues. She reports to Kent McCammon, president of Revenue Enhancement Services and Business Development.

"With the addition of Ms. Shumadine, PRA reiterates its commitment to grow through the acquisition of additional fee service businesses in the government, legal and automotive vertical markets focusing on revenue enhancement services for our clients," said McCammon. "She brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the position and will accelerate PRA's business development activity."

Prior to joining the company, Shumadine's work experience included investment banking at Morgan Stanley in New York and Merrill Lynch in San Francisco and Los Angeles; commercial banking at SunTrust Banks, Inc. in Norfolk, Va.; and financial executive education at SNL Financial in Charlottesville, Va.

Shumadine received a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville, Va., and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.

About Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc.

Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc. (PRA) is the parent of companies whose business revolves around the detection, collection, and processing of both unpaid and normal-course receivables originally owed to credit grantors, governments, retailers and others. PRA's primary business is the purchase, collection and management of portfolios of defaulted consumer receivables. These are the unpaid obligations of individuals to credit originators, which include banks, credit unions, consumer and auto finance companies, and retail merchants. Subsidiaries of PRA also provide fee-based services, including collateral-location services for credit originators via its IGS subsidiary, revenue administration, audit and debt discovery/recovery services for government entities through both its RDS and MuniServices businesses and class action claims recovery services and related payment processing through its CCB subsidiary.

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Executive Change: Olivier Rigaudy to Teleperformance as Group Finance Managing Director and Member, Board of Directors

2010-10-26T07:25:59-07:00

Teleperformance (Paris:RCF) announced the appointement of Olivier Rigaudy as Group Finance Managing Director, Member of the Board of Directors.

Olivier Rigaudy, who joined the Group on February 2010 as Chief Financial Officer, takes over from Michel Peschard, who resigned as he will be retiring at the end of 2010.

Rigaudy, 51, was previously Corporate Secretary of Conforama (PPR Group) from 2004 to 2009, after serving as Chief Financial Officer at Castorama (Kingfisher) from 1999 to 2003. Graduate of the Paris Institut d'Etudes Politiques with a Master's degree in business law, he began his career in the audit department of KPMG, later joining Pechiney's finance department before being appointed Director of Finance and Investor Relations at Club Mediterranee in 1992.

Teleperformance is a provider of outsourced CRM and contact center services, has been serving companies around the world, rolling out customer acquisition, customer care, technical support and debt collection programs on their behalf. More Information: www.teleperformance.com

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Executive Change: Aaron Schwartz to Estate Information Services as Biz Dev and Marketing Manager

2010-10-21T08:23:37-07:00

Estate Information Services (EIS), the leader in the collection of deceased debt and specialty recovery functions for creditors throughout the US, is proud to announce the addition of Aaron Schwartz to the business development and management team. Aaron, Manager of Business Development & Marketing, will assist EIS with its aggressive and strategic growth plans while also expanding service offerings to a broader market.

Aaron brings with him over 6 years of experience in the ARM industry and more than 5 years working as Manager of Business Development for Asset Acceptance LLC, a publicly traded debt buyer, where he focused on mid-tier banks and non-traditional asset classes. Aaron has relocated to the EIS corporate headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.

“I am truly pleased to add Aaron to the EIS team. His experience and enthusiasm will be a great addition to our dynamic team who thrives on exceeding customer expectations” said Victoria Edwards, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at EIS.

About Estate Information Services
EIS was founded in 1998 by JC Gunnell with offices in Columbus, OH. EIS is a leading nationwide provider of probate recovery management solutions. From its call center in Columbus OH, the Company offers third-party probate collections services and brand protection to creditors across the country. To learn more about the services EIS can provide, contact Aaron Schwartz at 614 632 5575 (aaron.schwartz@probate-services.com) or please visit www.probate-services.com or call 877.714.3739.

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Executive Change: Ryan Boettcher to Wakefield & Associates as VP of Operations

2010-10-19T07:33:12-07:00

Wakefield & Associates Inc., an ACA International member agency in Aurora, Colo., recently announced Ryan Boettcher has joined the company as vice president of operations. He will oversee all existing operations and play an integral role in executing the company's strategic growth initiatives. Boettcher joins Wakefield & Associates following a successful 12 years in the ARM industry.

"We are excited and privileged to be able to add to our strategic leadership team an individual who is a recognized leader in the industry. Ryan has relevant experience and a strong track record for scaling business operations," said Wakefield & Associates CEO Matt Laws.

Boettcher said, "I am excited to be a part of the Wakefield & Associates team. This is a great opportunity to work with a proven team of industry professionals who share the same values, vision, expectations and growth strategies. I look forward to leveraging my experience to continue building this world-class organization."

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Executive Change: Linda Schulz to Mercantile Adjustment Bureau as VP of Client Relations

2010-10-18T08:26:12-07:00

Buffalo, NY – Mercantile Adjustment Bureau, one of the ARM Industry’s fastest growing collection agencies, is pleased to announce the addition of Linda Schulz to their senior management team.

Schulz joins Mercantile as Vice President of Client Relations and is responsible for maintaining and servicing existing and new client relationships. Schulz brings a wealth of ARM Industry experience, including back-office support, client relationship management and client servicing. Her career began over 20 years ago as a support clerk for Great Lakes Bureau. Linda has spent the last 20 years with Creditor’s Interchange in a variety of sales and client relationship roles. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Client Relations for CI.

“We are excited and extremely pleased that Linda has decided to join us”, said Mercantile CEO Jeff Miller. “Linda is widely known in the Industry for her high degree of integrity and delivery of outstanding client service”.

“My primary objective has always been to ensure that the requirements and needs of clients are facilitated in a professional and timely manner. I know that the Team at Mercantile shares and practices this same philosophy and I am pleased to contribute to the ongoing growth of the Company”, Schulz commented. Schulz reports to Mercantile’s COO, Lance DellaMea.

MAB President Bruce Gray commented “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work with Linda again and look forward to her leadership in this area, as we continue to take Mercantile to the next level”.

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Executive Change: Tammy Franco to Mercantile Adjustment Bureau as Co-Site Leader

2010-10-14T06:11:43-07:00

Buffalo, NY – Mercantile Adjustment Bureau, one of the ARM Industry’s fastest growing collection agencies, is pleased to announce the addition of Tammy Franco to their senior management team.

Franco joins Mercantile as Co-Site Leader for Mercantile’s Buffalo Office and is responsible for collection operations, including strategy, production and quality for key client partners. Franco brings over 17 years of successful receivable management experience to the Mercantile Team. Franco began her career as a collector and steadily advanced to the collection management rank, having key client, collection operation and site level responsibility. Prior to joining Mercantile, Franco’s prior experience included having run the Canada office and other collection operations for Creditors Interchange (CI). In addition to having worked for 9 years at CI, she spent 8 years at the former Great Lakes Bureau (GLB), one of the pioneer collection agencies in Buffalo, NY.

“Tammy possesses a sound knowledge of the ARM business, solid receivable management skills and strong strategy and analytical skills. The management team is very excited about Tammy having joined us," said Mercantile CEO Jeff Miller.

Franco commented, “I have worked hard to establish myself and earn the trust of clients. I am excited about having joined the Mercantile team and I look forward to working with CEO Jeff Miller, President Bruce Gray, COO Lance DellaMea and the entire Mercantile team."

“Tammy has a solid reputation for being a very capable, seasoned and consummate collection professional, I am very excited to be on the same team with her again," said Mercantile President Bruce Gray. Franco reports to Mercantile COO Lance DellaMea.

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Executive Change: Harvest Strategy Group Announces Senior Officer Appointments

2010-10-13T07:27:54-07:00

As a result of the unprecedented growth over the last year, Harvest Strategy Group is proud to announce the addition of Mr. Greg Barnes as Senior Vice President of Operations effective October 11, 2010. To further strengthen the senior management team, Mr. Chance Terry has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Information Technology.

Additionally, Mr. Jake Hickman has been elevated to Vice President of Finance and Ms. Sally MacNicholas to Vice President of Agency Management. According to Co-President David Ravin, "these steps position us to provide the highest levels of service to our clients."

HSG also has taken on additional office space, practically doubling their existing space, to more effectively manage the unusual organic growth and addition of several institutional clients.

Harvest Strategy Group, Inc. is a privately held business based in Denver, Colorado that was formed in 1999 and incorporated in 2007. It has a reputation among its clients for focusing on data and analytics to achieve superior recovery results on accounts receivable. With over $2.5 billion in inventory under management, it is one of the leading collection management firms in America, and has experience in credit cards, consumer loans, medical bills, auto deficiencies, and second mortgages. Inventory is expected to double over the next 12 months as Harvest brings aboard some of the largest banks and credit issuers in the marketplace. For further information about Harvest Strategy Group, David Ravin may be contacted at davidr@harveststrategygroup.com or at (303) 531-0631.

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Executive Change: Mark Gelnaw Joins Central Credit Holdings as EVP and CFO

2010-10-13T07:27:54-07:00

Jacksonville, FL: Central Credit Holdings, Inc. (www.centralcreditholdings.com CCH), headquartered in Jacksonville, FL, has announced that Mark Gelnaw has joined the firm as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Along with oversight of the corporation’s financial and treasury operations, as a part of his new role Mr. Gelnaw will contribute his breadth of knowledge and expertise to CCH to help guide the corporation’s continued growth and diversification during the emergence of CCH and its subsidiaries as a dominant force in all segments of the accounts receivable management industry.

Prior to more recent entrepreneurial activities in financial services and real estate, Mr. Gelnaw, for nearly 10 years, held a wide variety of senior management positions with Deutsche Bank, in various parts of the company, to include time as chief financial officer of the equities division, as chief operating officer of the global equities and asset management divisions, and as global head of business development for the real estate division, along with other senior-level posts dating to 1996. Mr. Gelnaw is a certified public accountant and a 1979 graduate of Georgetown University.

Commenting on the addition of Mark Gelnaw to CCH, Chairman James Eccleston stated, “I am pleased to announce the addition of such a seasoned professional to the CCH executive team. In the past year I have gotten to know Mark through common business interests, so I am excited that CCH associates will now also get a chance to experience his energy while CCH partners benefit from the tremendous value he will bring to our efforts to service our partners’ diverse needs in new and valuable ways.”

Mr. Gelnaw added, “I look forward to being involved with a company where I know I can make a difference, with people I enjoy working with while adding value and having fun. I am privileged to be part of such a great service platform run by a group of highly talented individuals.”

CCH is the parent company of collection agency subsidiaries Central Credit Services (www.ccscollect.com) domestically and Astra Business Services (www.astraglobal.com) offshore. Affiliated organizations include Radius Software Solutions (www.radiusarm.com), which delivers robust, management-driven telephony and analytics technology solutions to the accounts receivable management industry, and Central Portfolio Investments (www.centralcreditholdings.com), which provides asset buyers and sellers with a well-funded, compliant, reliable partner for strategic accounts receivable portfolio acquisitions and divestitures.

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Executive Change: Jeffrey Sanborn to Portfolio Recovery Associates as Corporate Counsel

2010-10-12T08:19:45-07:00

NORFOLK, Va. -- Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc., (NASDAQ: PRAA) a company that purchases and manages portfolios of defaulted consumer receivables and provides a broad range of receivables management and payments processing services, today announced the hiring of Jeffrey A. Sanborn as corporate counsel.

Sanborn joined the Office of General Counsel in September. As Corporate Counsel, he serves as an advisor to the company and its Strategy and Development Department on various corporate and securities matters, financial transactions, business acquisitions, contract negotiations, and public disclosures. He reports to Judy Scott, executive vice president and general counsel.

"We are delighted to welcome Jeff to our team," said Scott. "He is a highly accomplished attorney, and his experience will be of tremendous benefit and a complement to our legal staff. We are very fortunate to have him."

Prior to joining the company, Sanborn served as an attorney at law at Wolcott Rivers Gates in Virginia Beach. He brings 14 years of experience as a corporate and securities attorney to PRA, having worked in the past on a wide variety of mergers and acquisitions, venture capital transactions, and contract negotiations in multiple industries.

Sanborn is a 1990 graduate of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., and a 1996 graduate of Wake Forest University's joint juris doctorate and Master of Business Administration program in Winston-Salem, N.C.

About Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc.

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Executive Change: Link Financial Group Appoints Lindsay Town as Non-Executive Director

2010-10-12T08:19:45-07:00

Link Financial Group (“Link”), a leading European receivables management company, today announces the expansion of its Board through the appointment of Lindsay Town as a non-executive Director.

Lindsay has more than 30 years’ experience in the world of banking and, in particular, the motor financing and leasing market which is one of Link’s areas of strength. He held senior positions at Lloyds Leasing and PricewaterhouseCoopers prior to joining Halifax plc to lead their asset finance business which developed into a divisional board level role within the combined HBOS group. His responsibilities included the acquisition and integration of the Lex and the Hill Hire rental businesses which represented £12bn of assets and over 2,750 employees. In April 2009, Lindsay retired from HBOS and established a specialist consulting business focusing primarily on portfolios and businesses within the asset finance industry.

Lindsay was also previously a board member of the Finance & Leasing Association and is a Fellow of the Institute of Bankers in Scotland as well as being a regular public speaker and commentator on industry matters.

Philippe Paillart, Chairman of Link Financial Group, commented: “I am absolutely delighted that Lindsay is joining our team at Link. His extensive experience, both in the UK and cross border debt and leasing markets, will be a valuable asset to the Group as we look to build on our leading positions in the European debt purchase and servicing markets.”

Paul Burdell, CEO of Link Financial Group, added: “Lindsay is one of the most experienced figures in the auto and asset finance area, so I look forward to working alongside him, and to seeing the company benefit from the additional complementary skills and knowledge he will bring to the Board on both operational and business development fronts.”

Lindsay commented on his appointment: “I am very pleased to be joining Link. I have been impressed by the progress the company has achieved to date and I look forward to helping the management team to achieve their ambitious plans for the future.”

About Link Financial Group
Link Financial is a leading European purchaser and servicer of performing and non-performing receivables. Link partners with most of Europe's major lenders, manages a portfolio exceeding €5 billion and employs over 500 people in contact centres in the UK and across Continental Europe.

In 1998 we were one of the founding members of the industry and have been at the forefront of innovation ever since. Our proprietary operational platform allows us to service a range of asset types from within and outside the financial services industry.

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Executive Change: Noble Systems Names Paul Bullett VP of Caribbean and Latin American Operations

2010-10-12T08:19:44-07:00

Atlanta – Noble Systems Corporation, a global leader in contact center technology solutions, today announced the creation of a new executive leadership position to drive new business development in the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA) and named contact center industry leader Paul Bullett to the post.

“I’m looking forward to helping Noble Systems expand on its leading position in an environment that is experiencing explosive economic growth and business investment,” says Bullett. “It’s clear that Noble Systems is fully committed to the Caribbean and Latin American region and sees tremendous potential in its emerging markets and workforces.”

Bullett has worked in senior management positions in CALA and Europe for more than 20 years. Prior to joining Noble Systems, he was the regional vice-president for Aspect Software CALA. Previously, he served as vice-president for Melita International in Southern Europe and Latin America. His executive experience also includes positions at divine, inc. as country manager for Spain and Portugal and as a managing director for eShare Technologies. At Noble Systems, Bullett’s primary focus will be to strengthen the company’s position in the CALA region as a "best in class" outbound solution in collections and customer service.

“Paul’s track record speaks for itself,” says James K. Noble, Jr., President and CEO of Noble Systems. “He understands the technology and the region. More importantly, he knows what businesses want from their contact center partners and he can deliver it. We look forward to exciting developments under his leadership.”

About Noble Systems®
Noble Systems Corporation is a global provider of contact center technology solutions, delivering systems since 1989. Every day, millions of contacts are made by agents at 4,000+ installations worldwide using the Noble® platforms for inbound/outbound/blended communications. The scalable, integrated Noble solutions include ACD and predictive dialing; unified contact processing for voice, email, and web; and integrated IVR, digital recording, messaging, quality control/monitoring systems, scripting, and real-time reporting and management tools. Noble Systems (Atlanta, GA) pioneered an open, scalable, fully-distributed platform. For more information on this item or the company, contact Lee Allum at 1.888.866.2538 x538 or visit www.noblesys.com.