Collector - December 2017 - 48

LASTWORD

Jumping In
Scott Idle is working with Michigan Unit members to educate consumers and legislators
on the credit and collection industry-and says every person can make a difference.
By Katy Zillmer

I

nspired in part by his father, Scott Idle
attended his first Michigan Association
of Collection Agencies meeting in
2011. The elder Idle had served as unit
president in 1963, in addition to founding
his own collection agency, the MidMichigan Collection Bureau, in 1955.
Today Scott Idle is not only CEO of the
family business, but he's also following in
his father's footsteps by serving as MACA
president-and he encourages all ACA
members to attend just one meeting of
their local unit to see what it's all about.
"Being a part of the association has
provided me tremendous knowledge and
insight into the inner- and outer-workings
of the industry," he said.
As a MACA leader, Idle is working
to change consumers', regulators' and

48

legislators' perceptions of the credit and
collection industry.
Along the way, he's learned that empathy
and patience pay off.
"When you possess this level of passion to
change societal views and educate consumers
about something as important as credit,
you find yourself testifying before [the]
state legislature, talking to a classroom of
impressionable kids, lecturing about financial
literacy in front of hundreds of college
students that wish to become tomorrow's
leaders and entrepreneurs. This is how I've
chosen to change my world," Idle said.
This passion for advocacy has helped
Idle and other MACA members establish
friendships with state legislators that aid
them in making industry regulations less
restrictive while best serving consumers.
In September, for example, Idle testified
in front of the Michigan Senate in support
of legislation to allow collection agencies to
employ an on-site attorney.
Michigan is one of a few states that prohibits
collection agencies from employing an attorney
to provide litigation services to its creditor
clients or for compliance-related purposes.
In a unanimous vote (16-0) Nov. 8,
the Michigan House Regulatory Reform
Committee passed Senate Bill 0385, allowing
the use of an on-site attprney. Sen. Jim Stamas,
R-Lansing, sponsored the bill and Sen.
Rick Jones, R-Lansing, co-sponsored it. The
Michigan House of Representatives is expected
to vote on the bill in early December and send
it to the governor's desk for approval.
"It is long overdue for our great state
to enhance the protection of Michigan
consumers through improved compliance
efforts, leading to a more simplified, secure,

and better consumer experience for the
Michiganders we work with on a day-to-day
basis," Idle said.
In May 2017, Idle organized MACA's
annual conference, which featured member
meetings with legislators and training on
how to speak with them about industry
issues.
"That has had a huge impact on our ability
to move things forward," he said.
As president of MACA, Idle's priorities
are to improve the industry's reputation and
raise the association's profile, reform state
laws to better serve consumers and increase
membership involvement.
"I believe an association's purpose is to
provide a forum for similar, like-minded
individuals that share a passion for a single
thing that means everything to them to
come together in order to support, challenge,
motivate, assist, and protect the interests that
matter most," Idle said.
His advice to other members is simply to
get involved.
"I have an optimistic outlook for the
industry, but the degree to which we can
achieve our goals and protect our interests
ultimately depends on the involvement
of our peers," he said. "The fewer people
involved, the less we are able to accomplish.
The success of our organization is credited
to the hard work, time and energy each
Michigan ACA member puts in. We need
more of the great members to participate."
Katy Zillmer is ACA International's
communications specialist.
Learn more about your local ACA unit here:
www.acainternational.org/units.

ACAINTERNATIONAL.ORG
http://www.acainternational.org/units http://www.ACAINTERNATIONAL.ORG
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Collector - December 2017
