Collecting Thoughts

In this episode, Christina is joined by Ed Bray, the Head of Collections and Recovery Strategy for Citizens Bank. With over 20 years in the industry and a degree in finance from the University of Tennessee, Ed shares his extensive experience and insights into evolving traditional banking practices. Ed delves into his career journey, from starting in customer-facing roles at MBNA to leading strateg...

In this episode, Christina is joined by Mitch DeCoeur, President and CEO of ONR Utilities Employees Federal Credit Union. Mitch began his career in the credit union space in 1999 and has held various positions across different credit unions, including Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union and Heritage Financial Credit Union. Mitch shares his journey from a member service representative to becoming a...

In this episode, Christina is joined by Robert Michael, Senior Director of Credit and Collections Executive at Robert Half with over 25 years of experience in the industry. Starting his career in a family business and transitioning into a third-party collection agency, Robert has climbed the corporate ladder and established himself at Robert Half, an industry-leading talent solutions firm. Robert...

In this episode, Cristina speaks with John Roy, AVP of Collections and Risk Mitigation at Connex Credit Union, about safeguarding members from fraud and managing delinquency. John explains how criminals exploit loopholes, prompting credit unions to use risk scales and hold checks to prevent fraud. He stresses the importance of these measures, despite potential inconveniences to members. John descr...

In this episode, Cristina is joined by Robert Fagan, the Vice President of Collections and Customer Service at Eastern Funding. With an impressive career spanning over 36 years in the industry, Robert shares his unique journey from a mailroom position to his current executive role, underscoring his extensive experience and dedication. Robert delves into the dual nature of his role, balancing the r...

In this episode, Cristina is joined by Dave Hanrahan, founder of Kredit. Dave's journey into the collections industry began unexpectedly, transitioning from an investment banking background where he advised numerous global technology companies on equity, debt capital raises, and mergers. His curiosity led him to explore the intricacies of debt settlement and eventually, founding Kredit in 2020. Da...

In this episode, Christina is joined by Maggie Madden, the Director of Credit and Collections for TrueLight Glass and Aluminum. With over 20 years of experience in accounts receivable, credit, and collections, Maggie recounts her unique career path which began as a secretary and evolved through the recognition of her potential by a CFO. Maggie delves into her specialized approach to reducing past...

In today's episode, Christina is joined by Daniel Thebus, Senior Business Operations Manager at DISH Network.  With over 10 years of experience in the collections business, Daniel shares how he initially fell into the telecommunications industry and transitioned into the collection space at DISH. The conversation delves into the shift in focus on customer-centricity during the collections pro...

In this episode, Christina sits down with Emma Reynolds, a UK account manager for TCN, who brings nearly a decade of experience in the debt collection industry. Emma shares her journey from starting as a debt collector to now helping TCN sell the same cloud-based dialer system she used in her first collections role. The conversation delves into the benefits of equipping a collection organization w...

In this episode of Collecting Thoughts, host Christina is joined by Sean Delaney, the Senior Credit and Risk Manager at McCormick, who brings 20 years of experience in the industry. Sean discusses his unexpected entry into the collections industry and how it has evolved, highlighting the significant changes in technology and regulations. He provides insights into the impact of data-driven decision...

In this episode, Christina welcomes Eric Ferguson, a seasoned industry expert with over 30 years of experience in the collections and finance sector and Global Banking Executive. Eric's journey in collections began when he started as a collector at Whirlpool in 1989, later transitioning to various roles at Bank of America, where he focused on analytics and marketing programs. His experience spans...

In this episode, Christina is joined by Benoit Dall'alba, the Global Director of Collections at Talend. With nearly a decade of experience in the collections industry, Benoit shares his unique transition from a jurist with two master's degrees in international law to his current role.  As the Director of a collections team, he discusses his customer-centric approach, focusing on understanding...

Today, Christina has Chris Petrewski on the show, a prominent figure in the collections industry with a rich history in the sector. Chris Petrewski has spent over two decades in the collections industry, demonstrating expertise in debt recovery, compliance, and customer relations. With a degree in Business Management, he started his career as a collections agent and steadily climbed the ranks, eve...

Today, Christina has a captivating conversation with Monique Cyrus, a highly experienced collection consultant with a rich background in finance and customer service. Monique's impressive career journey includes a role as a senior finance specialist at BCG and her current position as a regional business manager, where she specializes in educating professionals on best collection practices. Through...

In this episode, Christina is joined by Megan Bird, Senior Manager of Credit and Collections at Paycor. Megan's career, spanning roles at Fifth Third Bank, Booking.com, and Paycor, serves as a unique backdrop for an insightful discussion on debt collection. The conversation touches on several critical topics, starting with debunking prevalent social myths about the collections industry.  Mega...

Today, Christina delves into the world of collections within the construction industry with guest Helen Leonard, Director of Accounts Receivable and Collections at Acco Engineered Systems. Helen brings over two decades of invaluable experience in billing and collections, making her a true expert in the field. Previously working at a small corporate piping company, she wore many hats, including bil...

In today’s episode, Christina talks to Carrie Coker Aivaliotis, Senior Director for Market Planning at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. Carrie is a multi-functional leader with a 25-year track record in consumer data services, developing and expanding industry access, partnerships, and strategies. Her specialties include extensive credit bureau experience in a resell environment, from back-office operat...

On today’s episode, Christina chats with Austin Keate, a Senior Level Operations Manager at Texas Dealer Solutions and Business Development Professional in the collections space. Austin is an entrepreneurial, driven, results-oriented leader with extensive experience leading MM growth in both corporate and start-up environments. A founder of Texas Dealer Solutions, their goal is to provide BHPH Dea...

Today on the show, Joe Witkowski, Work Team Lead at American Profit Recovery, joins Christina to discuss the ins and outs of debt collection how he sees it. With 14 years under his belt at APR, Joe has seen the changing landscape of space and how each element of technology, people and culture can affect it. Today, they discuss the effects mood and persona have on a call with a consumer, how techno...

On this inaugural episode of Collecting Thoughts, Christina Fisher sits down with Carol Byrne, Vice President of Marketing at C&R Software, to discuss Carol’s experience in the debt collection world, and how imperative retaining loyal customers can be in the current world. Carol and Christina discuss how successful creditors use the right technology to make sure their customers are having a gr...

On today’s episode of Collecting Thoughts, Lisa Tanner joins the show to discuss the challenges in the collection space she’s encountered in recent times. Lisa is the Director of Global Credit and Collection at Nidec Motor Corporation.  She began her career in the sales field, and after working in print and radio sales, she decided to try a different path. For more than 30 years, Lisa has enj...

Today on Collecting Thoughts, Christina sits down with Maria Douneva, a Behavioral Science Consultant and Corporate Trainer. With a Ph. D. in Behavioral Sciences, Maria has spent her corporate life linking the dots between consumer behavior and various business models, seeking to understand how they interact in order to produce the best outcome for both the consumer and the business. Today, they d...

On this episode of Collecting Thoughts, Christina is joined by Gene Clark, Director of Credit and Collections at OTR Wheel Engineering. With over 7 years of credit and collections management experience, Gene is a proven Credit Director who has been able to reduce past due customers year in and year out, seeing an overall reduction in those accounts by 40%. Today, they discuss pre-delinquency strat...

On this episode of Collecting Thoughts, Senior Director of Product Management at C&R Software, Chris Hopkins, joins the show. Chris has been knee-deep in the space for over 30 years and is an experienced product manager, leveraging technological advancements at the forefront of collections and recovery to deliver best-in-class solutions to organizations globally. Today, Chris and Christina dis...