Collectors Convene in San Diego

ACA International, the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA), will hold its 67th Annual Convention and Exposition at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego Hotel, San Diego, July 9-12, 2006.

The theme for this year?s event is ?Chart Your Course.?

As the most comprehensive annual gathering for the credit and collection industry, ACA?s convention features the latest information on issues facing the profession. Attendees will have the opportunity to take in more than 40 seminars, general sessions and workshops, review the latest products and services offered to collection professionals in the exposition hall, and attend numerous networking functions with industry leaders.

ACA projects more than 1,000 credit and collection industry business owners, employees, vendors and attorneys will attend.

The debt collection industry is a vital part of the American economy, protecting jobs and access to credit for businesses and consumers. Third-party collection agencies returned $39.3 billion to businesses in 2005, representing a 22 percent reduction in private sector bad debt, according to a recent study by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The benefit of debt collection to consumers can be seen through real reductions in consumer prices and greater consumer purchasing power. The study reports that the amount of debt recovered in 2005 saved the average American household $351. These are dollars households would have spent if businesses were forced to raise prices to cover bad debt.