Browsing Tag skills world

For Immediate Release
February 2, 2010

collector mentor™ to Give Away 250 Complimentary Subscriptions
The Industry’s Only Publication for Frontline Collectors Doesn’t Want Economy to Thwart Training

ADEL, IOWA — Skills World announced today that it will be giving away 250 complimentary electronic subscriptions to first-time readers of its popular bimonthly publication collector mentor.

“The credit and collections industry has brought us all many challenges this past year,’” said Gary Jensen, founder and chief learning officer at Skills World and collector mentor editor. “As companies continue to cut expenses, especially in the area of training, we want to do our part to ensure that companies can still provide frontline collectors with access to the information they need to be successful in this turbulent economy.”

As the premier skill-development publication for frontline credit and collections professionals, collector mentor delivers insightful and powerful articles about collections, credit, skiptracing, industry regulations, and soft business skills.

“collector mentor offers inspirational, motivational, and educational articles designed to help staff become more profitable collectors, more productive employees, and better stewards of the industry,” said Jensen. “This publication isn’t for the C-suite executive; it’s for the individual responsible for making the calls and talking with customers.”

One-year subscriptions will be provided at a company level, and subscribers will have the right to internally reproduce and redistribute issues at no cost to ensure that each staff member has a personal copy. This offer lasts until all 250 subscriptions are awarded, or until March 1, 2010, whichever comes first. For more information about receiving a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.collectormentor.com/trial and enter code “Free250.”

For more information about collector mentor, or to download a sample electronic copy, please visit www.collectormentor.com.

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Notes for Editors

About collector mentor™
collector mentor is a bimonthly publication designed to meet the very specific needs of frontline credit and collection professionals. Each issue provides subscribers with information on a variety of topics including industry laws, collection techniques, soft-business skills, and more.

Electronic subscriptions are available for $99 per year. Hard copy subscriptions, which include an electronic copy, are available for $159 per year.

About Gary Jensen
Gary is the founder and chief learning officer for Skills World, where he serves as a consultant, trainer, and business coach. He has more than a decade of experience in the credit, collections, and financial services industries having served as a trainer, supervisor, and manager. He is a former Certified Instructor for ACA International, The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals, and has appeared as a guest speaker at events such as ACA’s Annual Convention, ACA’s Fall Forum, Credit and Collections Business Academy, and NCHELP’s Debt Management Conference. His articles have been featured in Collector Magazine, Consumer Trends, Management Trends, Collect! Magazine, and see} Magazine.

You can find him ranting and raving on his popular blog The Pickle Fork and follow his tweets on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/gjens.

About Skills World
Skills World is a professional training and business services company located in Adel, Iowa. Founded in 2007, Skills World exists to help individuals and companies realize greater levels of success, enjoyment, and satisfaction in what they do by closing the gap between where they are and where they want to be.

For more information, please visit www.skillsworld.org or call (515) 339-5899.

Industry Pros Set to Tackle Topics on Skiptracing, Commercial Collections

ADEL, IOWA — Skills World announced today that credit and collections industry experts Steve Taylor and Bryan Leib have joined its popular publication, collector mentor, as columnists.

Taylor, president of RZD Investigative Group, will offer advice and insight on the topic of skiptracing. His experience as a private investigator, trainer, and management executive will provide valuable perspective for professionals involved in locating customers and assets.

“Steve takes skiptracing very seriously. It’s his ‘thing,’” said Gary Jensen, founder and chief learning officer at Skills World and collector mentor editor. “His insight will help fellow industry professionals become better informed about the fine art of skiptracing.”

Leib, a second-generation collector and vice president of operations for Leib Solutions, one of the nation’s premier commercial collection agencies, will address commercial collections.

“Bryan’s experience working with many of the nation’s top Fortune 500 companies will be of great value to our first-party and commercial collection subscribers,” Jensen said. “The economic tornado has left a path of destruction for many creditors, and now those subscribers will be able to benefit from a voice that specifically addresses the unique challenges of commercial collections.”

As the premier skill-development publication for credit and collections professionals,
collector mentor delivers insightful and powerful articles in the areas of collections, credit, skiptracing, industry regulations, and soft business skills.

For more information about collector mentor, or to download a sample electronic copy, please
visit www.collectormentor.com.

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About Steve Taylor
Steve is the founder and president of RZD Investigative Group, www.skiptraceconsultants.com, a company specializing in skiptrace training. Steve has dedicated his career to the recovery industry and is a licensed private investigator. Steve’s articles have been featured in several industry publications and he has been a featured guest on radio talk shows. He’s active in social media networks and administers one of LinkedIn.com’s largest credit and collection industry groups, Credit and Collections, which boasts nearly 5,000 members.

About Bryan Leib
Bryan Leib is the vice president of operations for Leib Solutions, www.leibsolutions.com , a best-in-breed commercial collection firm founded in 1986. Bryan is an active member of the Commercial Law League of America and Commercial Collection Agency Association where he serves on the Triadic, Marketing and Education Committees. In addition, Bryan received his Senior Certified Collection Professional (SCCP) designation in 2006 from the Commercial Collection Agency Association. He is a frequent speaker at several industry events.

Gary’s latest eBook, Beyond The Headset: 25 Hints, Tips, and Techniques for Engaging the Call Center Frontline, is now available for free download. Please click here to download your complimentary copy.

And, please, tell your friends to tell their friends!

Three Industry Pros Appointed to collector mentor Editorial Advisory Board
Brockman, Canter, and Freeland add niche experience, diversity

ADEL, IOWA (April 28, 2009) — Skills World, publisher of the popular credit and collections training tool collector mentor, announces the appointment of Bill Brockman, Ronald S. Canter, Esq., and Carol Freeland to the publication’s editorial advisory board.

“The decision to expand the number of board members from five to eight was driven by an increasingly diverse subscriber base,” said Gary Jensen, chief learning officer for Skills World. “As our subscriber base branches into niche markets, we want to fully consider our audience’s needs and ensure that editorial provides balanced coverage.”

Brockman is a Government Collection Specialist with GE Healthcare. With more than 16 years of accounts receivable experience, his background includes third-party collections, healthcare receivables consulting, legal collections, repossessions, and commercial collections. In addition to his accounts receivables industry experience, Brockman spent 15 years in the United States Army where he was awarded numerous service and achievement medals. Brockman is a graduate from Cardinal Stritch University.

“Bill’s collections and credit risk experience at such well known companies as TMP Worldwide, CNAC, and Kohn Law Firm will add strength and depth to the board’s knowledge base,” Jensen said.

Canter, founding member of The Law Offices of Ronald S. Canter, is a recognized authority on creditors’ rights and credit and collection regulations. Canter is an AV rated attorney who has also served in leadership roles with ACA International, the National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys, as well as local and state bar associations. Canter was the counsel of record for the National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys in Heintz v. Jenkins, the only FDCPA case to reach the Supreme Court. He is a graduate from the University of Maryland School of Law.

“Ron is very highly regarded in the industry for his leadership, dedication, and knowledge. His advanced understating of credit and collection regulations is a tremendous addition,” Jensen said.

Freeland is president and founder of consulting firm Acts Plus. A seasoned executive, Freeland worked with PRM Financial Services for 16 years overseeing human resources, compliance, operations, and training functions among other duties. She has served as the chair for ACA International’s Asset Buyers Division since 2004 and she has been a familiar face on Capitol Hill. Freeland is a graduate from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

“Carol’s experience, professional accomplishments, and keen industry insight will further balance the overall perspective of the board,” Jensen said.

The editorial advisory board also includes Michelle Dunn, president of Michelle Dunn’s Credit and Collections Association; David Glezerman, bursar at Temple University; Matthew Campbell, collections manager at Remit Corporation; Matt Twitty, customer care manager at Advantage Travel; and Debra Schulze, vice president of collections at VyStar Credit Union.

As the premier skill-development publication for frontline credit and collections professionals, collector mentor delivers insightful and powerful articles in the areas of collections, credit, skiptracing, industry regulations, and soft business skills.

The addition of “Getting Paid” represents commitment to reader satisfaction

ADEL, IOWA (January 21, 2009) — Skills World announced today that credit and collections industry expert Michelle Dunn’s “Getting Paid” column will appear regularly in collector mentor starting in March.

Dunn, who is the president of Michelle Dunn’s Credit and Collections Association, and author of the popular “Collecting Money Series,” offers a unique perspective on the credit and collections industry. Her past experience as a collection agency owner, coupled with an extensive knowledge of the credit granting process, makes her column on answering challenging credit and collections questions an ideal fit.

“Michelle has an extraordinary history of achieving success and promoting education in the credit and collections industry,” said Gary Jensen, founder and Chief Learning Officer at Skills World, “Her experience and insight will be a tremendous benefit to our subscribers.”

As the premier skill-development publication for credit and collections professionals, collector mentor delivers insightful and powerful articles in the areas of collections, credit, skiptracing, industry regulations, and soft business.
For more information about collector mentor, or to download a sample electronic copy, please visit www.collectormentor.com.

The latest issue of collector mentor is now available for download.

Not a subscriber? Visit our website for a complimentary copy or to subscribe!

For immediate release
September 1, 2008

Gary Jensen, Chief Learning Officer
Skills World Adel, Iowa, USA
Phone: (515) 339-5899
gjensen@skillsworld.org
www.skillsworld.org
www.collectormentor.com

Skills World to Launch New Training Aid for Credit and Collections Industry
collector mentor™ Targets Frontline Professionals, Promotes Continuous Learning

ADEL, IOWA — Skills World, a professional training and business services provider, will launch collector mentor™ in November. The new bimonthly training resource is designed to educate, support, and motivate frontline credit and collection industry professionals by covering topical industry laws, collection techniques, interpersonal skills, and soft-business tips.

According to Gary Jensen, Chief Learning Officer of Skills World and publication editor, the training tool was developed to boost performance through skill enhancement and professional development by providing greater access to vital information at a lower cost than existing training and educational aids.

“Our aspiration is to touch as many frontline heads, hearts, and hands as possible and we’re encouraging subscribers to take advantage of our electronic subscription,” Jensen said. Unlike most publications that are offered on an individual-level, collector mentor subscriptions are available at a company-level, and subscribing companies can internally reproduce, redistribute, and reuse issues at no extra cost. While a traditional hard copy is available, the electronic option allows subscribers to quickly distribute each issue to all staff.

Jensen believes that the industry offers excellent publications targeted toward management, but says collector mentor distinguishes itself by being geared toward the industry frontline. “The unique thing about this publication is its design as a training and motivational tool which allows supervisors and managers to develop their staff’s skill set, knowledge, and overall performance on a regular basis,” he said.

Another benefit of the electronic version, Jensen believes, is that it can be easily and affordably accessed by the international community, as well as by domestic companies with offices outside the United States. “Keeping the entire company in sync is important and with individual copy access, it’s more likely that the publication will be read and retained for future reference,” Jensen said.

A pilot campaign performed by Skills World in spring 2008 garnered positive reviews and has attracted interest from a wide variety of industry sectors, including: student loans, auto finance, debt buyers, banks and credit unions, collection agencies, and healthcare providers among others. To ensure high editorial quality and reflect the needs of its diverse subscriber base, Skills World has assembled an Editorial Advisory Board comprised of well-respected and dedicated industry professionals from different niche markets.

According to Jensen, the publication is more than just another magazine. “It’s a training aid, and research has shown that companies that invest in ongoing training and development stand a better change of outperforming their competition, meeting client expectations, and operating at a higher level of overall performance,” he said. Jensen believes that continuous education and development is critical. “With collector mentor companies can offer training without breaking the bank,” he said.

For more information about collector mentor or to download a sample electronic copy, please visit www.collectormentor.com.

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