Executive Change: Gila Corporation's CEO Retires, Cummings Chosen to Take Position

Austin, TX – Gila Corporation d/b/a Municipal Services Bureau (MSB) and Gila Group, a nationwide leader in receivables management and business process outsourcing solutions, today announced its executive management succession plan.  The Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Patrick J. Swanick, will retire at year-end, and its President, Bruce Cummings, will be appointed CEO as of January 1, 2010.

Mr. Cummings has served as President of Gila Corporation since September of 2008, with responsibility for the Company’s sales, marketing and business development activities, as well as the Municipal Services Bureau (MSB) government collections business and the Information Systems and Support (ISS) organization.  Previously, he was the Company’s Chief Marketing Officer.  Bruce serves as a Board Member and Vice President of the Association of Credit and Collections Professionals of Texas, a unit of ACA International.  

Prior to joining Gila Corporation, he worked in the technology sector, focused on product and infrastructure development.  He has also served as Vice President of a NASDAQ listed company, specializing in data center management.  Bruce holds an MBA degree in Marketing from Syracuse University and Bachelor of Science Degrees in Nuclear Engineering and Physics from the University of Arizona and the State University of New York at Fredonia, respectively. 

Mr. Swanick joined the Company as a Board Member in March of 2006 and served briefly as Interim Chief Operating Officer, before becoming Chief Executive Officer later the same year.  During his tenure, Pat solidified the executive management team, formalized operational processes and instituted new performance measurement systems.  As a result of these efforts, the firm has more than doubled in size.  Pat will continue as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors and as an investor in the business.  Prior to Gila Corporation, Pat was an executive in the financial services industry, serving as President of Retail Banking & Electronic Services at KeyCorp and Vice Chairman of KeyBank, N.A.  

Swanick commented, “The Company’s substantial growth is a testament to our high levels of client satisfaction, our ethical collections practices and the ongoing contributions of our talented employees.  Our succession planning has been underway for some time now, and with Bruce joining our Board and soon taking over as our next CEO, Gila Corporation’s businesses are well positioned for even greater success in the future.”

Last month, INC. Magazine included Gila Corporation on its INC. 5000 list for the third consecutive time, recognizing the firm as one of the fastest growing private companies in the country.  InsideARM.com, a prominent industry publication, recently selected the Company as “One of the Best Places to Work in Collections”.  Additionally, Gila Corporation has been identified seven times as one of the 50 fastest growing private companies in Central Texas by the Austin Business Journal.  

About Gila Corporation
Founded in 1991, Gila Corporation is a leading nationwide provider of receivables management and business process outsourcing solutions. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the Company offers outsourced collections, payment processing and call center services to governmental entities, financial services clients and higher education institutions.  Through its strategic business units, Municipal Services Bureau (MSB) and Gila Group, the Company empowers more than 350 talented employees with advanced technology, data management tools, and leading edge business practices to exceed the expectations of its clients.  

MSB collects delinquent fines, fees, debts and other past due obligations for a wide variety of clients within the government sector.  Gila Group specializes in outsourced collections and customer service functions for financial institutions.

Gila Corporation distinguishes itself based on its Experience, Execution and Ethics.  The firm has achieved the Professional Practices Management System (PPMS) certification from the Association of Credit and Collections Professionals (ACA International).  Additionally, the Company is a SAS 70 (Type II) certified service organization.  

For additional information, please visit www.GilaCorp.com, www.MuniServ.comor www.GilaGroup.com or call # 1-800-568-7004.