ACA International Selects Scott Purcell as New CEO

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- ACA International, the world’s largest trade association for the accounts receivable management industry, has named Scott Purcell as CEO effective on Jan. 1, 2022.

“The Board of Directors conducted a rigorous search and is confident Scott is the right person to fill the CEO role at this critical time for the industry,” said ACA President Kevin Baich. “He has all the right qualities and passion to lead ACA forward.”

Purcell is president of Professional Credit in Springfield, Oregon. He served as 2020/21 ACA president. He succeeds Mark Neeb, who will retire as CEO effective Dec. 31, 2021.

“I’m grateful for the incredibly hard work Mark has done to so effectively structure ACA in a way that truly Helps Members Succeed!” Purcell said. “Mark started that motto and I intend to continue it. ACA is an incredible organization whose members are making a real difference in the quality of life for every American family by helping make our credit-based economy work as it should. My leadership and insight as the leader of a very successful agency, my passion for the industry, and my recent experience as ACA president, enables me to effectively represent the voice of the industry to our legislators and regulators. The team at ACA is full of talent and I look forward to being an integral part of this amazing team.”

[article_ad]

Purcell graduated from Oregon State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and worked as a CPA and chief financial officer for several organizations. He joined Professional Credit as its chief operating officer in 2010 and was promoted to president in 2015.      

He is an enthusiastic supporter of the accounts receivable management industry, as well as ACA’s leading-edge education and insights. He participated in ACA’s Level Up leadership event for the last several years and was twice honored with ACA’s Warren Siem Award for innovation.      

He has presented at several ACA events, volunteered with multiple ACA committees—chairing ACA’s Budget and Audit Committee—and earned the Fellow, Scholar, Healthcare Collection Management and Professional Collection Specialist designations. He was elected to the ACA Board of Directors in 2017 and served as 2018/19 treasurer and 2019/20 president-elect.    

Neeb served as CEO since Feb. 12, 2018. Before that, he was president and CEO of neebEDU, a debt recovery company serving the student loan market he founded in 2014, and president and CEO of The Affiliated Group, a nationally licensed receivables management firm.

“Scott will do a fine job leading our association,” Neeb said. “His industry experience, knowledge of how ACA’s leadership and governance works and financial acumen will be a huge benefit to all members.His compassion and even-handed approach when it comes to balancing the needs of our businesses with those of consumers will be an added advantage in our advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C., and across the country. Also, in my opinion we have the finest staff at ACA in our history and I’m sure great things will follow. As for me, I want to express my appreciation for the opportunity to be ACA’s CEO over the past four years and look forward to seeing how our association flourishes.”

ACA is the largest membership organization in the accounts receivable management industry. Founded in 1939, ACA brings together third-party collection agencies, law firms, asset buying companies, creditors and vendor affiliates representing industry professionals. ACA produces a wide variety of products, services and publications, including educational and compliance-related information; and articulates the value of the accounts receivable management industry to businesses, policymakers and consumers. www.acainternational.org.