Receivables Management Association International Honors Industry Leaders at Its 2023 Annual Conference

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Receivables Management Association International celebrated its 26th Annual Conference in Las Vegas, February 6-9, 2023. RMAI was pleased to host this popular conference which attracted more than 1,300 attendees this year. RMAI took the opportunity to present  its annual awards, recognizing leaders in the receivables management industry. 

Bud Reitzel Award 

The RMAI Board of Directors awarded the Bud Reitzel Lifetime Commitment Award, the industry’s highest recognition, to Mark Naiman, former Board President of RMAI and Owner/CEO of Debt  Connection. 

RMAI created the Reitzel Award to recognize an individual for outstanding leadership and dedication in  the receivables management industry who has demonstrated, over many years of service, the ideals  that Bud modeled and believed in. 

Mark Naiman has over twenty years of experience in debt purchasing and servicing, and is dedicated to  advocating for and growing the industry. He was a two-time president of RMAI, for 2017 and 2018, and  spent over eight years on the Board of Directors. He donated hundreds of hours helping to design the  RMAI Certification program, the gold standard in the industry, which celebrates its tenth anniversary  this year. Mark continues to present the “Introductory Survey Course in Debt Buying” at RMAI’s Annual  Conference each year, a required course for the certification program. 

“Mark is someone who mentored me on the RMAI board,” said Adam Parks, RMAI Board President. “He’s a true visionary who has been innovating in this space for more than twenty years.” 

President’s Award 

RMAI awarded the President’s Award to Rebekah Luebcke, the Senior Vice President of Operations for  Crown Asset Management, LLC. Before her work with Crown, Rebekah spent nearly 15 years gaining  experience in the collections, payments processing, and revenue cycle management industries. She has  been committed to the success of RMAI, in particular taking an active role on the Fintech Legal Working  Group. She was instrumental in the creation of the recent educational resource developed by that  group, The Purchase, Sale and Collection of the Fintech Asset Class. She is also a frequent speaker at  industry events. 

In 2017, RMAI created the President’s Award which recognizes an individual for outstanding  contributions and services to the association and membership. The award goes to someone serving on 

an RMAI Committee who is selected because of their contribution to committee goals and their  innovative ideas helping further the success of RMAI.  

Integrity Award 

RMAI awarded the Integrity Award to Amber Russo, President of Kino Financial Co., LLC. After being an  active member for many years, she joined the RMAI Board in 2022. She is a consummate advocate for  the industry. Over the past year, Amber has led the fight against the Arizona ballet initiative that would  

amend exemptions and largely do away with post judgment wage garnishment in Arizona. She has  spoken out to defend the industry and protect RMAI members, small businesses, and those in Arizona  who would be negatively affected by this initiative. She has helped coordinate industry organizations  ensuring they all worked together to voice opposition, and developed the playbook for future ballot  initiative threats. 

The Integrity Award is RMAI’s award which recognizes an individual from an RMAI member company for  demonstrated integrity in action, either professionally or personally. The recipient of this award is an  individual who has demonstrated integrity through specific actions which have contributed positively to  the receivables management industry or the individual’s community. 

About RMAI 

Receivables Management Association International (RMAI) is a nonprofit trade association representing  more than 600 companies that purchase or support the purchase of performing and nonperforming  receivables on the secondary market. The RMAI Receivables Management Certification Program is  celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023. Together with RMAI’s Code of Ethics, the Certification Program  sets the global standard within the receivables industry due to the rigorous uniform standards of best  practice which focus on protecting consumers. More information about RMAI is available at  www.rmaintl.org. 

RMAI’s 2023 Annual Conference brings together stakeholders in the receivables management industry— welcoming attendees and exhibitors, presenting highly-respected educational programming, and  numerous networking opportunities with key participants, including debt buying companies, collection  law firms, collection agencies, brokers, vendors, major creditors, and international members.