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As I spent my time in San Diego at our 17th Annual Government Conference a few weeks ago, I reflected on the nature of government collections; those who serve in their different positions, the types of government agencies collecting debt, the different issues that influence each entity, and the interaction between it all. Over the years, I have been most impressed with the people I have met. Some come from the private collections industry, some transfer within the government with no collections experience, while some began their careers having had one of their first jobs in government collections and then made a career of it. Each person has contributed in their own way, each demonstrating their own intrinsic value. With so many different perspectives, all have uniquely contributed to the betterment of the industry and I appreciate that greatly. I am also amazed at the variety of debt types that are collected- from personal property tax to victim restitution. Each agency has a bit of a twist on what it collects and how it is done. It ranges from agencies that deal only with their own debt to ones that deal in a centralized debt collection environment; each offer specific challenges in working with them. For example, some governments are forced to deal with government collections like Texas with the SB 1863. But there are other agencies, both within Texas and outside, that are influenced to collect government debt for other reasons. For example, it is good government to avoid squandering resources by collecting government debt. By doing this, it brings integrity to that entity by being responsible to its constituents, and is grounded in a good old-fashioned "take pride in what you do" value. I enjoyed being at the conference and networking with those of you who attended. I was able to be with a group of people that espouse all of these characteristics and who learn from each other. I look forward continuing to work along side you and wish you all the best in your endeavors to make this a better industry. Sincerely,
Bruce Randall
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