PR - ACA Adds Washington Office, New Director of Government Affairs

The credit and collection industry demonstrated its growing influence in Washington, D.C., this month, with the addition of its first staff member to be based full-time in the nation’s capital. Adam J. Peterman brings with him eight years of Capitol Hill experience as the new director of government affairs for ACA International, the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA).

Peterman was previously deputy chief of staff and senior policy advisor for Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), where he managed policy areas highly relevant to ACA members including financial services, small business, Social Security, tax administration and telecommunications, as well as international trade, defense, foreign policy and transportation. Peterman will oversee all of ACA’s government affairs activities and political programs from a branch office to be opened in March 2008.

Peterman is a 1999 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where he majored in political science and mass communications.

ACA Executive Vice President and General Counsel Rozanne Andersen was pleased to announce the developments as major milestones for the association. “The addition of Adam is a huge step forward in our government affairs program. He brings with him the energy and relationships that will allow us to build on recent wins for our members. This rare opportunity has made it possible for ACA to do something we’ve planned carefully for years—establish a permanent physical presence in Washington.”

“I’m excited to represent the needs of this vibrant industry as it returns $40 billion a year to the U.S. economy,” Peterman said. “We have a strong, positive message to share on Capitol Hill, and I look forward to giving ACA members a new voice on many of the same issues I helped shape while working on Capitol Hill.”

Peterman will spend January and February at ACA headquarters in Minneapolis to gain a solid background in the credit and collection industry. By March the association will obtain office space in the Washington area, allowing Peterman to work closely with the full government affairs team in Minneapolis while operating from an ACA base in Washington.