The Independent Standards Board, which creates, renews, and amends the Association’s certification program, has added a new requirement to the certification program effective January 1, 2023.

Agencies certified by the Association were required to adopt a written information security policy as of the beginning of the year. The Data Security Standard, put forth by the board, comprehensively enumerates eleven (11) areas of compliance and was introduced early in 2022 to allow agency members time to prepare for the adoption and implementation.

Each agency member meets the certification requirements annually to earn and maintain a Certificate of Accreditation and Compliance. The program, considered the platinum standard in the industry, is comprised of the most rigorous requirements across a number of planes. Although most of the certified agencies of CCA of A already had such a policy in place, the independent board recognized the importance codifying the requirement of securing data held within an agency and formalized it in the already unparalleled program offered by CCA of A.

“The work of the Standards Board is aimed at ensuring that the CCA of A certification program continues to be the platinum standard. The addition of the Data Security Standard requiring adherence to a written information security policy incorporating best practices further enhances the quality certification program upon which the credit community has come to rely,” commented Standards Board Chair, Christine Hayes Hickey.

Through our initiative, Commercial Collection Agencies of America Gives Back, a portion of the proceeds of our annual conference along with individual members’ donations, have been given to the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation.   

At the Association’s general membership meeting, CCA of A President, Pete Roth invited members to suggest charitable organizations which would benefit from a donation.  Member, Warren Pinchuck suggested the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation, which helped his daughter, Hope.  Overwhelming support for the suggestion was heard from Pinchuck’s fellow members and soon a vote passed.

The Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation supports patients, their families and caregivers every step of the way during a cancer diagnosis or bone marrow, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT) or cord blood transplant. Founded in 1992 BMCF is dedicated to improving the quality of life for cancer and transplant patients and their families by providing vital financial assistance, comprehensive resources, educational information, physician referrals, and emotional support programs.  Guided by a medical advisory board of nationally recognized cancer specialists and working with hospitals across the United States, BMCF  is the only organization of its kind that does not limit assistance to a specific disease, type of transplant or age range. BMCF@BoneMarrow.org.

In addition to BMCF, Commercial Collection Agencies of America has also been fortunate to donate a portion of the profits from previous conferences to the following organizations, amongst many others:​​

Commercial Collection Agencies of America is an organization of commercial collection agencies, creditors’ rights attorneys and law list publishers.  CCA of A is the only association in which all agency members are certified; most for over four decades.  The Association offers the superior certification program in the industry.  Most importantly, CCA of A it is an organization whose members know the importance of caring for others.