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Networking Groups

Networking Groups

Committees & Networking Groups >  Networking Groups
Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Working Group
  • Purpose – Integrate diversity, equality, and inclusion goals across the association; support our members as they continue to build and maintain diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces that represent the communities they serve; and identify and remove barriers to equitable access.
  • Key Issues – Diversity, equity and inclusion within the financial services industry.
  • Calls/Meetings – Meet in-person at the AFSA Annual Conference. Hold regular conference/video calls.
  • Eligibility – Any employee of an AFSA member company that is interested in working on the goals of this group.
  • Staff Liaison – Celia Winslow, Executive Vice President


Human Resources Networking Group
  • Purpose – Promotes communication on all areas of human resources management and identifies effective programs that attract, develop, and retain a highly motivated and diverse work force.
  • Key Issues – HR policies and procedures, talent acquisition and retention, on-boarding, FMLA, healthcare policies, dealing with turnover, training.
  • Calls/Meetings – Meet in-person twice a year during the AFSA Independents Conference and the AFSA Annual Conference.
  • Eligibility – Senior human resources professionals or other executives with human resources responsibility from an AFSA finance member company or Business Partner.
  • Staff Liaison – Philip Bohi, Vice President, Compliance Education


Independents Accounting Networking Group
  • Purpose – Provides senior level professionals with an opportunity to learn about specific accounting matters and engage in dialogue with peers and experts in the accounting field.
  • Key Issues – Revenue recognition, accounting for loan fees and costs, accounting for purchase discounts/premiums, CECL model for loan losses, how to account for repossessions of collateral, troubled debt restructuring, and accounting for securitizations.
  • Calls/Meetings – Meet in-person once a year during the AFSA Independents Conference.
  • Eligibility – CFOs, controllers, treasurers or executives with accounting/financial responsibility from AFSA finance member companies or Business Partner accounting firms.
  • Staff Liaison – Danielle McLean, Director, Accounting


Operations Networking Group
  • Purpose – Provides a forum for information sharing and idea exchange, among operations senior level professionals, relating to current industry operating challenges and opportunities.
  • Key Issues – Centralization of processes and departments, personnel issues, marketing, using technology, automation and social media.
  • Calls/Meetings – Meet in-person twice a year during the AFSA Independents Conference and the AFSA Annual Conference.
  • Eligibility – COOs and senior level professionals responsible for day-to-day business operations from AFSA finance company members.
  • Staff Liaison – Michael Grimes, Director, Congressional Affairs


Marketing & Communications Networking Group
  • Purpose – A forum to discuss marketing and communications topics and issues involving he consumer finance industry without including company-specific market data and results.
  • Key Issues – Social media, advertising, analytics and reporting, and evolving best practices.
  • Calls/Meetings – Meet in-person twice a year during the AFSA Independents Conference and the AFSA Annual Conference.
  • Eligibility – Senior level marketing and/or communications professionals from AFSA finance company members or Business Partners.
  • Staff Liaison – Dan Bucherer, Director, Communications & Technology


Women’s Leadership Council (WLC)
  • Purpose – Foster executive leadership and mentoring of female talent and share knowledge to identify, promote, and retain female leaders in the financial services industry.
  • Key Issues – Visibility of female executives within the financial services industry, educating member companies on the value of female leadership.
  • Calls/Meetings – Meet in-person three times a year during the AFSA Vehicle Finance Conference, Independents Conference and Annual Conference.
  • Eligibility – Senior-level female executives from AFSA creditor members (2 per company) and Premier Business Partners (1 per company) who serve as a chairperson or member of another AFSA committee and/or regularly attend AFSA conferences.
  • Staff Liaison – Danielle Fagre Arlowe, Senior Vice President.



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