Repo America with J. Patrick Altes

Sure, we've got our creditors-rights attorneys like Bassford Remele. What about someone who represents the other side...the consumer who wants to sue us? Pat talks with pro-consumer attorney Nathan DeLadurantey about ways we can avoid facing him in a court of law. 

Unity in the repossession business? Is that even possible? Or can we be one big happy family?  Bryanna interviews Pat Altes, winner of the Art Christensen Award, along with discussions with Kelly McGivern about family histories and friendships in the repossession industry, and Pat closes with a short discussion with the man himself, Art Christensen. 

What if you could speak with an industry expert who's area of expertise is opposing repossessors and creditors in a court of law? Couldn't you learn about areas where repossessors habitually screw up, and work to avoid those? How about suggestions in how to best protect yourself in the event you get sued over handling a repossession? And how might forwarders be a major detriment in handling a legal repossession?  Pat speaks with Atty Nathan DeLadurantey of Milwaukee Wisconsin, with a followup podcast with Nathan next week. 

Tired of providing insured storage for free? Having weird, unknown locksmiths wandering around your secured lot? Tired of getting stiffed over handling AWD vehicles? Yeah, us too.  Pat talks with Jenny Liagre at the recent NARS event, the owner and operator of Rockwood Recovery in Michigan, and is currently the president of the Michigan Association of Repossession Agencies who are ramping up to deal with some of these troublesome issues.   

This is a short chat with Mike Peplinski from Harding Brooks about changes in the industry, how we might have a slight upper hand in negotiating prices and beating back adverse legislation, but continue to be thrown under the proverbial lawsuit bus due to language in our contracts. 

We thought LPR technology would spell the end of old-school skip tracing, that cameras would find virtually all the cars wanted for repossession. Not so, as it turns out. Pat talks with the legendary Alex "SkipGuru" Price about the hybrid approach to locating skips in 2023. 

Whether its Jeremy Cross, Corey & Bryanna Cox, Kevin Wilson, Brandon Pineiro, Brennan Hamilton, or dozens of others, there's a new wave of intelligent, thoughtful, and fully professional repossessors out there. Repo America had a chance to sit down and discuss things with Austin's James Waldron. 

Florida has a long history of having a state association for the repossession industry, sometimes marked with division and politics in the past. With a wave of new and restructured state organizations, the new FALR has another chance to really get it right. Pat interviews Suzanne Chartier with the Florida Association Of Licensed Repossessors at the recent NARS event in Orlando, Florida. 

You've heard on previous podcasts about the tools required "back in the day" to repossess a car...a hot wire, or later on, a dent puller; a slim jim; a heavy duty chain; and most of all, nerves of steel. Nerves of steel are still a requirement, but now the industry relies on $100k trucks specifically designed for repossession, equipped with LPR cameras, laptop computers, cameras recording surrounding environments...in other words, a highly complex and an insanely expensive piece of equipment. And the human element remains...the ability to make contact when necessary, or handle a confrontation in the field. Pat goes to NARS and talks with Recovery Master's Chris Kelly about their training school for men and women wanting to level up their working knowledge of a modern repo truck. 

Listen to this, and send to your drivers...the #1 area of legal exposure in the repossession industry isn't CFPB violations or even claims of damage to repossessed vehicles...its auto collisions involving your repo truck. What to do to best protect yourself from the upcoming lawsuit filed by Morgan & Morgan? Pat caught up with Harding Brook's award winning  Renee Low at the recent NARS event to talk about it.

The North American Repo Summit (NARS) has always been a hot-button issue, in that all are invited to come. Your friends, your competitors, your favorite friend, or your most-hated enemy. Should "forwarders" be viewed as unwelcome interlopers, or is this the platform that keeps us in conversation with them? Are they a permanent part of the repossession eco-system?  Pat and co-host Bryanna Cox talk with ARA President Vaughn Clemmons and ARA Director Joel Kennedy and see their goals, hopes, and expectations for this years huge NARS conference in April 2023 in Orlando, Florida. 

Tired of having to provide free storage? Tired of being told "no" to getting paid for legitimately- incurred personal property storage expenses? Most of all, surprised to discover that third party forwarders are getting paid huge fees for their services and paying the actual service provider around a 1/3rd?  Yes, we all are. One state association is making some noise about that.

I always wondered why a massively profitable lender would feel the need squeeze their repo vendors for a few dollars to accept or report on repossessions. Imagine paying to accept hundreds of repo accounts that wind up being closed with no fees to the agent as contingent deals. Plus all the different platforms for various lenders. I talk with industry entrepreneur Cort Dehart about MBSi's latest move to get at least one client to pick up the tab. 

Yeah, its going to be a little nerdy and technical, but the Patricks talk about CFPB slamming Credit Acceptance, Wells Fargo, and others, as well as self-repossessing cars, sloppy information handling, and and the need for repossessors to get along with America's auto lenders. 

This is the audio from a hugely successful YouTube channel called ATI Auto Business that focuses on auto transportation, auto auction, and auto repossession agencies..the whole chain of custody in the repossession process.  The host is a Jay Werzberger, and the guy really is a trip, in a good way, lots of fun, really digs into these businesses at all levels.  This show was called the Repo Bunch, and the screen layout on the YouTube show was just like the Brady Bunch with all the little screens and smiling faces. And what a crew he had.  Kevin Armstrong  from SafeAMERICA CREDIT UNION AS WELL AS BEING publisher of the CU Collector website and noted author of the book “REPO BLOOD”, Vaughn Clemmons, a repossession agency owner and president of the American Recovery Association, Bryanna Cox who wears many hats as president of Texas ARP, the state repossession association besides being a cohost of Repo America,  Ty Thomas from Cars on the Move, a transportation network; Joel Kennedy from ARA as well a podcast host of the ConsumerFI podcast   , Renee Low the education coordinator at Harding Brooks Insurance; Darcy Case of Indiana Recovery Services,  Ryan Miller of Northwest Repossessions of Chicago, Illinois.  Its a pretty fun show. Thanks ATI for letting me rip off your content (with your permission of course). 

Pat did a podcast back in October with another dealer group about what we wished THEY knew about our crazy business. Repo America's Bryanna Cox is interviewed by Dealer Refresh, who speaks to another huge segment of the used-car industry about Lizard Lick, near-fatal bullets, nasty personal property, restrictive federal laws, and how it really does take a professional to handle this crazy process with safety and expertise.

We hear everyone complain about fees at repo events, online, and at conventions. But now someone is doing something about it. Pat talks with David Johns of Done Rite Recovery Services, and Santino "Sonny" Datoli of Armor Recovery Solutions about their involvement with the Alliance of Illinois Repossessors and their intentions to raise the bar....and change a few policies...in the repossession industry. 

Repo America talks a lot about repo trade associations...there's a reason for that. Only collectively will we have any hope of making any changes in this once-thriving business. Today we talk with former auto lending executive Joel Kennedy is finding some inner peace now leading the charge for making changes in the repossession industry. 

Whether it's taking cars....or making chocolate....Kevin Richards knows his stuff. How does the Canadian bailiff system work? How are repossessions different, or the same, as here in the States? Are Canadians really all that polite? Pat talks with Canada's colorful Kevin Richards in this week's episode.

So, what would you tell BHPH or used-car dealers about the repossession business?  Should GPS-related repossessions be cheaper? What about personal property? LPR hits? Why are repossessions even allowed in America any more? Pat does his best representing the repossession industry in this interesting show on the Independent Dealer Podcast.    And sorry they used the phrase "repo guy"....so much of the industry are now "repo girls"!