DALLAS -

The American Recovery Association is making an open call for speakers to be included in the fifth annual North American Repossessors Summit, which is set for April 26–27.

ARA and the NARS 2013 planning committee are looking for speakers who can present their thoughts and experiences on topics relating to compliance, analytics and any other subjects of interest to the recovery and remarketing industries.

Organizers explained the summit is focused on open and collaborative discussions to address and improve the industry’s challenges and complexities. The theme of NARS 2013 is “Power Through Performance.”

ARA president Mary Jane Hogan said the summit’s objective is to teach attendees how to stand out through analytics, compliance and education.

“ARA is looking forward to hosting the best NARS thus far, and we have already been planning for months,” said Hogan, who recently was named among this year’s class of Women in Remarketing, an annual honors ceremony that’s a part of Used Car Week’s National Remarketing Conference.

“NARS allows industry professionals to discuss challenges and solutions, and we hope to bring industry experts to the stage,” she added.

Last March, nearly 500 people in the collateral recovery and remarketing industries, including collateral recovery professionals, clients and vendors from across the U.S. unified in Dallas to participate in NARS.

Key industry leaders who attended included Mike Goins of TD Auto Finance and Michael Dougherty of Weltman, Weinberg & Reis.

ARA is anticipating that 600 professional will attend NARS 2013.

Interested speakers can email homeoffice@americanrecoveryassn.org their proposal that needs to include full name, company, email, phone number, bio, headshot, previous speaking experience, and proposed topic with a description.

ARA Award Recipients

When the ARA conducted its annual convention this fall, the association handed out the following honors:

—Dedicated Service Award: Bob Stankovitch
—Key Award: Dave Handschin and Dave Kennedy
—Bob Dempsey Award: Harry Forrest
—Presidential Plaque: Mary Jane Hogan
—Rookie of the Year: Michael Allen Jr. and Pat Stone
—Lorna Lou Barnes Award: Art Christensen
—Special Recognition Award: Joan Hudson
—Dedicated Service Emcee 2012: Les McCook