Get to Know GLCCA Board Member Ryan Matrisch
Ryan Matrisch has held many roles prior to his position as Director of Business Development at Pro Com Services, but he considers coming on at the agency the career move that brought him back home.
In his younger years in central Illinois, Ryan watched his mother Connie’s career at Pro Com Services develop from employee to owner. “Growing up, this is what I knew. I worked here part time in high school doing filing and any other basic office work that was needed. I always knew at some point, I would come back to my roots here at Pro Com,” Matrisch recalls.
Out of college, he worked in the golf industry, and while he loved the game, the long hours did not work well with his desire to start a family. He knew that he wanted to get into sales and used his exit as a golf pro to search out new career opportunities. “My mom, who I will forever consider my best mentor, encouraged me to go out and get experience in other areas – to really learn about sales and hone my skills,” he notes.
Ryan took her advice and worked for several years in various sales positions. “After a while out on my own, I felt like the time was right for me to come back home. So in 2016, I joined my mom and the rest of the team at Pro Com as the Director of Development,” Matrisch shares. “I am thankful for the business experience I got working outside of the collection industry. It has served me well in how I approach my role here. Even though it is a different industry, there are always relevant things that you can carry into another area of business,” he adds.
Ryan is always seeking out ways to go above and beyond in his position at Pro Com. “One of the things I look at in our business is not always doing what we do because it is what we have always done. I want my tombstone to say ‘he was a trendsetter.’ So I am always looking for ways to do that.”
His goal is to change the opinion people have about the debt collection industry, both in his position at Pro Com and his GLCCA board appointment. “People have a perception of what the debt collection industry is all about. However, the reality of our business is not chasing down people and collecting on debts. Instead, it is finding ways to help consumers. I understand that there is a reason why their account came here. We are not chasing people who don’t want to pay their bills in most cases. So the culture of our business is ‘how can I help them?’”
One of the best ways to offer this help is to work together with other collection industry professionals. “I call on my connections at both ACA and GLCCA to gain insight. I believe it is a gift to have these connections,” Matrisch notes. He also feels that involvement in professional associations plays an integral part in making the industry stronger. “My mom demonstrated this importance in her involvement with the Illinois Collectors Association. She served as President right when the GLCCA was forming. She was part of the inception of the GLCCA. I wanted to be a part of that. I truly look at this as a way to develop relationships and not only better our organization, but also work together as individual agencies.”
He also believes that industry professionals who are not using the tools and connections provided by GLCCA are missing out. “GLCCA is more than just a once a year meeting. You truly learn from other people about the best practices for this industry, as well as things that might not be as effective,” he states. “If you are in business to not grow, then perhaps GLCCA is not for you. But if you want to grow, why not use the educational and legislative resources that the association provides and make your agency stronger?” Matrisch adds.
The connections he has with other industry professionals are among the top benefits of GLCCA membership for Matrisch. “I get the most value out of being able to pick up the phone and ask a sincere question without judgment from another association member. The networking resources are invaluable to me. We are in the same battle, so we want to help each other.”
In his newly appointed role on the GLCCA board, Ryan will be involved in the Illinois legislative committee, in which he will be charged with learning about issues that might be impacting GLCCA members within his home state. He believes that the newly elected government officials in Illinois could have a profound impact on the debt collection industry over the next several years.
When he is not making connections for Pro Com or serving on the GLCCA board, Ryan enjoys spending time with his wife, his seven-year-old and 15 month old. This includes quality time at their family cabin in Northern Minnesota. He also looks forward to spending time out on area golf courses with clients, friends, and family.