The Great Lakes Credit and Collection Association introduces Nate Kalnins, CCCO, operating officer and director of compliance at The Stark Collection Agency. Kalnins has worked over a decade in the operations space serving Stark.
Here, Kalnins shares his current position with The Stark Agency, his mission as part of GLCCA’s Board of Directors, and his love of spending time outdoors.
Q. Tell us a little about your position with The Stark Agency.
I started with the Stark Agency 11 years ago as a part-time collector while still in college. My role has evolved quite a bit since then! I am now Stark’s chief operating officer and director of compliance and have held operations-oriented positions in between.
Q. What are your hopes and goals for your time on the GLCCA board?
My time in the industry has taught me how fortunate I have been. The industry provided an opportunity for professional growth that wasn’t readily available to me when I graduated school—an opportunity that has since blossomed into a fulfilling career that I never could have anticipated. I am also lucky to have skilled mentors and peers who have helped me reach this point and continue to teach me to this day.
My goal for my time on the GLCCA board is to help drive the enduring success of our industry to provide more opportunities to others like I, myself, have received. I also aim to promote an environment that encourages the professional growth of the many talented people working in our industry.
Q. Do you see trends or difficulties in the industry right now that GLCCA can help with?
Between technological advances and the constantly evolving compliance landscape, it feels like our industry has never seen a higher rate of change than what we are currently experiencing. The good news is that change brings opportunity.
I believe there is tremendous opportunity for our industry members to improve the quality of service we provide our clients—and our employees—if we’re willing to be proactive about learning and embracing change. GLCCA can help members do exactly that.
My experience participating in GLCCA has taught me firsthand how generous fellow industry members can be with their knowledge and time, which in turn has provided me with takeaways I can use to improve our business. GLCCA offers networking and educational opportunities that are more accessible and more tailored to our geographic footprint than are available through national resources.
Q. If you’re open to sharing, tell us a little about your family and/or hobbies and interests outside of work.
I am an avid sports fan, even if I find myself with less time to follow sports as closely as I used to. I still live in Madison and enjoy hiking, biking and any other activity that allows me to get outdoors and explore the city and surrounding landscape. I also enjoy woodworking and home renovation projects.