Government Affairs

    PACE offers its members a voice in Washington DC, to make it easier to conduct business.  Our Government Affairs (GA) effort focuses on working with government officials so that our members can conduct their business, free from being encumbered by the government, as we self regulate, formulate and execute public policy for our industry.

    PACE Government Affairs Committee:

    Stuart Discount, Chair - Allied Global    stuart.d@alliedglobalbpo.com

    Robert Kobek - Customer Count    bobkobek@customercount.com

    Ken Sponslor - Compliance Point, Inc. ksponsler@compliancepoint.com

    Reid Houser - SITEL reid.houser@sitel.com

    Karl Koster - Noble Systems kkoster@noblesys.com

    Jimmy Danz - Star Point Resort jdanz@starpointresorts.com 

    Victor You - Rock Connections VictorYou@rockconnections.com

    Nicole Ehrbar - Quicken Loans NicoleEhrbar@quickenloans.com

    Kevin Riley - ARDA kriley@arda.org

    Our basic approach to Government Affairs is to:

    1. Identify
    2. Inform
    3. Persuade
    4. Support

    1. Identify simply means making your voice, company and our industry known to the people in local, state and federal government.  They could include the President, a senator's staffer, a mayor or a county commissioner.  The key is we identify our membership and their concerns, build contacts ahead of time,  and promote an issue if we need to.

    This step works both ways and you should take time to learn what issues and committees are driving citizens and how you can serve legislators.  We simply try to build a bridge between the committees and your concerns.

    2. Inform means telling policy makers something about the effects of their actions that they didn’t already know.  No legislator wants to intentionally put legitimate businesses in his or her district at a competitive disadvantage or drive them out of business.  If you succeed, they succeed.  The communications, customer service, engagement industry is at a critical stage and we support our members, by explaining how the legislator’s proposed policies would affect your company, good or bad.

    3. Persuade the legislator.  This follows naturally from steps one and two, but also distinguishes you and our association as advocates, not as educators.  While we must always be honest,  we don’t need to present every side of the issue.  We just present the best arguments in a rational, well-supported manner.

    Persuasion does not ever include hostility or threats.  Nothing kills a position faster than even hinting a threat.

    4. Support is often neglected, but can be the most important element.  Support includes thanking legislators who promote the cause of our association, regardless of the final outcome.  People need to hear from you after their campaign as well as before.

    Support can also include campaign contributions, if desired.  Most important, it includes helping legislators do what needs to be done on behalf of our members.  That may mean offering draft language for a bill or helping to reach a compromise.  It could include making corporate experts, on telecommunications, technology, services, database management, etc. available to congressional staff or to regulators.

    If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the PACE-SRO, please contact PACE by email at contact@paceassociation.com or call (317) 816-9336.

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