Winter President’s Letter by: Paul T. Rhodes, Jr.
Another year has come and gone. Covid, moratoriums and a sizzling hot housing market left the default services industry in a shambles. A cooling housing market and the expiration of moratoriums has placed our industry in a position of gravitating toward “normalcy.” Thus, it is time to move forward and leave the dark times of Covid in the past.
When I speak to people in our industry, they ask, “What are the benefits of being a member of the Arizona Trustee Association?” For me, they are easy to detail.
First and foremost, we have a paid lobbyist (Triadvocates) that engages with local, State and Federal legislators to monitor legislation as it is being developed, speak with the legislators to the pros and cons of legislation that would impact our industry and form or eliminate legislation for the betterment of the industry.
I cannot emphasize the importance of this single benefit. In practical terms, I spoke about the previous crash to a group of our members. I said, “Arizona led the country into the housing crash and Arizona led it out.” Our housing market returned to stability much more swiftly than the rest of the country. Why? Because we had a “clean” foreclosure process. And we were successful in holding any and all negative legislation at bay. If you conduct business in any of the states surrounding Arizona, I am sure that you will concur with my assessment.
It was the reason the organization was formed. In 1986, when a bill was introduced that would have been severely detrimental to the industry, companies and individual banded together and created the Association we know today. We successfully fought the legislation. The effective use of our lobbyist is the reason we still exist today. Since our first convention in 1987, the Association has worked hard on both the legislative and educational fronts to constantly elevate the standards and practices of the trust deed service industry. We have prospered, and in turn, so has the industry. If your company does business in the State of Arizona and is a part of the “Trust Deed Service” industry, this is an organization that you should support with your membership!
We also provide support through monthly educational luncheons and our Annual Convention and Education Seminar. Both cover a broad array of topics designed to help you with your responsibilities. At these events, you are able to network with the best in the industry! Finally, we have a newly revamped website, which assists us in disseminating information in a timely manner and makes it easier to do business with our organization.
I look forward to seeing you all at our Annual Meeting and Holiday on December 13 from 5:00 to 8:00 being held at the:
Great Wolf Lodge,
Barnwood Patio
7333 N. Pima Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Wishing you all a festive Holiday Season and a healthy and prosperous New Year!
Paul
_____
Paul Rhodes is the current President of the Arizona Trustees Association and has been a Member since 1999. He has also served as President six times. Paul owns Trustee Services of Arizona, specializing in posting, publication and auctioneer services.