education
NPA Committee
NPA committees drive ideas and decision-making at the NPA. Member volunteers and NPA board members meet monthly to plan, share ideas, brainstorm and provide vision to the NPA organization.
Awards Committee
Committee Chair: Boyd Naylor, Bali Credit Corp, San Antonio, TX
The Awards Committee works to recognize the excellence, dedication and service of those professionals or groups whose steadfast efforts have enriched the pawnbroker profession by selecting and acknowledging these individuals and groups for the Annual NPA Awards. The Awards Committee annually reviews the awards to be offered, creating new awards when appropriate or retiring awards which are no longer relevant. With the award categories decided, they send a call for nominations to the general membership and set the deadline for submissions. Once all nominations have been received, this committee does the hard work of selecting award winners. Each nomination is reviewed by every member of the committee, who then meets to discuss the nominations and select the winners. The awards are presented at NPA’s annual Pawn Expo convention.
Convention Committee
The Convention Committee is charged with the responsibility of delivering an annual convention that will exceed attendee expectations. The committee focuses primarily on program development, scheduling and overall attendee experience. Planning for Expo occurs nearly year-round, with this committee meeting weekly and bi-weekly as needed. Venue selection for future conventions is done strategically and is completed up to 2 years in advance of actual events. Planning for Pawn Expo begins in September and typically wraps up in June, just weeks before actual events take place.
A great deal of time and effort goes into convention planning. The Committee provides policy development and controls for Pawn Expo and similar meetings as deemed necessary by the Board of Directors. They review and update, as necessary, guidelines for planning/conducting Pawn Expo and assistance to professional staff as needed. This includes, but is not limited to, providing oversight and advice to staff to create educational sessions, secure keynote speakers and analyze surveys/trends to better understand ways to improve Pawn Expo. The Committee will be responsible for finding ways to drive pawnbroker attendance, while recruiting sponsors and exhibitors. All of this is done in an effort to provide the best attendee experience! Executive Committee
Committee Chair: Johnny Whiteside, Kendale Pawn Shop, Sanford, NC
The Executive Committee, chaired by the current NPA President, is comprised of the Officers of the Association and the Executive Director. The primary purpose of the Executive Committee is to have a group of directors authorized to act for the Board of Directors between regular meetings and in situations where an assembly of a quorum of the Board would be impractical or impossible. This committee takes the lead on policy and strategy development and distills issues for board consideration. The Committee also serves as a sounding board for the Executive Director and serves as a source of ready advice on operating and personnel matters.
Finance Committee
Committee Chair: Michael Goldstein, Empire Loan, Boston, MA
The Finance Committee is responsible for the oversight of the Association’s Finances, proposing new financial policy recommendations, and making recommendations for potential new funding sources. This committee works with the Treasurer and Executive Director to construct an annual budget for the NPA. The Financial Committee also advises the board on any significant financial decisions and leads the board review of the NPA’s strategy for long-term financial sustainability.
Audit Committee
Committee Chair: Kevin Prochaska, InstaCash Pawn, Longview, TX
Government Relations Committee
Committee Chair: Bill Dawson, LDPM, Inc., Morrisville NC
The Government Relations Committee (GRC) continually monitors proposed legislation and regulations that could impact the pawn industry. They monitor and review the legal aspects of legislative programs at the federal, state and local levels and make recommendations to the Board of Directors to watch, support with amendment, or oppose proposed legislation and regulatory changes. The GRC will, through the Executive Director and staff, report to members about relevant legislation and regulatory actions and involve members in advocating for or against proposals as necessary. More about the GRC here.
Membership Committee
Committee Co-Chairs: Tim Collier and Jeff Wilhem
The Membership Committee is responsible for membership recruitment and retention programs along with the development and implementation of new member benefits and services. They oversee the recruitment of new members through marketing channels and actively engage in contacting potential recruits. They also look for ways to retain and engage current members, including developing new member benefits, programs and services. This committee represents the interests and concerns of all current members. They are responsible for welcoming and assisting new members at our annual convention.
Nomination Committee
Committee Chair: Past President Boyd Naylor
The Nomination Committee is responsible for establishing appropriate criteria by which new NPA board members will be recruited. This committee is responsible for inviting current qualified NPA members to join the Board of Directors. They field inquiries about board participation and meet quarterly to discuss recruitment.
Outreach Committee
The Outreach Committee proactively works to enhance NPA membership benefits and overall membership experience. This committee continually evaluates areas for improvement and communicates these recommendations to the NPA marketing team. The Outreach Committee is charged with giving NPA members a voice so they can individually understand the value of membership in NPA. Membership engagement and participation is a priority. This committee works to enhance both. The Outreach Committee meets monthly to discuss existing programs such as the Pawnbroker Peer Groups. They are also communicating about potential new programs and benefits the NPA can offer its membership. Oversight Committee
Committee Chair, NPA President, Johnny Whiteside
Strategic Planning Committee
Committee Chair, Tim Collier, Pacer, Ltd, Little Rock, AK
The Strategic Planning Committee makes recommendations to the Board of Directors related to the NPA’s mission, vision, strategic initiatives, major programs and services. This committee ensures the Board of Directors and Executive Director have established an effective strategic planning process, including development of a three to five-year strategic plan with measurable goals and time targets. On an annual basis, this committee reviews the strategic plan and recommends updates as needed based on changes in the industry, membership needs or other factors along with a review of major new programs and services. The Strategic Committee helps the board and staff identify critical strategic issues facing the Association.
Young Professionals Committee
Committee Chair: Randi Butterfield, Big Dog Pawn, West Jordan, UT
The goal of the Young Professionals Committee is to cultivate the next generation of NPA leaders. They work to discover ways to encourage Young Professionals to network, participate and become engaged in the business of the association. The Committee leads the search to recruit additional Young Professionals interested in advancing their own skills, learning from their peers and ultimately gaining as much knowledge and insight as they can. The goal of this committee is to assist Young Professionals in their proactive approach to becoming leaders in their own pawn stores and/or leaders within the NPA community. The NPA provides a platform to engage Young Professionals within the industry, as well as provide educational resources and networking opportunities.