Summer Cocktail Party - "The Power of ACG"

A proven trade association executive and seasoned advocate with more than two decades of experience, Mr. Morris was responsible for leading ACA International – a global organization that represents more than 230,000 financial services professionals working in collection agencies, law firms, asset buying companies, creditors, vendors, and affiliates. He helped lead the charge to advance the voice and advocacy of the credit and collection industry, and he established groundbreaking thought leadership, legal defense strategies, and R&D efforts.

Mr. Morris previously served as the executive vice president of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions and the executive director of the Washington-based International Committee for Information Technology Standards. He holds a master’s in public administration from the University of Kentucky and a bachelor’s degree from Christopher Newport University. He began his career as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, was selected for the prestigious Presidential Management Fellows program and subsequently worked in legislative affairs for both the Secretary of Defense and U.S. Sen. John Warner of Virginia.

Leslie Whittet, CAE, has been with ACG since 2002. She began her career at the association as the executive director of ACG Boston before moving to Chicago in 2008 to take the newly created role of VP, chapter operations, for ACG Global. In her current role, Whittet manages and facilitates all facets of chapter operations, from leadership development to governance to website and technology support – all focused on fostering growth among ACG’s 56 chapters across the globe.

Whittet has brought her more than 15 years of experience as an association professional to bear at ACG, building upon her successes to help drive middle-market growth within each individual chapter. As an executive director, she nearly tripled the membership of ACG Boston from 350 to 950 and doubled the number of annual events. As VP, she works primarily with the volunteer chapter leaders, helping develop efficient leadership and governance practices, and effective strategic planning to ensure continued growth. Her team provides all of the necessary technological support to power the chapter’s success.