DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EFG Companies, the innovator behind the award-winning Hyundai Assurance program, today announced the Consumer Credit Compliance Certification of Karen Klees. Klees was one of the first 100 officers to be certified under this new program by the National Automotive Finance Association (NAF). NAF specifically designed the Consumer Credit Compliance Certification Program to address the challenges faced by consumer finance companies in maintaining legal compliance in an environment characterized by ever-changing federal and state regulatory requirements. It provides compliance professionals with a deep working knowledge of the federal laws and regulations that govern consumer credit along with an overview and general examination of state consumer credit law.
Coupled with EFG’s AFIP certification of its dealer services field team, this new certification further demonstrates EFG’s commitment to addressing the number one “stay-awake” issue for dealers. Going forward, EFG will utilize these certifications to help its clients create a governance model to assure ongoing compliance. This will include acting as a facilitator, training them on compliance best-practices, educating clients on the magnitude of what lenders are facing, and preparing them for future compliance initiatives.
“Compliance with both state and federal regulatory requirements is a critical priority in our dealer partners’ businesses, and, with pressure from entities like the CFPB, it continues to increase in complexity,” said John Pappanastos, President & CEO, EFG Companies. “In our recent client satisfaction study, our dealers rated Compliance Oversight as one of EFG’s top 3 areas of performance. We are committed to continuing our investment in, and the pursuit of, educational and training opportunities that will enable us to facilitate an even higher level of operational compliance on the part of our dealers.”
With four intensive training modules reviewing everything from typical state laws to CFPB initiatives, the NAF program took almost a year to complete, and enhances EFG’s ability to positively impact the long term success of its clients.
“Beyond the value of the sheer knowledge, the Consumer Credit Compliance Certification qualifies me to serve as a compliance officer in a lending institution. As you can imagine, this is a critical perspective that can be brought as a significant benefit to our dealer and finance institution partners,” said Klees. “Our goal is to position ourselves ahead of upcoming changes so we can proactively inform and prepare our clients.”
The National Automotive Finance Association is the only trade association exclusively serving the non-prime auto finance industry. Their mission is to lead the way in building a forum of transparency and trust for all industry stakeholders, and to set the standard in cooperation and collaboration that results in an industry that produces transparent and fair finance solutions.
About EFG Companies
EFG Companies combines almost 40 years of experience serving as an industry innovator of consumer and vehicle protection programs with the company’s commitment to raising the industry bar in providing superior client engagement. With their field and administrative teams AFIP and ASE certified, EFG’s professionals provide world-class product development and administration, go-to-market strategies, training and auditing support across a multitude of channels. www.efgcompanies.com
