The “Getting to Know” series is sponsored by Applied Innovation. Applied Innovation is helping to shape the future of accounts receivable management. Product development is driven by customer feedback, agency profitability and compliance and includes platforms addressing client portal access, document management, payment negotiation, Regulation E focused electronic payment authorizations and TCPA communication authorization platforms. Partner with a company who understands your business challenges and evolves to provide cutting edge technology to overcome those challenges and achieve success.
Putting complex legal concepts into the language of operations — the world definitely needs more people like David Weimer who can do that job well. Having spent nearly four decades in the accounts receivable management industry, David has definitely become a senior statesmen among collection attorneys. Read on to learn more about David, his impressive motivational skills, and why he prefers questions to misguided attempts at doing something and getting it wrong.
Name: David Weimer
Current Role/Job Title: Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer
Company: Kramer & Frank, P.C.
Length of time at current company: 24 years. Wow, that sounds like a long time.
Length of time in industry: 38 years. An even longer time.
How did you get your start in the industry?
The first firm I joined dissolved. It was a recession, and the third-biggest firm in the area also closed, sending hundreds of attorneys into the market. A firm that did collections, among other things, was just about the only firm hiring. (We also had a couple of attorneys from that big firm for a while.) I handled collection cases, among other duties, and gradually became the de facto compliance officer as I noticed things we needed to do better. Then the chance to join Kramer & Frank came along.
What is your career highlight so far?
Getting the opportunity to represent fellow attorneys on the board of NCBA.
When or how are you most productive?
I gain steam through the day, peaking in the late afternoon or early evening. Depending on what I’m doing, I may need no interruptions, which may partially account for the time of day — no one else is around!
Which industry professional do you admire most?
That’s putting me on the spot. There are a number of people whom I admire immensely. But I think I would have to say Manny Newburger for the amount of help he is willing to give and the length of time that he has been doing that.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
Not sure I’d claim being the best, but I’m pretty good at putting complex legal concepts into the language of operations. I’m also pretty good at motivating Scouts to stay with the program and advance to Eagle.
What do you like most about this industry?
That’s easy. The people.
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What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
The rate of change in the rules.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
Probably teaching or writing.
Describe a typical work day.
I arrive at work in the morning, line out the tasks I need to perform that day, open my email, & spend the day answering emails. Then, about 5, I start working on the tasks I lined out that morning.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Rich foods
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Measure twice, cut once. It works in every field of endeavor. Oh, and there’s nothing cheaper than a cheap tool. Both come to me from my grandfather via my father.
What are you currently reading?
“Effective Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations: How Executive Directors & Boards Work Together” by Thomas Wolf. No, not that Thomas Wolf.
For fun, “Cloudsplitter” by Russell Banks.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
My motto is I’d rather answer a question than fix a mistake.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
Eileen Bitterman of Weltman, Weinberg, & Reis or Brit Suttell of Barron & Newburger (assuming that they haven’t already)
The “Getting to Know” series is sponsored by Applied Innovation. Applied Innovation is helping to shape the future of accounts receivable management. Product development is driven by customer feedback, agency profitability and compliance and includes platforms addressing client portal access, document management, payment negotiation, Regulation E focused electronic payment authorizations and TCPA communication authorization platforms. Partner with a company who understands your business challenges and evolves to provide cutting edge technology to overcome those challenges and achieve success