Consumer Bankruptcy Journal Spring 2015 | Page 4

PRESIDENT’S REPORT By Edward C. Boltz Partner, John T. Orcutt View Bio “ “We are confident that NACBA will retain and build on its sound financial foundation. I am very excited to have the opportunity and honor to continue to lead NACBA through the next years...” D ear NACBA Members, At the start of my second and (as a promise to my family and law firm, both of whom have been more than generous and patient) final term as the President of NACBA, I want to first thank John Rao for his many years serving as an officer, most recently as Vice President. John is remaining on the Board, since we all depend far too much on his knowledge, expertise and wisdom to let him go. Secondly, I want state how happy I am that Jim Haller has been elected as Vice President for 2015 and 2016. Jim is as everyone knows, not only an excellent practicing bankruptcy attorney, but a zealous supporter of our grassroots legislative efforts. Even more, he is a good friend with whom I am excited to work more closely in the coming years. Obviously, the biggest change for NACBA in 2014 4 CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY JOURNAL was the hiring and commencement of Dan LaBert as our Executive Director. I cannot say enough about the energy and new ideas that Dan has brought to our organization, from changes across the breadth of what NACBA does – from building improvements to our communications to improving member and vendor experiences at Conventions to his insights on leadership and political issues. Without hesitation, I know that he will help carry NACBA forward to successfully meet future challenges and opportunities. Among those, NACBA looks toward the newly elected Congress with caution and some optimism, as legislators on both sides of the aisle are increasingly aware of the financial hardships facing middle class Americans and the crucial role that bankruptcy can play as a safety Spring 2015 net. We will repeat our the “Hill Day at Home,” which allows NACBA members to meet with federal lawmakers, grow and maintain working relationships with Congressional offices, and have a lasting impact on bankruptcy policymaking, all without leaving the comfort of your state. Meetings will be arranged for you, some taking place in local House and Senate district offices and some being held over the phone with bankruptcy staffers in D.C. We’ll provide a detailed training session via webcast, including background materials, talking points, and leave behind information for the meetings. Please register at www.NACBA.org. NACBA’s 23rd Annual Convention will be in Chicago from April 23-26, 2015, where you can join your friends and colleagues from around the country for three days of learning, sharing, and National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys