CCCS of Greater Dallas is celebrating its fourth decade of helping consumers. Back in 1973, a group of Dallas businessmen had a vision. They saw a need and met it. The need was for the consumer to be better informed regarding the wise use of money and credit, and the way to meet that need was to form the nonprofit Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Dallas, Inc The wheels began turning, and in January 1974 we made our first disbursement to creditors in the amount of $5,000. Today's monthly disbursement routinely exceeds $8 million, and has reached over $10 million. Annually, we return over $100 million to the credit community on behalf of our clients. This is money that might otherwise have been lost to bankruptcy. Back in 1974, we had a staff of 4 all working out of one office in downtown Dallas. Today, we employ close to 150 people at 24 offices in 4 states. We enjoy a very low turnover rate among our staff, and our officers can boast over 190 years of combined experience with CCCS.

The success of CCCS Dallas can be traced to one consistent thought: Focus on the client. From our inception that goal has been prominent. No decision is made without considering the impact it will have on the consumer. Over three decades of commitment have resulted in our agency being a recognized leader in the industry, and have allowed us to serve tens of thousands of consumers.

To say that we were a pioneer in the industry is an understatement. Today there are close to 1,000 credit counseling agencies. A short decade ago, there were approximately 200. Thirty-one years ago when we began, there were but a handful. Through the years, we have been on the cutting edge of such advancements as multiple counseling options (in-person, by phone, online), multiple payment options (money order, cashier's check, bank draft, debit card), online account access, and daily payments to creditors. Each of these enhancements was adopted as a benefit to our clients.

Adhering to the highest business standards, CCCS became an accredited agency in 1992, and has maintained that accreditation ever since. The Council on Accreditation, an independent third party, oversees the process, which includes an examination of 39 service standards as well as onsite visits by peer reviewers. Additionally, to provide the highest level of financial counseling, in 1989 we began requiring that all of our counselors become Certified Consumer Credit Counselors. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling administers the testing that covers 6 books on a broad range of counseling related subjects. Every CCCS Dallas counselor is required to become certified within 12 months of employment, and is expected to maintain that certification through earning Professional Development Units.

Whereas our Education Department began as an army of 1 in 1990, today we have a complete staff of trained educators and presenters making approximately 1,500 presentations each year in both English and Spanish. Through their efforts, we reach 30,000-40,000 consumers annually with the good news that financial wellness is within their grasp.. Furthermore, our strong online educational presence, including the award-winning Money$mart*Credit$mart, provides the tools for managing credit and money for many thousands more.

Since a home is normally a person's largest investment, we put a strong emphasis on Housing Counseling. CCCS Dallas is a HUD approved agency, having received HUD housing grants since 1979. We routinely work with lenders and consumers to either prevent or resolve a housing problem. Additionally, we are a leader in Reverse Mortgage counseling, with the largest number of counselors in any one agency participating in the AARP Reverse Mortgage Education Project.

Realizing that confusing financial situations occur in people's lives even if they don't have debt, in 2004 we developed Life Events Counseling. We live in a fast-paced, often changing economic environment that complicates an individual's ability to make sound financial decisions, particularly in a time of stress. To be responsive to consumers' needs, in-depth materials were developed on a variety of topics including Surviving Job Loss, Divorce, Single Parenting, Identity Theft, and Buying a Home.

CCCS is a known leader in technology, and is routinely asked for advice by agencies internationally. Our system and related controls allow us to deliver our services in the most up-to-date and efficient manner with respect to both clients and creditors. Recognizing the rapidly changing demands of our industry, in 1994 we created TruAccess, an arm of our company that extends our technological expertise by providing financial and electronic data interchange for over 35 other agencies around the nation. We remit electronic payments and data each month for thousands of clients served by our partner agencies.

Yes, we've come a long way since 1974, and there have been many positive changes. Nonetheless, the one thing that has remained the same is the unwavering resolve to keep our clients at the heart of everything we do. That philosophy has been successful for over 30 years, and will continue to be our guide.