You are invited to join fellow PBUS members at the Rio Secco golf course! The cost of greens fees, cart fees, lunch and transportation is $170 per person. Club rentals are available for $50.  The bus will depart from the Flamingo North Tour Lobby at 7:30 am.  The first tee time is at 8:10 am.

Rio Secco was designed by Rees Jones the Golf Architect of the Year in 1995.  When the course opened in 1997 it was voted among the top ten new courses by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. This gorgeous course lies at the foothill of the Black Mountain Range and has beautiful and diverse views, of the steep canyons, the city scape and the desert.

If you would like to volunteer, please call Rachel at 202-783-4120.

If you are a member of PBUS committee, please consult your committee chair for a possible meeting.

All PBUS members are welcome at this open meeting of the PBUS Board of Directors

The Pre-Conference Registration booth will be open for two hours on Sunday Feburary 14th, a day earlier than usual.  If you have pre-registered for the conference you can pick up your packet early and avoid the lines on the first day of the Conference.

This class covers underwriting and risk section, forms and record keeping, supervision of agents and employees and controlling your defendants.

This class covers the location and recovery of defendants, use of recovery agents, legal procedures and strategies and the recovery of the loss of expenses.

This class covers state and federal legislative involvements and the involvement in local, state and national bail organizations.

This course covers all aspects of controlling & limiting liability for the Bail Agent and the Agency.

California Bail Agents Association Board Meeting

Council of Property Bail Agents forum is for exchanging ideas, challenges and solutions, unique to property bail agents. We would like to encourage property bail agents from across the U.S. to attend and participate. If you have any questions you can contact Scott G. Hall by emailing scottg@anytimebail.com.

IRBsearch is a national online locate product for finding people, businesses, and their assets. The presentation at the 2009 PBUS Winter Conference is designed to showcase how to assess pre-bond liability, lower risk, and track down skips. You will learn how to conduct searches on your subject, your subject’s family, friends, neighbors, and associates. Further examples will reveal how liability may be assessed through bankruptcies, liens and judgments, Asset Reports, and UCC Filings. The IRBsearch presentation also highlights Comprehensive Reports and Custom Comprehensive Reports. The Comprehensive report is a compilation of over 22 different searches in one easy-to-read format. The demonstration includes methods for saving and exporting searched results, managing Saved Reports, and
managing My Account. IRBsearch provides access to the most information, the best data sources, and the fastest delivery. Find anyone, anywhere in the USA!

 

With the economy being as it is and times tough on us all, American Spirit Processing will show you ways to save thousands of dollars each year in credit card processing fees. They will also explain ways to increase security on each sale while preventing fraud and chargeback issues with customers. Receive an overview of the latest technologies and services that American Spirit Processing offers. These services will increase profit to your business while adding convenient payment methods for your clients. From Credit Cards to Guaranteed checks to Internet to the latest program “ACH with Guarantee Services”, even automating your accounts receivables with reoccurring billing from customer’s credit cards or checking accounts, American Spirit can handle all of your electronic payment needs while helping you sleep better at night, knowing your business is growing and your funds are safe!  

More information coming soon...

Sheriff Baca commands Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the largest in the United States, with a budget of 2.4 billion dollars. He leads over 18,000 budgeted sworn and professional staff. The Sheriff’s Department is the law enforcement provider to 40 incorporated cities, 90 unincorporated communities, 9 community colleges, and hundreds of thousands of daily commuters of the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Rapid Rail Transit District. Over 4 million people are directly protected by the Sheriff’s Department. The Sheriff’s Department also protects 58 Superior Courts and 600 bench officers. Moreover, the Department manages the Nation’s largest local jail system housing over 20,000 prisoners.

PBUS Membership Meeting is open to all PBUS members. You do not have to be registered for the PBUS conference to attend this meeting.

“Membership, membership, membership,” a very common mantra for any association.  Without new members joining and old members becoming more involved, an association would not be able to grow and prosper.  PBUS wants all of its members to know how much we value them and their contribution to the association.  PBUS would like to especially thank and honor all of the new members and first time convention attendees at a very special reception just for them! We are very excited that you joining us in Las Vegas and this lovely reception, with an open bar and delicious appetizers, will be a wonderful way for you to meet other new members and first timers along with the Board of Directors and your Division Directors.  All new members registered for the conference and those attending the conference for the first time are invited to attend along with one guest. 

This class covers the history of bail, the history of Professional Bail Agents of the United States and presents an overview of the entire CBA program.

This class discusses professionalism, demeanor, appearance, attitude, public relations and the PBUS Code of Ethics.

More information coming soon...

Join Linda Roche for a very exciting For Women Only Program. This event was originally created as a way for women in the bail industry to come together to network, share ideas and enjoy each other’s company. Over the years the attendance to this meeting has grown significantly and each year the program just gets better and better. This year we have invited an extra special guest. Right now the identity of the special guest is a secret so you’ll just have to attend to find out who it is! We are also going to continue the very successful “For Women Only Ticket Auction.” Tickets will be on sale throughout the conference, which you can then drop into the boxes for each of the prizes. One winner will be drawn from each box, for each prize. If you would like to donate something to the auction, please bring it with you to the Flamingo and drop it off with one of the PBUS staff members. Thank you!

Great supporters and believers in bail, Professor David Krahl and Sheriff Dennis Williams will discuss how bondsman SAVE the government and tax payers money and how pre-trial release COST the government and taxpayers money. The simple clear undisputed record is just this: bail agents add to state and local coffers every year doing what they are trained and licensed to do.  Nonmonetary programs and pretrial release program cause the government to spend money paying staff to do what bail agents already do, and can only show an expense for the tax coffers. In the twenty-first century world and in light of a sub-optimally performing economy, counties and local governments are attempting to “do more with less.”   Government officials are seeking to provide government services without increasing the size or the costs of the bureaucratic infrastructure. This has been particularly true when it comes to the issue of jail overcrowding, and the question of how to reduce the costs of jail operations. One pragmatic and workable solution to the problem of jail overcrowding and that oftentimes is routinely ignored by government officials is the use of surety bonding as a way to effectuate the pretrial release of those defendants who are awaiting trial. One of the distinct advantages of surety bonding is that it functions as cost-effective mechanism to provide for the pretrial release of defendants at an absolute zero-cost to taxpayers. Dr. Krahl conducted a study using 35,000 cases and an array of secondary data sources which led him to several principal findings indicating the cost-savings associated with surety bonding as a pretrial release mechanism. Dr. Krahl and Sheriff Williams will lead a discussion on their cold hard facts that bonding is a more effective way to deal with jail overcrowding. Come and learn the information that you need to take back to share with your local officials. 

Every year PBUS likes to take the opportunity to honor important members of the bail community. This year we are shining the spotlight on everyone who has participated, contributed and created the nationally recognized Certified Bail Agent Program. We are honoring excellence in education. The evening will begin with a delightful Welcome Reception cocktail hour followed by an elegant sit down meal. During your delicious dinner we will recognize all of the CBA instructors, MCBA recipients and CBA recipients. Without continual learning no industry would be able to grow, please join us in thanking all of those who have helped to make this industry more knowledgeable.    In addition we will also be announcing the Bail Agents of the Year, Individual of the Year, Hall of Fame inductees and the President’s Award recipient. A ticket for the Welcome Reception and the Grand Celebration will be given to all registered attendees and registered guests. 

Most rules related to bail bonds are set by the individual states. But, some are set by the federal government – like reporting $10k cash, IRS audits, and §1983 liability. What are your reporting requirements to the IRS when you receive $10,001 in cash? What if you receive this amount in installments? What if the payments are for separate bails? What does the IRS look for when they audit a bondsman? Can you be held liable for violating a fugitive’s constitutional rights? This seminar will answer all these questions and more. The presentation will be made by Mark Holtschneider, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Lexington National Insurance Corporation.

More information coming soon...

There is going to be a brand new kind of session at this year’s Winter Conference. We are setting up a time just for our members to talk about what’s important to you. We have asked for suggestions for “hot topics” that you want to discuss. This will give you an opportunity to meet other bail agents from across the country that might be experiencing the same issues as you; maybe they have ideas to share or maybe you have advice to give. Bring your business cards, network, make new friends and learn all there is to know. If you have an idea for a topic and have not already shared it, please email your idea to Rachel@pbus.com. We cannot guarantee there will be a table set up for every idea we receive, but there will be plenty to choose from. We greatly appreciate your participation and suggestions, keep them coming!

2010 is an election year for PBUS! The election of the new Board of Directors will take place at the Political Action Luncheon. The luncheon is open to anyone who is a fully registered attendee of the conference. In order to vote in the elections you must be a Voting Member of PBUS. The Non-Voting Membership dues are $120 and the Voting Membership dues are $300. If you do not know which membership you have or would like to upgrade your membership before the conference please call the home office at 202-783-4120. All voting members will receive an ID bracelet the day of the elections to indicate that they may participate in the voting process.

The COP Meeting is one of the most anticipated and attended meeting of any conference. State presidents come together to discuss current legislation, bail related concerns and solutions to common challenges. This meeting is open to anyone who is registered for the conference.

It took ventriloquist, singer, comedian and celebrity impressionist Terry Fator 32 years to become an overnight sensation when he won the hearts of American and was selected “America’s Got Talent” 2007 $1 million dollar prize winner on NBC-TV. His key decision to blend those incredible skills with his amazing ability to mimic famous singers won over the judges and millions of fans who voted for him. After “America’s Got Talent” Fator was at the Las Vegas Hilton for several months where he performed to a packed house every night. Then in May of 2008 it was announced that Fator had signed a five year deal to perform nightly at The Mirage in Las Vegas, replacing headliner Danny Gans, having the theater renamed the Terry Fator Theatre, and reportedly signing one of the largest entertainment deals in Las Vegas history. Fator’s capability of doing over 100 ventriloquial impersonations, using at least 16 different puppets in his act and being able to sing like just about anyone makes him a smash hit with everyone who sees his show. If you would like to join PBUS on Wednesday evening, February 17^th to see this fantastic show, the cost of the tickets (including bus transportation one way) is $145. The bus will leave the Flamingo at 6:15 pm and the show starts at 7:30 pm.   There are a limited amount of tickets available. 

This unique seminar was developed especially for lenders and professional collateral recovery specialists by Alex Price and has been well received by both professions all over the country. The seminar will cover the following topics: 1) What Is a Skip? 2) Qualifications of a Professional Skip Tracer, 3) Tools of a Professional Skip Tracer, 4) The Three Types of Skips, 5) Database Searching and 6) Reading your Credit Application. The three types of skips include; Out of Pocket, Intentional Skip, and Fraud Account.  Alex Price is recognized nationally as an expert on the Art of Skip Tracing. Alex has over 20 years experience in skip tracing, collections and training.

Alex began his career with Barnett Bank as a field representative then moved to World Omni Finance. Over the next ten years, Alex worked for Omni Finance all aspects of collections and handling the nationwide charge off skip portfolio and appointing recovery agents for the company. In 1995, Mr. Price ventured out and opened his own skip tracing and research company, Renegade Research Inc. After ten years of operating his own successful skip tracing company, he joined the MasterFiles team as a Corporate Trainer in May of 2006 to bring the next generation of skip tracing technology to the Lending and Recovery Industry.  

Commercial bail has been fighting ten percent bail programs since the late sixties. After the bail industry consistently begin defeating those programs legislatively on a state level, the pretrial people turned to the courts and began getting the programs implemented by the courts using court rules.   Michigan passed a law that seemed to successfully stop the use of ten percent by taking the incentive away from the courts and Mississippi successfully passed the same law allowing MS bail agents to curtail the use of ten percent release programs. This session will discuss how MI and MS handled the issue of 10% bonds and how your state might be able to do something similar in the future. 

This delicious breakfast buffet is open to everyone registered for the conference and those registered at guests.  This event is a breakfast so that you can attend but still make your fligth home.  Come greet the brand new PBUS Board of Directors, say good bye to all your friends, and maybe win something at the FWO auction.  A ticket for the Breakfast will be given to all conference registrants and registered guests.  

The first meeting of the newly elected PBUS Board of Directors.