Ricardo Davila is more than the Vice President of Strategic Relationships at National Debt Holdings; he is a life-long learner, father, and consummate professional. From teaching his kids the value of hard work to keeping his clients’ best interests at the forefront of every decision, Mr. Davila has dedicated himself to putting others’ best interests in front of his own. Take a moment to get to know him through our Executive Spotlight, both as our VP of Strategic Relationships and the man behind his title.
Q: Tell a little about your career path and what led you to National Debt Holdings.
Mr. Davila: My career began in retail management where I spent quite a bit of time with Wal-Mart. From there, I was introduced to the collections industry by a friend. After working together for a couple of years and learning about buying and selling portfolios, I met Jeremy Poehler with National Debt Holdings. I was ready to take my career beyond the agency level, and since coming to work at National Debt Holdings, I have been delving deeper into sales, brokering deals, business development, appointments, and lender relationships.
Q: What experiences best prepared you for your current position as Vice President of Strategic Relationships?
Mr. Davila: Moving into the collections industry taught me the critical importance of building deeper relationships through integrity and compliance and resolving issues the right way.
Q: What is your favorite part of your job?
Mr. Davila: I love people and I love sales. It’s actually what I miss most about retail, but ironically, it’s also what I love the most about my job now. I enjoy getting to the root of people’s needs and helping them determine how they can achieve their goals; I enjoy taking the time to get to know our lenders and buyers and figuring out how NDH can help them be successful.
Q: What’s the biggest challenge you have faced with NDH?
Mr. Davila: Our biggest challenge is breaking down walls and changing the way others view our industry. We are actively reaching out, educating, and explaining to creditors the benefits of working with NDH and companies who are RMA Certified Debt Buyers and committed to compliance.
Q: What currently excites you about the ARM industry?
Mr. Davila: I recently attended the RMA Conference and it was a phenomenal experience for a quick learner like me. I have seen more interest from lenders who want to sell their debt; larger agencies are interested in selling their portfolios again. I feel that the entire industry is opening and that is extremely exciting.
Q: In what ways do you see National Debt Holdings growing over the next 5 years?
Mr. Davila: As we continue to reach out, I believe that we will grow our asset classes, continue to build our relationships with larger lenders, and expand our asset portfolios in numerous asset classes.
Q: What have you learned this year that will be game changing for the company in the next year?
Mr. Davila: We have learned volumes about security and compliance and have taken steps to position ourselves as an RMA Certified Debt Buyer with a reputation of compliance. We understand the needs of larger lenders and banks and what they will need from us if we are to be considered for larger debt portfolios. Going into this next year, we are in a much more positive position and we are ready to grow.
Q: What are you most proud of?
Mr. Davila: My biggest success in life is my family. I am a husband and a father to 5 amazing kids. I am proud to be involved in their daily lives while, at the same time, being an example for them and showing them the rewards of hard work. I want them to know that whatever they want to accomplish, they can; you just have to be willing to work hard and pay the price to accomplish your goal. I am so proud of my children.
Q: What is the best book you’ve read this year?
Mr. Davila: I am always reading motivational books, but at least once I year I read “Born to Win” by Zig Ziglar. It’s my favorite book and I read it over and over.
Q: Who is your mentor/role model?
Mr. Davila: That would have to be my boss, John Smith, from my days at Wal-Mart. He has since passed, but he is the reason I am so much of who I am today, professionally. We spent a lot of time together and he taught me how to be a good leader.
Q: What makes National Debt Holdings distinct from the rest of the industry?
Mr. Davila: There are so many tremendous people and companies that we work with, but I repeatedly hear from our clients about how we listened, took the time, discovered their needs, and found an honest solution. Interacting with our clients and caring about them is part of the National Debt Holdings culture. We genuinely have their best interest at heart and they feel that from us; I think that is what makes us stand out.
Q: Is there anything else you would like everyone to know about National Debt Holdings?
Mr. Davila: For us, it is all about relationships. Each client brings a unique portfolio. We do want to grow our presence with larger companies and debt sellers, but there is no deal that is more important than our reputation. Compliance and relationships are first and foremost. We understand that the reputation of our clients is just as important as ours.
About Ricardo Davila
Ricardo Davila is the Vice President of Strategic Relationships at National Debt Holdings. With a strong background in compliance and ethics, Mr. Davila is a purchaser, seller, and manager of performing, underperforming, and distressed consumer receivables who focuses on specialized and personalized service. Mr. Davila is a Graduate of Southern New Hampshire University.
About National Debt Holdings
National Debt Holdings is a receivables management firm assisting creditors with improving their cash flow performance from account portfolios. As the receivables management industry is ever-changing, NDH regularly participates in conferences, webinars, and live events. Headquartered in Miami, NDH works to stay on the cutting-edge of the industry to outperform competitors and protect clients, partners, and service providers.