Upload
james-gilbert-lion
View
68
Download
1
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Excerpted from the Chicago Tribune January 25, 2008
DEBT COLLECTION EFFORT IS PAYING OFF By Dennis Sullivan WILL COUNTY, IL—A collections agency has retrieved more than $1.25 million in
unpaid fines and fees for the county government and Will County municipalities
since the program’s start in May, Circuit Clerk Pam McGuire said.
The county received the largest single portion, more than $557,000, while the rest
was spread to municipalities across Will, Bolingbrook, Joliet, Plainfield and Romeo-
ville together got $225,000.
Administered by Harris & Harris, Ltd. and the law offices of Arnold Scott Harris, the
program requires scofflaws to also pay all costs associated with the collection
process. The county incurs no costs for operating the program. Previously, the
county had no mechanism to collect the debts.
The county incurs no costs for operating the program. McGuire characterized the
fledgling program as a “get-tough” solution.
“There are millions of dollars in past-due court debts dating back several decades,”
she said. “In 2005 alone, convicted defendants attempted to ignore nearly $1.7
million in fees and fines.”
“Previously, the county had no mechanism to collect the debts.”
PRESS COVERAGE OF MY WORK
Will County has a
population of 687,000
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
“The Chancellor recommends that the Board of Trustees author-ize the Chairman to enter into a contract with Harris & Harris, Ltd.”
City Colleges of
Chicago is one of
the largest urban
campuses in the
United States with
an enrollment over
60,000
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
“Test results provided assurance that American Recovery Systems, Inc. completed its review and coding of ambulance transports in a timely manner.” “2003 Ambulance trans-port fees … totaling $196.3 million.
This engagement
involved coding over
10 million ambulance
call reports over 5
years. It generated
over $11 million in
professional fees
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
Illinois Toll Highway Authority Amount of Award $8,700,000.00 to Harris & Harris, Ltd. in Professional Services Fees.
Over 20,000 toll
violations are
generated each day
on the Illinois
Tollway system..
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
CLIENT PRESS RELEASE
“The contract, awarded to Har-
ris & Harris after a nation-wide
search, not only will increase
collections but save the city
money as the firm reduced the
fee charged for the collection
process. “
Harris & Harris, Ltd.
saved the City of
Milwaukee
$1 million over the
course of the
contract..
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Excerpted from the Joliet Herald News March 24, 2007 CIRCUIT COURT DEBTS TO INCREASE BY 30 PERCENT By ANDREA HEIN STAFF WRITER Anyone with an outstanding bill for Will County Circuit Court costs and fines has one week to
pay up before the amount they owe jumps by 30 percent and their credit rating takes a hit.
Starting in April, unpaid court debts will be referred to Harris and Harris Ltd., a Chicago-based
collection agency, Circuit Clerk Pam McGuire said.
The collection agency will tack 30 percent on top of the initial court fee or fine.
Will County officials, including McGuire and Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow,
decided last year to hire a collection agency because the county currently is out millions of
dollars in outstanding fees and fines, according to information from McGuire's office.
"We're tightening up on it a lot," McGuire said.
The county redistributes the money to different places including the arresting agency, the
county's general fund or the state based on the offense generating the fine or court cost,
McGuire said.
A collection agency normally can take its fee out of the original debt owed by a person; how-
ever, state law prohibits the agency from taking the money out of court costs, McGuire said.
Therefore, the fee is added to the debt.
Officials will send the oldest outstanding balances, some of which are delinquent by several
years, to the collection agency first and then regularly will refer balances at least 90 days old.
New legislation also will allow the court system to start adding 5 percent for every 30 days a
payment is late. Someone with a court bill over 90 days late that is referred to the collection
agency eventually could owe the original fine plus 15 percent added by the courts plus the 30
percent collection fee.
Residents who think they owe money can review their record at public terminals in one of
three circuit clerk locations in Joliet:
• Will County Courthouse, second floor, 14 W. Jefferson St.
• River Valley Juvenile Justice Center, 2nd Fl, 3210 W. McDonough St.
• Will County Court Annex building, second floor, 57 N. Ottawa St.
PRESS COVERAGE OF MY WORK
“Anyone with an out-
standing bill for Will
County Circuit Court costs
and fines has one week to
pay up before the amount
they owe jumps by 30
percent.”
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Excerpted from the Argus Press Spectator June 2006 COUNTY FINALLY CATCHING UP ON LEGAL FINE DODGERS Last week DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett announced a major
crackdown on individuals fined in the county’s circuit court system. Birkett and the county
circuit court clerk’s office revealed a joint game plan June 14 for more aggressively pur-
suing the collection of unpaid court-ordered fines and fees in criminal cases. The ex-
panded efforts for the compliance program include retaining the services of collection
firms Harris & Harris of Chicago and the national Alliance One, which will target an esti-
mated $20 million backlog of outstanding debt that has accumulated over two decades.
What’s shocking is not that the county is owed $20 million by those fined by the court, it’s
that the backlog of unpaid fines goes back 20 years. How does that happen? Letting
some fines slip by for a few years at a time is inevitable in a county the size of DuPage.
But $20 million over 20 years is as nearly as unacceptable as the debtors not paying the
fines in the first place.
DuPage County Circuit Court Clerk Chris Kachiroubas said residents have been picking
up the slack by way of property taxes, which is an injustice because the county is entitled
to fee payment.
Kachiroubas couldn’t be more right; it’s just a shame it’s taken so long for the county to
come to this realization. Until recently, legal fee and fine collections have been handled
in-house using attorneys to go after debtors, sidetracking them from other responsibili-
ties. Now that the county has turned this operation over to the private sector, be sure a
great number of these debts will be paid within the first year.
…So while we applaud the county for finally taking the nec-
essary step of going after those who have avoided the pen-
alties they earned for so long, we would also like to offer an
admonishment for sticking everyday, law-abiding taxpayers
with taxes that could have been diverted by the timely col-
lection of these fees.
It’s just a shame it’s taken so long for the county to come to
this realization.
PRESS COVERAGE OF MY WORK
“Now that the county has
turned this operation over
to the private sector, be
sure a great number of
these debts will be paid
within the first year.”
DuPage County has
a resident
population of
930,000 and a
daytime
population of
965,000..
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Excerpted from the Daily Pantagraph, October 22, 2006 COUNTY HANDS FINES OVER TO COLLECTION AGENCY BLOOMINGTON—People who skipped paying court fines years ago may start receiving
letters and calls. and they’ll find out they owe 30 percent more than they once did.
…Last May, McLean County began referring its oldest outstanding debts to a collection
agency. And, because of a recent change in state law, McLean County now can pass the
collection agency’s fee to the people who owe money.
Before the contract with Chicago-based Harris & Harris Ltd., State’s Attorney Bill Yoder
said people appeared countless times before a judge and said they couldn’t pay their
fines and costs. People arrested on new charges often had no problem finding $300 to
be released from jail, he said, it’s “like pulling teeth” to collect restitution from the same
people.
Referring the cases to a collection agency also frees up prosecutors to work on current
court cases, instead of chasing down previously ordered fines, Yoder said.
Any felony, misdemeanor or traffic case with unpaid debts from before January 2003
was referred to the collection agency, Parker said. Cases from January 2003 to Novem-
ber 2005 were referred to the state’s attorney’s office to determine whether to send them
out for collections, she said. “The beauty of this program is that it doesn’t cost the tax-
payers anything to administer,” Parker said, because the collection agency’s fee is
tacked onto the amount paid by the scofflaw.
James Gilbert, director of government affairs for Harris & Harris, said …“Often times, the
county lacks the resources to pursue some of the smaller dollar amounts and offenders
because there’s just more serious matters going on, violent
crime, domestic crime and that sort of thing,” Gilbert said.
Gilbert said some debts were aging without repayment, and
people had moved to other jurisdictions. “We have the re-
sources to locate those people very quickly,” Gilbert said,
adding his company can find current addresses, phone
numbers and employers of the people that owe money.
PRESS COVERAGE OF MY WORK
“Referring the cases to a
collection agency also
frees up prosecutors to
work on current court
cases, instead of chasing
down previously ordered
fines.”
McLean County has
a population of
165.000..
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Client Press Release August 18, 2008
COUNTY HIRES COLLECTION AGENCY
By Circuit Court Clerk Joseph Carey
I am proud to announce that, in conjunction with LaSalle County State’s Attorney Brian
Towne, we have approved a contract with a top collection agency that will be assigned to
collect past-due court fines and fees. We have entered into a contract with Harris and
Harris Ltd. and the law offices of Arnold Scott Harris to collect past-due court debts.
This contract will enable Harris & Harris to begin collecting debts owed by thousands of
people who, for whatever reason, have chosen not to pay their court-ordered fines or
fees. I am constantly looking for sources of revenue to lessen the burden on the taxpay-
ers of LaSalle County and I feel this initiative will result in considerable amounts of
money for the County of LaSalle, local municipalities and the State of Illinois.
It is estimated that defendants in the last few decades have ignored over $5 million in
fines and fees. Collecting even a small portion of these past due debts will assist the
county and other municipalities as they grapple with tight budgets. A number of potential
collection options and companies have been researched in the last twelve months. Har-
ris & Harris, Ltd. was chosen for numerous reasons: The company currently provides this
service for circuit clerks around the State of Illinois (e.g., Will, McLean, DuPage & Cook)
and comes highly recommended by officials from both counties.
The collections business is affiliated with a respected Chicago legal firm, thereby ensur-
ing a legal and ethical approach to retrieving past-due debts. The contract allows for the
monitoring of collections activities over the Internet in real time, allowing LaSalle County
officials to make certain the county is being professionally represented and that those
who are contacted about past-due debts are treated respectfully. There is no cost to the
county or the taxpayer for the collection agencies’ efforts. However, Illinois Public Act 93-
0693 allows the agencies to impose a collection fee up to 30 percent. For example, a
fine of $100 that has gone unpaid could turn into $130.
PRESS COVERAGE OF MY WORK
“There is no cost to the
county or the taxpayer for
the collection
agencies’ efforts.”
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Client Press Release October 21, 2008
GOING AFTER UNPAID FINES AND FEES MAKES BOTH DOLLARS AND SENSE
By Circuit Court Clerk Robert Spears
Peoria County Circuit Clerk Robert Spears reports that his office has retrieved more than $3 million in revenue for Peoria County and several of its municipalities thanks to pro-grams enacted by his office in partnership with Peoria County State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons. Lyons negotiated a contract with Harris and Harris Ltd. and the law offices of Arnold Scott Harris to collect past-due court fines and fees owed by criminal defendants and ordinance violators. He authorized Harris and Harris Ltd. to begin collections more than two years ago as a supplement to the Compliance Program Circuit Clerk Robert Spears had already created in his own office. The Circuit Clerk’s Office worked with Harris and Harris during the end of 2005 and the beginning of 2006 to fine-tune the collections program. Since January of 2006, this program has collected and delivered to the County of Peoria more than $3,000,000 in delinquent fines and costs. Scofflaws also pay all costs associated with the collection process, as Peoria County incurs no costs for operating this program and, prior to enacting this program, these debts would have gone uncollected. “It is a get-tough answer to a long-standing problem,” Circuit Clerk Spears stated. “There are millions of dollars in past-due court debts dating back several decades.” Spears reports that the millions of dollars collected through the combined efforts of the Compliance Program and Harris and Harris have been shared between the County of Peoria, the State of Illinois and numerous other governmental units. Local municipalities that have benefited substantially from these efforts include the City of Peoria, Peoria Heights, West Peoria, and every other municipality in Peoria County. State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons said “It’s simply the right thing to aggressively collect what criminals owe the public. The County of Peoria is not some toothless tiger that should wait forever to get paid by criminals that are perfectly capable of paying their debts and don’t.” This collection program puts heat where it belongs: on the offender to cough up what’s due, and it keeps the County of Peoria from serving as a virtual bank carrying debt for someone that is able to pay but doesn’t.” Circuit Clerk Spears said the collections and compliance programs demonstrate how communication and cooperation between several of the county’s top officials benefit tax-payers. “It’s all about accountability and collaboration for the benefit of Peoria County,” Spears said. “Because of these factors, along with the hard work of the employees of the Circuit Clerk’s and State’s Attorney’s Offices, this initiative enjoys great success.
PRESS COVERAGE OF MY WORK
“It keeps the County of Peoria from serving as a virtual bank carrying debt for someone that is able to pay but doesn’t.”
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
Excerpted from Collection Industry.com April 8, 2009
HARRIS & HARRIS AWARDED GSA CONTRACT
Chicago, IL Harris & Harris, Ltd., a leader in the accounts receivable management industry,
announced it has been awarded a contract with the U.S. General Services
Administration (GSA) to be included on Federal schedule 520-4, Debt Collection
(520-4). GSA awarded a contract to Harris & Harris based on the firm’s qualifications to
include past performance, demonstrated quality control, nationwide capabilities,
and financial strength.
Arnold Scott Harris, Esq., President of Harris & Harris, Ltd. issued this statement
regarding the GSA Debt Collection Schedule Award: “We are pleased that our efforts
over the past year in securing a GSA contract have been fruitful. This award
demonstrates our commitment to meeting the accounts receivable management needs
of every level of government in the United States.” He continued, “We believe that the
unique attributes of our firm as a nationally licensed collection agency and law firm with
expertise in healthcare, justice, utility and general government receivables will be of
benefit to taxpayers at the local, state and Federal level. We are looking forward to
expanding our already successful ‘taxpayer-friendly’ approach
to government receivables.”
Harris & Harris is now poised to compete for any Federal debt collection contract,
including those issued by the Department of Treasury, the Department of Health and
Human Services, and the Department of Education.
About Harris & Harris
Harris & Harris is a Chicago-based collection agency and law firm. Founded in 1968,
the firm has grown to more than 250 associates in two locations, handling high-volume
accounts across a variety of industries including healthcare, government, utility,
and financial. It employs state-of-the-art information and data management systems to
meet the speed and reporting needs of its clients. Learn more at www.harriscollect.com.
PRESS COVERAGE OF MY WORK
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Representative Government Client List (not all inclusive)
Federal Government
GSA
Veteran’s Administration
States
Illinois, pop. 12,901,563
Connecticut, pop. 3,501,252
Vermont, pop. 621,270
Kansas, pop. 2,802,134
Wisconsin, pop. 5,627,967
Kentucky, pop. 4,269,245
Counties
Suffolk County, NY, pop. 1,512,224
Cook County, IL, pop. 5,294,664
DuPage County, IL, pop. 930,528
Will County, IL, pop. 681,097
Lake County, IL, pop. 712,453
Peoria County, IL, pop. 183,655
McLean County, IL, pop. 165,298
Municipalities
City of New York, NY, pop. 8,214,426
Tulsa, OK, pop. 382,872
Sacramento, CA, pop. 453,781
Milwaukee, WI, pop. 573,358
Oak Park, IL, pop. 50,272
Other
Illinois Tollway
City Colleges of Chicago, enrollment 60,000+
Chicago State University, enrollment 4,904
Sacramento Municipal Utility District, 589,599 customers
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, 5,250,000 customers
Chicago Housing Authority, 50,000+ residents
REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT CLIENT LIST (Not All Inclusive)
Federal Government
GSA
Veteran’s Administration
States
Illinois, pop. 12,901,563
Connecticut, pop. 3,501,252
Vermont, pop. 621,270
Kansas, pop. 2,802,134
Wisconsin, pop. 5,627,967
Kentucky, pop. 4,269,245
Counties
Suffolk County, NY, pop. 1,512,224
Cook County, IL, pop. 5,294,664
DuPage County, IL, pop. 930,528
Will County, IL, pop. 681,097
Lake County, IL, pop. 712,453
Peoria County, IL, pop. 183,655
McLean County, IL, pop. 165,298
Municipalities
City of New York, NY, pop. 8,214,426
Tulsa, OK, pop. 382,872
Sacramento, CA, pop. 453,781
Milwaukee, WI, pop. 573,358
Oak Park, IL, pop. 50,272
Other
Illinois Tollway, 1.3 million vehicles daily
City Colleges of Chicago, enrollment 60,000+
Chicago State University, enrollment 4,904
Sacramento Municipal Utility District, 589,599 customers
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, 5,250,000 customers
Chicago Housing Authority, 50,000+ residents
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
STATEWIDE COLLECTION SERVICES CONTRACT 15-94633-401 STATEWIDE CONTRACT NUMBER: 15-94633-401
COMMODITY OR SERVICE: COLLECTION SERVICES CONTRACT PERIOD: OCTOBER 6, 2004 THROUGH AUGUST 31, 2007
RFB Number: 27700-LP
Contract Manager: Susanne Petro, 608-266-1725 E-Mail: [email protected]
OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS Table of Contents: Contractors: .................................................................................................................... Pages 1-2 Price List......................................................................................................................... Page 2 Contract Conditions and Specifications: ....................................................................... Pages 3-5 Contractors: Listed below are the contractors that referrals should be sent to: Contractors Phone Numbers FEIN Number Allied Interstate Inc. 800-447-2934, ext. 2050 41-0919488
435 Ford Road, Suite 800 952-595-2341 Fax
Minneapolis, MN 55426 Web Site: www.cccacollect.com/allied.htm
Contact: Maria Wacker, E-Mail: [email protected] (Address e-mail to Maria Wacker)
AMO Recoveries, Inc. 262-544-8700, ext. 127 58-2437976
401A Pilot Court 262-544-8687 Fax
Waukesha, WI 53188 Web Site: www.amoi.com
Contact: Randy Lengling, E-Mail: [email protected] (Address to Randy Lengling)
H.E. Stark Agency, Inc. 877-274-7764 39-0773284
6425 Odana Road 608-274-7786 Fax
P.O. Box 45710
Madison, WI 53744-5710 Web Site: N/A
Contact: Pauline Kussart, E-Mail: [email protected] (Address e-mail to Pauline Kussart)
Harvard Collections, Inc. 800-347-7555, ext.2209 36-3191725
4839 North Elston Avenue 773-283-5086 Fax
Chicago, IL 60630-2534 Web Site: http://www.harvardcollect.com/
Contact: Tom Vaughan, E-Mail: [email protected]
(Address e-mail to Tom Vaughan)
Municipal Services Bureau 800-568-7004, ext. 3223 74-2605908
325 North Sleight Street 630-420-7515 Fax
Naperville, IL 60540 Web Site: N/A
Contact: Jim Gilbert, E-Mail: [email protected] (Address e-
mail to Jordan Freytag)
EXCERPTED FROM OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
Excerpt from the
State of Wisconsin
Debt Collection
Contract
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Excerpted from InsideARM.com March 19, 2008
COUNTY HIRES COLLECTORS, RECOVERS $4.6 MILLION
A Chicago land county has been seeing success after it sent a tag-team of collection
agencies on the hunt for delinquent fees and fines. DuPage County, Ill., has successfully
recovered more than $4.6 million in payments on delinquent fines and fees since em-
ploying the services of two debt collection firms a little more than 18 months ago, accord-
ing to Bill Maio, the county clerk’s chief compliance officer.
“A couple of years ago, Illinois law changed, allowing us to use outside collection agen-
cies, with their fee added on to the outstanding debt,” Maio said. DuPage County limits
the fees for its collection agencies – Harris & Harris of Chicago and Alliance One of Gig
Harbor, Wash., to 30 percent of the outstanding debt.
DuPage County Clerk Chris Kachiroubus decided several years ago that collecting out-
standing debt was a primary goal and named Maio to oversee the program. DuPage is
predominately a wealthy, white collar suburban area located west of Chicago. “We
thought this [outside agencies] would be a good way to go to clean up a lot of our bad
debt,” Maio added. The clerk’s office turns accounts over to the collection firms once the
debts are 30 days delinquent. Initially there were some complaints from delinquent pay-
ers, Maio said. “They didn’t think we were serious at first. Now I haven’t heard a com-
plaint in eight to nine months.”
“We’ve sent a message that no matter where you are, we are going to find you,” Maio
said. “I have one guy in prison that sends me $1.25 a month.” The county is successfully
collecting delinquent debts from other prisoners as well, Maio added. “For every dollar
we collect, that’s one dollar less DuPage County residents have to pay in taxes.”
PRESS COVERAGE OF MY WORK
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
“For every dollar we collect, that’s one dollar less DuPage County residents have to pay in taxes.”
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
EXCERPTED FROM OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
CUSTOMERS GIVE HARRIS & HARRIS 100 PERCENT APPROVAL RATING
Open Ratings (openratings.com) recently ranked the past performance of Harris & Harris
versus other collection agencies. The result—Harris & Harris received 100% positive
feedback from clients surveyed by this independent third party. Open Ratings conducts a
Past Performance Evaluation that is required among collection agencies seeking to do
business with the Federal government. After contacting up to twenty references supplied
by the company, Open Ratings provides an overall performance rating and a SIC-level
benchmark. Harris & Harris received 100% positive feedback—a high rating compared to
how other creditors have rated different companies in this SIC group.
To achieve this distinction, customers evaluated Harris & Harris on several factors, in-
cluding reliability, cost, timeliness, and quality. Harris & Harris is proud to provide top
quality collection services to its past, present and future clients.
ABOUT HARRIS & HARRIS, LTD.
Harris & Harris is a Chicago-based collection and law firm. Founded in 1968, Harris &
Harris has grown to over 250 associates in two locations and handles high-volume ac-
counts across a variety of industries including healthcare, government, utility and finan-
cial/retail. It employs state-of-the-art information and data management systems to meet
the speed and reporting needs of its clients. Recognizing that reputation is more impor-
tant than collecting any one account, Arnold and David Harris have maintained the val-
ues-based principles on which the company was founded. For
more information, contact Jim Gilbert at 630-585-5720 or
OPEN RATINGS EVALUATION FOR THE GSA
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
The majority of
clients surveyed by
Open Ratings were
clients of Jim
Gilbert.
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
LAWS AUTHORED AND SUCCESSFULLY LOBBIED TO PASSAGE BY ME.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
Provides that criminal offenders are responsible for all costs associated with collecting their Delinquent court fines.
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
LAWS AUTHORED AND SUCCESSFULLY LOBBIED TO PASSAGE BY ME
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
Provides that criminal Offenders are responsible for all costs of collection for judgment orders on bond forfeiture and court ordered restitution.
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
STATE OF CONNECTICUT Department Of Administrative Services
Contract Award No.: 04PSX0061 Linda Loschiavo Contract Specialist
Procurement Division 165 Capitol Avenue, 5th Floor South Hartford, Ct 06106-1659
REFER TO THE CONTRACT ON THE DAS PROCUREMENT WEB PAGE FOR THE MOST CURRENT CONTRACTOR INFORMATION.
Company Name: GC Services Limited Partnership
Address: 6330 Gulfton, Houston, TX 77081
Remittance Address: P.O. Box 4299, Houston, TX 77210-4299
Contact Person & Tel. No.: Molly Perkins - 203-757-9185 Fax No.: 203-759-2131 Contract Value: $100,000.00 – Est.*
Jay Barnes – 614-729-7560 Delivery: As Required
Certification Type (SBE,MBE, WBE or None): None Terms: Net 45 Days Agrees to Supply Political SubDivisions: Yes
Company E-mail Address and/or Company Web Site: [email protected] www.gcserv.com
REFER TO THE CONTRACT ON THE DAS PROCUREMENT WEB PAGE FOR THE MOST CURRENT CONTRACTOR
INFORMATION.
Company Name: Gila Corporation, dba Municipal Services Bureau
Address: 6505 Airport Road, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78752
Tel. No.: 800-568-7004 X 3200 or 630-430-1950 Contract Value: $100,000.00 – Est.*
Contact Person: James M. Gilbert Delivery: As Required
Certification Type (SBE,MBE, WBE or None): None Terms: Net 45 Days Agrees to Supply Political Subdivisions: Yes
Company E-mail Address and/or Company Web Site: [email protected] www.muniserv.com
CONTRACTOR INFORMATION:
CONTRACTOR INFORMATION:
EXCERPTED FROM OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
MEMO CONCERNING JOB GROWTH IN FINANCIAL SECTORS
The Financial business sector within Illinois as a whole is contracting. A number
of community banks have been closed by the FDIC and taken over with signifi-
cant job losses by larger banks. I am finding pockets of growth related to back
office operations. Call centers, loan and bankcard servicing operations are
uniquely suited to the Northern Illinois business environment and there is sub-
stantial opportunity to attract these jobs. The positive factors for attracting these
jobs are: 1) an office space surplus (glut) motivating landlords to provide strong
incentives. 2) a supply of pre-existing built-out call centers providing potential
employers with substantial infrastructure savings 3) a highly educated workforce
and labor surplus area making salaries competitive 4) excellent transportation,
infrastructure and logistics.
These benefits exist in other areas of the country as well so job training grants
and tax incentives will have a positive impact in attracting employers. While I did
find some form of economic develop incentive in the form of grants and tax
breaks in every state, I did not see any form of public/private partnership with
the large landlords. The commercial landlords have good potential for identify-
ing opportunities that could use some state assistance. Partnering with the com-
mercial landlords on job creation initiatives will also help to forestall major loan
defaults by the commercial real estate sector as the office and industrial space
glut continues thereby worsening the financial condition of an
Industry that is already highly leveraged.
POLITICAL CAMPAIGN POLICY DEVELOPMENT
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns
This is representative of the kind of research and advice provided to political candidates. This is not an actual sample as any such work is provided by me in strict confidence.
James M. (Jim) Gilbert 384 Vaughn Circle
Aurora, IL 60502
Phone: 630-364-4720 ext. 2007
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Increased professional service fees by over $4 million annually for an
attorney call center firm billing $12 million when I was hired.
Enacted two state laws with unanimous votes in both houses;
The collection of court debt in Illinois (Public Act 93-0693),
The collection of judgment orders of bond forfeiture and restitution.
(Public Act 95- 0514).
Acquired the largest court system in the world as the firm’s first court client.
Grew the firm’s government clients from a single municipality at the time I
was hired, to cities, states, counties, and commissions from Vermont to Cali-
fornia as well as the federal government in collecting and litigating court
fines, taxes and government receivables.
Secured the appointment of my employer as Special Assistant Attorney Gen-
eral in two states.
Achieved the appointment of my employer as Special Assistant State's Attor-
ney for three counties with a combined population of seven (7) million peo-
ple.
Attained a personally attributable and verifiable debt portfolio of over $1.7
billion in account placements and over 2,000,000 debtors.
Acquired the States of Wisconsin and Connecticut as clients as well as major
Illinois counties and municipalities.
Obtained statewide special interest group support for a legislative effort
aimed at holding criminals financially responsible for the payment of their
fines and fees.
Initiated and led successful legislative conferences with the Illinois Supreme
Court & State’s Attorney’s Association that led to reform of how criminal fines
were collected in Illinois.
SUMMARY
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Federal
State
County
Municipal
Quasi-Governmental Boards &
Commissions
Legislative Affairs
Regulatory Compliance
Public Policy & Issues
Political Campaigns