Colleague Corner: St. Cloud

Welcome to the Encore Capital Group® (Encore) Colleague Corner. In this web series, we get a chance to learn from our colleagues across Encore about their careers and what our Mission to create pathways to economic freedom means to them, while touching on aspects of our culture.

For this edition of Colleague Corner, we reached out to two long-tenured Midland Credit Management (MCM) team members in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Pictured left to right: St. Cloud colleagues Kristin Kranz, Joshua Knebel, and Bonnie Trigg engaging in conversation.

• Bonnie Trigg is the Senior Director of Call Center Operations at MCM. She oversees MCM’s call centers in St. Cloud, Phoenix and Costa Rica, and also serves as the Site Leader for the St. Cloud location. Bonnie began her career as an account manager at the St. Cloud site 38 years ago, prior to the site becoming part of MCM in 2005.
• Joshua Knebel is the Operations Manager at MCM’s St. Cloud site. Joshua also has a tenure that predates the St. Cloud site becoming part of MCM and is nearing 28 years with the company. He has used MCM’s tuition assistance program to earn several degrees while working full-time.

Q: How has your career changed over the years working with MCM? What inspired you to stay with the company?

Bonnie: Starting my career behind the phones helping consumers has always grounded me, and I consider myself very blessed for the opportunities I’ve had to serve in various roles throughout my tenure. While my responsibilities have shifted as we’ve leveraged technological advancements to better serve consumers, people have been the cornerstone of my commitment to the company and the work we do. My goal is to find balance between business and employee needs.
Knowing that I am making an impact through my work and the work of my team to help people get back on track and on their path towards their hopes and aspirations motivates and inspires me every day. This knowledge fuels my passion and dedication daily.

Joshua: My career with MCM continues to evolve and one of the main reasons that has inspired me to remain at the company has been our leadership’s commitment towards our professional growth and development. I’m someone who enjoys learning and I was able to take advantage of the company’s tuition assistance to obtain several degrees, and I also continue to learn on the job. Through continuing education, I have grown personally and professionally. In addition, I am someone who is passionate about giving back to the community and I’m able to do so by stewarding our site’s community impact efforts.

Q: How has the company changed since you’ve been working here?

Bonnie: While the ways in which we connect with consumers to help them resolve their past-due debt have changed over time, meeting them where they are has remained foundational and is something that I personally connect with. I believe in the power of communication, and that is at the core of what we do at MCM. Our colleagues take the time to listen to consumers and work with them on finding the best solution for their specific situation. Knowing that the work we do out of St. Cloud is making a positive difference in the lives of people across the U.S. is very rewarding.

Joshua: MCM has changed a lot over the years as we seek to improve and lead the way in the debt collection space, but one thing that has stayed consistent is our core values of caring about employees and consumers.

Q: What advice would you give to a new or less tenured MCM colleague who hopes to build a career with the company?

Bonnie: Stay curious and always be ready to embrace what’s around the corner here at MCM. Always be ready to take on new things and learn. If you are someone who wishes to grow in your career, don’t be shy to share your aspirations with your leaders. You never know what door may open.

Joshua: MCM is a great company that values its employees. Even if you start in a position you don’t think is the right fit for you, don’t give up. As a large organization, MCM offers a wide range of positions. Through personal and professional growth and development, anyone who is willing to put in the work can be successful.

Q: What do you think is the most special or unique thing about the culture in the St. Cloud office?

Bonnie: Although we are part of a global organization, we’re a tight group and have a family-oriented culture, where people genuinely care for each other. Many of our colleagues have long tenures with the company, and it’s been beautiful to see how our culture of unity permeates. We are there for each other and celebrate each other’s personal achievements inside and outside of work.

Joshua: The St. Cloud office’s culture is best-in-class. We have built a strong foundation where colleagues enjoy coming to work. Our philosophy is work hard and have fun.
It’s rare to find organizations that dedicate significant time and energy to ensuring their team members have fun at work and feel appreciated.

We also invited colleagues in MCM’s St. Cloud office to share how they feel about the site’s culture. Some of their responses are below.

• “Over the last 18 years, I have been blessed with being a part of changing the lives of our employees and our consumers. As we all hone the craft of communication, we see barriers drop, relationships grow, and employees continue to reach their dreams. I’ve been here so long we’re now starting to work with a second generation of MCM family members. Watching a parent hand over the blueprint to financial freedom to their kids is an amazing thing to be a part of.”
  — Rick Badeaux, Senior Manager, Call Center
• “At first, I was against becoming a debt collector fresh out of high school, but I realized it was a very fun, competitive environment where everyone was on the same level. You don’t need a college degree or prior experience, just a drive to become the best and do awesome things.”
  — Braeden Badeaux, Account Manager. Braeden is Rick’s son and reports to a different group.
• “I like working with consumers because I’m like one of them. I would like someone to help me too when life happens”
  — Lynn Davis, Legal Specialist, Legal Collections
• “I enjoy coming to work because of the supportive culture and collaborative approach we have. My team is always willing to help and share their knowledge and experience.”
  – Sara Erickson, Vendor Specialist, Legal Collections
• “I’ve been with MCM for over 16 years, and there is one reason I keep coming to work every day: the people. I love our culture, and we find the balance between working hard and having fun. Everything we do puts both our consumers and employees top-of-mind, and we strive to find a win-win for all. I’m proud to say I work for such an incredible company and truly love what I do, which says a lot since I used to be a commercial pilot and didn’t think anything could top that career!”
  — Kirsten Voller, Director of Operations, Legal Collections