National Pawnbroker Winter 2012 by National Pawnbrokers Association

L E T T E R F R OM TH E P R E S IDE N T

The pawn industry had an unprecedented year in 2011! T

he pawn industry had an unprecedented year in 2011! It was a year full of media attention that successfully improved our image. Not only were we able to educate consumers on the legitimacy of our businesses, but also shed light on the number of those in wealthier communities using our industry as a means to finance high dollar needs. As Americans began their holiday shopping, they sought out the best solution for stretching their dollars and found themselves giving local pawn stores an opportunity to compete. Instead of reaching out to the big box retailers in town, they searched for every day deals on TVs, jewelry and music equipment. Pawn stores are able to satisfy a legitimate need and, as a result, pawn stores are seeing higher loan balances and an increase in sales, and the industry as a whole has received lots of attention that has helped drive these improvements. On December 23, 2011, NBC Nightly News interviewed customers and owners at pawn stores in Florida, California and Texas. In a New York Times’ article, “Making a List and Taking It to the Pawnshop,” December 18, 2011, customer Sue Gallagher shopped at the pawn store before heading to major retailers. She bought a television for her daughter at Tom’s Pawn Shop in Lake Jackson, Texas. She said it was a decent-sized flat-screen TV for less than $100. She described the experience as festive, with garlands and tinsel and

by Kevin Prochaska

music playing in the background. “I didn’t feel like I was shopping in a pawnshop,” said Ms. Gallagher, who works for a nursing service.

won’t get at a major retail chain.

So, why is it that consumers are now more comfortable walking into a pawn store to purchase gifts? In the same New York Times article, Mark J. Perry, an economics professor at the University of Michigan, says, “People look at it now as a place to find stuff and find a bargain, where before they may have been afraid of it or figured it was all stolen.”

However, we can’t stop there. We must continue with our great customer service and high business standards. We must continue to adhere to the NPA Code of Ethics and Best Practices (as outlined on www.nationalpawnbrokers.org).

As explained by Jordan TabachBank, chief executive of Beverly Loan Company, in the December 24, 2011 article “The Jingle of Jewelry at a Beverly Hills Pawnshop” in The LA Times, consumers aren’t pawning stolen merchandise; they’re simply using his pawn store as a means to get a quick loan to pay Christmas bonuses to their employees.

As you may know, HR 1909 could potentially increase the competition for the pawn industry by allowing large finance companies to compete with pawn stores across the country. Because we don’t know what the outcome of this bill will be, now more than ever we need to prove to our customers that we are the best opportunity to meet their cash needs.

Banks aren’t providing quick holiday loans to pay for Christmas shopping. Consumers are choosing to pawn their items and then return to pick them up once the loan amount and interest have been paid back to the pawn store.

Finally, I encourage each of you to use the NPA website, www. nationalpawnbrokers.org, as a resource. There is a large amount of information that will benefit you, your employees and your business as a whole. The NPA staff has worked diligently to provide its members with the most current and reliable information about our industry through this website.

As mainstream media continues to praise our industry and emphasize the validity of our position in the economy, NPA members have cleaned up their acts by cleaning up their stores, educating local consumers and, most importantly, providing excellent customer service that consumers

For those of you attending the Legislative Conference in March, I look forward to seeing you there!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER STORY

Pawn Expo 2012 Gain skills that will help you strengthen your business at Pawn Expo 2012. Industry leaders from across the U.S., and worldwide, will come together July to celebrate NPA’s 25th Anniversary in style!

F E AT U R E A R T I C L E p. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act It is difficult to argue against the importance of health care coverage; however what is the true cost to businesses like yours and your employees of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act?

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F E AT U R E A R T I C L E

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Meet NPA Insider Host, Patricia Stark Patricia Stark will be hosting the NPA INSIDER, a new online video news channel available through the NPA website. In addition, she will be the keynote speaker at Pawn Expo 2012. Find out more about this seasoned communications professional and what she will be bringing to NPA. F E AT U R E A R T I C L E p. Rallying a Grassroots Movements: Rally Congress To address the 2012 legislative challenges facing the pawn industry, NPA has launched Rally Congress, an online option for pawn industry businesses and supporters to contact legislators and let their voice be heard on a national and state level.

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F E AT U R E A R T I C L E p. NSSF Strengthens Don’t Lie Program Just like any other media message, the public may have to hear about the fact that buying a firearm for someone who legally can’t will lead to jail time. The NSSF has moved its message to New York’s Times Square to help drive its message forward.

F E AT U R E A R T I C L E p. Is Work a Laughing Matter? Studies show that to some extent, it should be. This human resources update gives you a primer on how to use humor in the workplace to bring out the best in your staff.

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F E AT U R E A R T I C L E p. The Pawn Shop Bible NPA member Dave Griffiths, A Cut Above Pawn, in Beaverton, OR sent us an interesting, and touching story, about how one pawn purchase brought together a family, and improved connections with law enforcement. N PA’S N E W TO O L S F O R YO U p. New and Improved Website Are you an NPA Insider? p.

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Articles and Information

DEPARTMENTS

Letter from the President........ 01 Executive Director Report....... 04 Legislative Update................... 06 NPA New Members.................. 45 State News................................ 48 2012 Dixie Registration Form... 55 Calendar of Events................... 59 Index Of Advertisers................ 60

www.nationalpawnbrokers.org

NATIONAL PAWNBROKER • PO Box 508 • Keller, Texas 76244 OFFICE: 817.337.8830 • FAX: 817.337.8875 • EMAIL: info@nationalpawnbrokers.org National Pawnbroker is the official publication of the National Pawnbrokers Association and is published quarterly. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of Dana Meinecke, Executive Director, National Pawnbrokers Association. Sale or distribution of any or all of the contents of this magazine is prohibited. All rights reserved. © 2007-12 National Pawnbrokers Association

To obtain additional copies of National Pawnbroker, call 817-337-8830 or send email to the National Pawnbrokers Association at info@nationalpawnbrokers.org. For membership information, download an application from the NPA website. Editor’s Note: This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative

information on the subject matter covered. It is provided and disseminated with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal or other professional services. If legal advice is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Magazine Layout & Design: DAWN MAYO DESIGN, Richardson, TX

Staff Bios Lindsay Wilson, Director of Meetings and Events

Lindsay is a Fort Worth, TX native and has lived in Texas and DC over the last few years. She graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelors of International Business degree. From there she continued her event planning career and now joins NPA with over 8 years of event experience ranging from non-profit association conference planning to luxury hotel catering and sales. Most recently she served as the Director of Sales and Special Events for a local cultural destination in Fort Worth. She has a passion for event planning and programming and is looking forward to sharing her knowledge with the NPA family. In her spare time she enjoys volunteering, traveling, and time with friends and family.

Chris Pearcey, Communications Specialist

Chris was born and raised in Austin, TX. After attending the University of Texas and receiving her journalism degree, she started a 20 year career in managing associations of all sizes. Chris recently relocated to Keller so that she could spend more time with her family, especially her very cute 18 month old niece. In addition to working for associations, Chris is a Certified Canine Training and Behavior Specialist, and provides pet dog training in her spare time. She has one 16-year-old dog, Idgy, named after a character in the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes.” And yes, it really is harder to train the human than the dog!

Matthew Church, Government Relations Administrator

Matthew grew up in Yorktown, Indiana. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 2007, with a degree in Communication and Germanic Studies. Upon graduation, he moved to Chicago, where he worked as a fixed income products trader at the Chicago Board of Trade. In late 2009, he moved to Austin and began working in the political arena as a campaign manager. He then went to work for Ways and Means Chairman Harvey Hilderbran as an Assistant Ways and Means Committee Clerk and as a District Manager. Matthew is an avid runner. The summers between his freshman and sophomore years at KU, Matthew and his best friend spent the summer backpacking throughout the Western U.S. National Parks. During college he was an exchange student for seven months at the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands. After graduation he spent three months traveling thoughout Australia.

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E X E CU TIVE DIR E C TOR R E P OR T

by Dana Meinecke

he National Pawnbroker Association Board of Directors and Executive staff understand that 2012 is a critical year for our industry. Enhancing the association’s services, building new member benefits and expanding the reach of the NPA to meet your needs will help us help you keep up with the changing times. As a positive step towards those goals, we have added three new staff members in Keller, Texas to help improve and expand our impact. Lindsay Wilson, Director of Meetings & Events will be leading Pawn Expo with her wealth of experience in event management. With less that 140 days to go until Pawn Expo, Lindsay has taken the reigns and is guiding the NPA into the most innovative and productive Pawn Expo ever. The NPA is very proud to be celebrating our 25th Silver Anniversary with a special Welcome Reception marking the milestone. In addition, as a special component of Pawn Expo 2012, the NPA has contracted the Disney Institute to conduct a series of groundbreaking business, educational and inspirational seminars. This new education program is focused on providing pawnbrokers time-tested best practices, sound methodologies and real-life business lessons that have led to the global success of Disney. The key to any successful association is communications. Chris Pearcey, our new Communications Specialist, will focus her efforts on improving and enhancing our internal communications. Chris will also work closely with our external communications team to develop cutting edge ways to interact with our membership. Matthew Church, Legislative Assistant will use his legislative experience to keep us organized

and informed about the going’s on at Capital Hill. Mr. Church will be working hard to make sure that the needs of TEAM NPA at the Spring Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. are met. His legislative support, research and administration skills will be invaluable in moving the government relations agenda of the NPA forward. The NPA was invited to attend the 2012 NSSF Shot Show this past month. Margie Swoyer, NPA Director of Membership, and I were present and were honored to have three NPA Board Members join us. Chuck Williams and Steve Rogers, from Warner Robbins, GA and Kevin Macdonald, from Jacksonville, MS took five days out of their schedule to promote the NPA to both pawnbrokers and vendors. Margie was able to sign up several new pawnbroker members, and we enjoyed the opportunity to visit with some of our members who were in attendance. We would like to thank Sports South for donating a Remington Model 700 SPS Varmint Rifle to the NPA, so that we could hold a drawing while at the show and encourage folks to stop by our booth. Our lucky winner was Luke Finkelstein from Capital Pawn Shop in Montgomery, AL. Congratulations, Luke! Our 2012 membership drive has been very successful. On our new member page, you will notice the many new members who have joined NPA recently and the many longtime members who have added additional locations over the course of the past year. We thank all of you for your support and look forward to a very prosperous year for the pawn industry.

GOVE RN M E N T R E LATION S by David Crume, GRC Chair

Legislative Update

ere we are again! Just one month away from NPA Legislative Conference 2012! It’s hard to believe that this is our eighth year already. We’ve come such a long way in a very short time. The date of this year’s Conference in Washington, D.C. is March 8. You can bet I’ll be there along with many of my faithful colleagues who take time off from their business to march on Washington. I invite you to join us. Each year, we grow in numbers as more and more of our membership discovers the vital importance of meeting their Representatives and talking about our industry, our concerns and our history. If we don’t do it, who will? It’s really that simple. How else will our legislators learn about our business? By reading the paper? We all see the same news articles and 90% of them show pawn in a negative light. Unfortunately, unless they hear from you, this is where they will get their information. With the turnover in Washington, it becomes imperative that we return year after year to educate and inform. We need as many members as possible to join us. If you have been before, then consider a return visit. If you’ve never been, maybe it’s time to go. You’ll be accompanied by another NPA member and provided information on our industry. Real life stories create much more of an impact than any brochure or leaflet. Your stories, your experience, your business, and the fact that you vote, are what make the visits worthwhile. One of the key issues we’ll be discussing is our concern with HR1909, an effort to authorize a federal charter for large non-bank participants. A federal charter would allow these large players a significant advantage over non-charter businesses—anything from exemption from state oversight to favorable loan terms and conditions. Not only would this be a bad deal for you, but it also could be a bad deal for consumers, and also very confusing. Many in Washington haven’t taken a position on this issue. Now is the time for them to hear from you. Privacy and protection of customer data is still a top concern for us. While there have been a number of bills filed on privacy, none address the widespread use of privately owned businesses that capture your customers’ personal information. This is your client information that you have

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no control over once it leaves your store. Our customers, and our businesses, deserve the same protection as any other customer of a bank, credit card company, or credit union. Recently, Richard Cordray was installed as head of the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Team GRC is monitoring all action extremely closely. There has been a lot of rhetoric from both sides of the aisle. We have no reason to believe that the pawn product is, or will be, a target, but things can change quickly in Washington. This Agency recently released an examination manual for payday lenders. If you would like a copy, visit the National Pawnbrokers Association (NPA) website’s Members Only section. The examination appears to be thorough, exhaustive, and extensive. Our regulatory counsel has thoroughly reviewed this document and we will continue to monitor for changes in direction or language. Many State legislatures have reconvened for 2012. We have seen a few new pawnbroker bills emerging, and several payday bills. Be sure your state association, or your attorney, has reviewed any new legislation for adverse language. State and local legislation can move very quickly and can often be more dangerous than federal legislation. If you are not a member of your state pawnbroker association, I strongly encourage you to join today. Our regulatory counsel has recently released a bankruptcy primer update. This is available in the Members Only section of the NPA website. Be sure to get a copy of this today. I want to thank each and every member for your continued support of our Association and our legislative initiatives. I know you work hard, and that is why we work hard for you. We’re doing everything to get you the best bang for your buck! Please continue your support in any way you can. We are always in need of funds for our PAC. We have several key donors year after year who quietly but generously support our efforts. Please consider sending in an extra amount this year. Your industry needs you, and needs your support. See you in Washington! “Rather than focusing on things and time, focus on preserving and enhancing relationships and on accomplishing results” – Stephen Covey

FE AT U RE A R TICLE

By: Sharon A. Cobb, LUTCF, RHU

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Is It Really Affordable? In March 2010, President Obama signed the highly publicized Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, amended and renamed the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Like many sweeping new laws, ACA was met with praise and criticism, and with that, plenty of confusion. What exactly is changed by ACA’s passage? What are the pros and cons? And, ultimately, what does this mean for businesses, both large and small? ACA defines a big business as one with 50 or more full-time employees, and a small business as one with less than 50 (U.S. Chamber of Commerce). These definitions may be useful in categorizing for the sake of passing legislation; however nothing is ever that easy.

Payne listed three foreseeable options:

1. Expanding coverage to all employees and paying their premiums 2. Offering partial coverage and risking penalties for those employees who drop out of the plan due to prohibitive cost 3. Discontinuing all policies and paying the penalties However Conner Industries decides to act, Payne estimates the company will be out no less than $1,000,000. This loss of revenue may ultimately endanger an established reputable company.

There is a gray area. Some are finding it challenging to judge where they fit into ACA, as is the case with Mr. Grady Payne, father of Don Payne. Don owns Mansfield Pawn, in Mansfield, Texas, and Grady’s cousin, Richard Payne, owns Cash Plus in Fort Worth and Dallas.

Essentially, the goal of ACA is to provide easier access to affordable healthcare. According to the Congressional Research Service Health Insurance Exchanges & Premium Credits, it is estimated that the percentage of uninsured Americans will drop from 19% to 8% by 2019. But employerprovided insurance will provide for only 159 million employees in 2019, down from the current 162 million.

Mr. Payne is the successful CEO for Conner Industries, a lumber supplier for manufacturing companies. Since 1981 the company has grown to over 450 employees in 11 plants. This places it firmly in the big business bracket according to new ACA criteria.

There are several reasons for the future decrease in coverage. Medicare payments to hospitals and physicians average around 75%, the remaining amount must be paid by taxpayers and, inevitably, employers. This may limit companies’ coverage options and increase overhead costs.

However, as Payne explained during testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform, Conner Industries operates each of its factories almost entirely independent of the others. This means no location houses more than 50 employees, and fits the ACA definition of a small business. Payne described his company as being in a “no-man’s land between assistance and exemptions for small business and waivers for mega corporations” because Conner Industries is “too small to get favorable group rates and self insurance contracts and too large by statute to be exempt (from penalties).”

The Congressional Budget Office claims governmental aid will reduce premiums from 19% to 11% by 2016. However, concerned business owners may wonder who would pay for these decreasing premiums should the cost of medical expenses remain the same. Additionally, there is a chance these rising overhead costs will lead to difficult decision making in order to stay in the black, including cutting employee healthcare altogether.

Health insurance coverage is valued by Conner Industries, but due to low enrollment, it has always been a challenge to keep in place. Payne expects the new ACA requirements will make affordable healthcare move from challenging to near impossible. At the moment, Conner Industries uses a fully insured plan because self-insured plans are too costly to be a realistic option.

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It is difficult to argue against the importance of healthcare coverage and, in the past, many employers have tailored plans to their employees’ needs. In 2003, two-thirds of Americans had employer-provided health insurance. But ACA mandates whether big or small, all companies are responsible for covering very specific benefits and must provide “minimal essential coverage” most likely to include “hospital, emergency, maternity, pediatric, drug, lab services and other care.” Continued, page 10 First Impression...Continued on page 10

FE AT U RE A R TICLE New taxes will perhaps be the most jarring adjustment to the ACA mandates. The penalties for inadequate, costly, or lack of insurance are hefty, yearly, and not tax deductible. After 2014, any company employing 50 or more people full time must offer health coverage or it will be charged $2,000 per full-time employee, per year. Businesses with fewer than 50 full-time employees are not charged this tax. Employers who are penalized will not have to pay fees on the first 30 employees. Additionally, the employer will not be responsible for paying the $2,000 tax on employees who are in their first 90 days of employment. Even a business of 50 or more full-time employees offering insurance can still be subject to staggering fines. If an employee is unable to afford the coverage available through his or her job, meaning the premium ranges from 9.5% to 9.8% more than of his or her household income, they may qualify for a “premium assistance tax credit.” If that is the case, the employer must pay either $3,000 for each credit recipient or $2,000 for each of the members of the company’s entire workforce, whichever is the lesser amount. In terms of potential advantages coming out of ACA, smaller businesses may see the benefits of this law sooner than big businesses. Before ACA, over 70% of big-business employees had health insurance, approximately 20% more than employees in small businesses. According to the Commonwealth Fund in New York, the disparity between the larger and smaller companies’ health insurance costs will be reduced by numerous measures initiated by ACA. From now until 2013, small businesses employing 16.6 million individuals nation-wide, will qualify for tax credits of up to $40 billion. In order to qualify for credits to assist with insurance premiums, small businesses must have “10 or fewer full-time employees for full credit and from 11 to 25 employees the credits may decline to 0%, pay employees an average annual wage of less than $50,000, offer all full-time employees coverage, and pay at least 50% of the premium.” Another mandate under ACA tasks each state to set up an insurance exchange. These “marketplaces” are projected to provide a level playing field where companies can have access to high quality health insurance at a lower cost like larger companies. Ideally, this would be a positive thing for a company like Conner Industries. But exchanges are limited to businesses with fewer than 100 employees until 2017. Companies like Conner Industries may not have their turn until it’s too late. Although the states have the power to develop an exchange Continued, page 12

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First Impression...Continued on Page 42

FE AT U RE A R TICLE as they see fit, they are not required to set premiums at a certain amount. One purpose of the exchange is to provide individuals, and small businesses participating in the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP), leverage when shopping for health insurance. The success or failure of the exchanges depends on participation. Insurance carriers are not required to participate in an Exchange. The fewer enrollments, the less power members will have when negotiating with participating insurance carriers. The Affordable Care Act is hotly contested by many businesses both big and small, as well as those like Conner Industries who fall somewhere in the middle. As of the writing of this article, federal courts are debating whether the individual mandate requiring health insurance is constitutional. If it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, where does that leave us? Will the exchange program be implemented anyway? If your state has one, will it last? What if you are already in one? It may seem nearly impossible to cut through the jargon and rhetoric we have come to expect around any piece of

legislation and this article is far from comprehensive. With all of the pending judicial rulings on many parts of the law, even this information may have changed by the time you reach the end of this sentence. You may have already begun to notice the effects of ACA. Some effects will not be evident for some time. The timeline for ACAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mandates stretches to 2014, and some will not be fully enforced until 2016. The NPA will continue to keep you up to date. It is critical for us to examine the facts in order to determine how ACA will affect our companies, our employees, and ourselves. Whether it is an issue surrounding yourself, your family, or your business, the bottom line is money. What can be afforded, what must be sacrificed, what amount, if any, will remain at the end of the day? The question now is whether the ACAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposed benefits to individuals will outweigh the cost to the businesses. And unfortunately, like Mr. Payne, we may be in for a rude awakening, and some tough choices ahead.

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Meet NPA INSIDER Host, Patricia Stark This year NPA has launched a new online video news channel, the NPA INSIDER. One of the new faces on NPA INSIDER is host, Patricia Stark. While Patricia is new to the pawn industry, she is an accomplished on air personality with a great deal of first hand experience working in every form of media, television and film. Additionally, Patricia has established a reputation as one of New York City’s top communications and media training consultants, managing the successful Manhattan based communications firm, Patricia Stark Communications. Her firm specializes in media training, coaching professionals and executives in public speaking and both on-air and business communication skills. Patricia brings extensive experience to her clients that includes television hosts, news anchors, CEO’s, financial experts, authors, medical professionals and sales executives. She’s a faculty member at the American Medical Association’s annual Health Communicators Conference, the Actors Connection at the Film Center in New York City, and among her many accolades, she is a former Miss New York. In addition to her on-air hosting work for the NPA INSIDER, the National Pawnbrokers Association (NPA) is pleased to announce that Patricia Stark will present the keynote speech at the at this year’s Pawn Expo General Session in Las Vegas. NPA public relations consultant, Emmett Murphy, recently interviewed Patricia about her upcoming Pawn Expo keynote presentation to learn how pawnbrokers can leverage her tried-and-true communications strategies to improve their businesses and extend the positive image of the industry. Emmett Murphy (EM): The association is interested to learn more about you. Can you tell the membership about your background in reporting and journalism? Patricia Stark (PS): Well, I’ve hosted over 25 different televisions shows over the last 20 years, I’ve been a 10

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o’clock news anchor in Connecticut, I’ve been a medical news anchor for over 10 years and I’ve done entertainment news. Additionally, I’ve hosted on the Food Network, TLC and I’ve made several appearances on Law and Order. Most recently, I appeared as the opening narrator and reporter in the 2012 Golden Globe and Oscar nominated film W.E., directed by Madonna. The pawn industry is new to me. However, I’ve probably been in over 2,000 educational or online videos covering just about every other industry. EM: What prompted you to start your consulting firm, Patricia Stark Communications? PS: In working with so many people from various industries, I found myself coaching them and helping them to refine their communication skills so that they are comfortable on camera or in interview situations. Eventually, I gained many contacts through different producers and agencies. They said, “Hey, remember when you helped so and so? We’d like you to come in and just do that.” So that was the light bulb moment for me—when I realized that I could start a business. I knew it would intertwine nicely with my on-camera presentation. My coaching and consulting business just started very organically. I have a professional and business approach to communications, and my clients love that I have my finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the media. EM: Before working on the NPA INSIDER project, what was your perspective on the pawn industry? PS: Well, I’m actually the type of person that the NPA is trying to reach with its positive message. I had little to no interaction or understanding of the pawn industry. I’d never been to a pawn shop before. However, I had seen Pawn Stars and was aware that the industry was gaining popularity and the industry’s image was improving. When I started working with NPA INSIDER, I researched the pawn industry as a whole, and I learned a lot about the great strides the industry has made in improving its image to the public and navigating the complex legislative landscape and also its recent successes and the challenges that lie ahead. EM: There’s been a continuing effort over the last few years of pawn stores striving to improve their image. How do you think the NPA and its members can keep this positive momentum going, and how does your communications expertise apply to the pawn industry? Continued, page 16

FE AT U RE A R TICLE PS: Well, we are going to address this at length during the keynote presentation at Pawn Expo 2012. In a general sense, the pawn industry continues to improve its image with the media and the general public through its business practices, store quality, service levels and professionalism. These elements need to be carried through into every aspect of the individual member’s pawn store. The goal will be to set the expectation high and meet that expectation when someone walks into the store—especially for the first time. If a potential customer has an incentive to explore the services of a local pawn store because of the positive information they are receiving via television or the media, the challenge is to deliver on the expectation set forth. This is “image follow through” and will be a successful way for each NPA member to really benefit from the good work the association has done on a national and regional level in the press and with lawmakers. Look for Patricia Stark at Pawn Expo 2012 at the General Session and on the trade show floor at the NPA INSIDER booth. And don’t forget to check out the NPA INSIDER online at www.NationalPawnbrokers.org.

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FEBRUARY 2012

FE AT U RE A R TICLE

Rallying a Grassroots Movement with American political life, and Rally Congress will give the NPA membership a more immediate and effective voice.

To address the 2012 legislative challenges facing the pawn industry, the National Pawnbrokers Association (NPA) has launched Rally Congress as a way NPA members, pawn customers and other supporters of the pawn industry can let their voices be heard on a national and state level.

Each time an NPA member signs on, Rally Congress validates the incoming data, determines the district and elected officials, and stores all of the information in the NPA database.

The NPA has a long history of organizing grassroots movements to bring attention to important legislative issues. Most recently, in 2008, the NPA sponsored a postcard drive in opposition of the proposed 36% interest rate cap bill. Rally Congress is a great way for the NPA membership to initiate online action and reach lawmakers on Capitol Hill. While there can be no replacement for letter writing, personal phone calls and one-on-one interaction with lawmakers, Rally Congress will allow the NPA to gather support and momentum around an issue quickly to deliver a cohesive message on behalf of the industry. NPA members, customers, and the general public can access the NPA Rally Congress at Act.NationalPawnbrokers.org. Rally Congress was created by former Capitol Hill staffers and non-profit advocacy professionals. It is non-partisan and follows the Congressional Management Foundation (CFM) best practices for online advocacy vendors. The Internet is broadly expanding citizen participation in

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In turn, Rally Congress ensures that the NPA membership’s “Calls to Action” have real impact. The messages are delivered by integrating with email and legislators’ web forms. Rally Congress consults regularly with congressional staff to make the message delivery as smooth as possible. They monitor the process daily and will resubmit any messages that were not received by a congressional web form. In rare cases, because of technical hurdles, if a message is not deliverable through the electronic system, Rally Congress will send the message as a letter via facsimile. Rally Congress paces the delivery of email messages to Congress to avoid overwhelming specific servers on Capitol Hill. Rally Congress extends the constituent message delivery process for all 50 states for Congress, House of Representatives, the President, all 50 Legislatures and Governors. The database offers an integrated directory of web pages for all 535 Members of the U.S. House and Senate. There’s a national view, a state view of the delegation for each of all 50 states and a personal view for each official. Also, an activity feed of people taking action from that state with their public comments is produced. Continued, page 21

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Watch Certification Svc...Continued on Page 46

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Key Rally Congress features include: • Taking part in NPA calls to action • Discovering the names of your state and Federal representatives • Sending your state and Federal representatives an email or fax; or you can click to call them • Spreading the word with integrated social networks like Twitter and Facebook

Strengthening the NPA message to lawmakers is pivotal to our success. Rally Congress will be instrumental for our legislative agenda, but it will only be successful with your support. Our first call to action is a general “I support the pawn industry” message. We’re asking you to immediately take action on this petition and ask your friends, family and customers to do so as well.

Go to Act.NationalPawnbrokers.org and get started today!

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By Glenn Sapir

NSSF® Strengthens Don’t Lie Program

s part of an ongoing national effort to help prevent illegal straw purchases of firearms, the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF) has continued to send out the message to the public, while increasing its tools for the firearms retailer. What is the message? “Buy a gun for someone who can’t and buy yourself 10 years in jail…Don’t Lie for the Other Guy.”™

More than 365,000 pedestrians walk through the Great White Way on any given day, making this a coveted spot for any public-education message campaign. The message ran from Oct. 15, 2011, through New Year’s Day. On New Year’s Eve, a record number of holiday celebrants— estimated at close to one million— gathered in Times Square.

That message may never have been more apparent than it was in Times Square in the heart of New York City, where a sign for the Don’t Lie for the Other Guy program had been placed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. “Sign” probably isn’t the appropriate way to describe the message on the giant 18x34 foot screen that is an icon in Times Square, dominating the corners of 7th and 8th Avenues at 42nd Street. The electronic advertisement brought a stern warning about the stiff penalties for such purchases to Times Square in the heart of New York City.

Don’t Lie is a cooperative program between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and NSSF, the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry. The effort started over a decade ago to help educate retailers about detecting and deterring straw purchases. A few years later, the campaign was expanded to educate the public about how serious a crime it is to purchase a firearm for someone who cannot legally do so themselves. The campaign drives home the message that attempting an illegal firearm purchase faces a stiff federal felony penalty of up to 10 years in jail or up to $250,000 in fines.

Visitors to NYC’s Times Square saw this three-part message on the iconic giant electronic billboard.

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To legally purchase a firearm, a person must be able to pass an FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check and fully comply with state and local laws. When a criminal knows he cannot pass this check, he may try to persuade a friend to make the purchase on his behalf, which is known as a straw purchase and is a felony. “Our goal was to raise awareness among New Yorkers and tourists coming into the city that there are serious consequences for illegally straw purchasing a firearm,” said Stephen L. Sanetti, NSSF’s president and CEO. “This warning can help deter an illegal purchase long before a person steps into a licensed retail store, and we have run similar notices all across the nation.” The promotion of the Don’t Lie for the Other Guy message in Times Square was funded by the firearms industry. “The firearms industry is proud of its longstanding cooperative relationship with the ATF and the entire law enforcement community by assisting them in their efforts to combat the criminal acquisition and misuse of firearms,” said NSSF Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF’s senior vice president and general counsel. “We are happy to make the

complete Don’t Lie for the Other Guy program available to New York City and the surrounding area.” That public awareness campaign in New York City constituted only part of the Don’t Lie for the Other Guy outreach effort. The full Don’t Lie for the Other Guy program also involves you, of course, if you are a firearms retailer. The program educates firearms retailers on detection and prevention of straw purchases, and it has been rolled out in major cities throughout the country and along the U.S.-Mexican border. This is a campaign that ATF has called “vital” and “an important tool for ATF as it pursues its mission of preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime, and protecting the nation.” In the retailer segment, federal firearms licensees are provided a Don’t Lie for the Other Guy retailer kit. Each kit contains a training video and informational brochure for storeowners and staff, as well as point-of-purchase displays aimed to deter illegal straw purchases. You can learn more about the program and request a free Don’t Lie retailer kit at www.dontlie.org. WINTER 2012

FE AT U RE AR TICLE

New and Improved NPA Website www.nationalpawnbrokers.org We’ve listened to your comments and suggestions and have tailored the design to your needs. The new website is geared to be more intuitive for users and will provide a more streamlined user experience The site will also drive membership with improved Join Now and Member Benefits pages. Cutting edge design updates the overall aesthetic feel and conveys the association’s professional and authoritative branding. We have designed the site to be highly organized and consolidate all documents and files into one easy-tonavigate database. With improved search functionality, the website provides members quick and easy access to valuable industry information.

practices. When a customer clicks on the NPA seal, it will dynamically generate a small web page (provided through the NPA website), with current information, licenses, accreditations and a summary of the NPA Code of Ethics. This mini-page will be unique to each member and will verify the active NPA membership status. It will communicate the value of doing business with an NPA member.

NPA Knowledge Base—This area of the website

will contain a comprehensive library of NPA and pawn industry documentation, including all legal, compliance, education and training documents. This database can be searched in the three ways: 1. Search by Titles, Keyword or Tags—This type of search is similar to using Google’s search function and is based on keywords, tags or matching text in the title of the document. 2. Search By Category Searching by Category allows users to find documents based on larger topics. 3. Visually Scan Via the Tag Cloud—The tag cloud is a visual display of keywords and categories that allows the more visually inclined user to comfortably navigate the knowledge base.

Some of the features in the redesigned Members Only area of the website include:

NPA Insider Help Desk—

The new NPA Insider Help Desk will make it easy to ask the NPA questions and browse valuable FAQ’s. The Help Desk can be accessed on the home page of the website by clicking on the Ask Us tab on the left, or within the Members Only area.

Knowledge is power and the NPA is committed to providing new information to its members as well as streamlining the existing information for easy access.

NPA Seal of Approval—The seal of approval program

Happy browsing!

will provide all NPA members a dynamic NPA logo seal for display on their websites. This seal will be the hallmark of credibility, using the branding and reputation of the NPA as validation of your commitment to best business

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If you’d like to become a member and start enjoying all the benefits that NPA has to offer, call 817-337-8830 or email info@nationalpawnbrokers.org.

W ORK P L AC E CO MM U N IC ATION

Is Work a Laughing Matter? By Kit Goldman, President, Workplace Training Network (WTN) © www.workplacetrainingnetwork.com Goldman and WTN partner, Memo Mendez, were presenters at the 2011 NPA.

s a general rule, we’ve found our pawn industry clients to be exceptionally good humored and often very funny. We’ve been told laughter is a survival skill in the the intense pawn shop workplace.

a funeral most people would rather be in the coffin than giving the eulogy!”

So, if you’d like to improve your humor proficiency and confidence, ask yourself these questions: • In a seemingly serious situation, what nuggets of humor can I find? • When faced with a potentially difficult situation, could humor help? Could it lead to a better outcome?

Well, guess what? It actually is!

• Am I funnier than I think I am? Less funny? Who will give me an honest assessment of my sense of humor?

If you Google “health benefits of laughter,” you get 2,240,000 results. The secret is out! Laughter is a great way to promote physical and mental health, key ingredients for a high-performing workplace.

• Could I start my next meeting or conversation with funny story?

Laughter boosts the immune system, lowers stress hormones, decreases pain, relaxes muscles, prevents heart disease and lowers anxiety, among many other benefits. Laughter is part of the universal human vocabulary. It signals acceptance, positive interaction and membership in a group. There are thousands of languages, but everyone speaks laughter in pretty much the same way. Babies can laugh long before they speak, and children born without sight and hearing have an inherent ability to laugh. Laughter is uniquely, innately human – like each of us! As long as the source of laughter is not offensive, hurtful, or at someone else’s expense, mirthful moments at work can foster harmony and teamwork. Laughter can also help reduce conflict. It’s a lot harder to argue and stay mad at someone when you’ve shared some healthy laughter! Some people would like to give the gift of laughter, but are afraid to take the risk. A well known survey shows that for many, speaking in public is their number one fear in life. Death was number 2! As Jerry Seinfeld observed, “At

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• What are the humorous situations in my life that have taught me something?

Here are some tips for keeping laughter safe and appropriate for the workplace: • Never joke about co-workers’ sexuality. You see the headlines about sexual harassment. Don’t become one! • Don’t joke about people’s appearance. That is an emotionally charged area. • Say away from religion, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation. Leave “...so a priest, a rabbi, an imam, and a fat mud wrestling midget with a dress and a mustache go into a bar…” for outside of work. • Avoid joking about bodily functions. Yes, yes, we are talking about keeping your humor politically correct in the workplace. This can be challenging in the down-to-earth, family-style atmosphere of many pawn First Impression...Continued on page 10

W O RK P L AC E COM MU N IC ATION

shops – but resist the urge to approach the boundaries of harassment for a laugh. It’s not worth it! You can achieve healthy humor that enriches and enhances your workplace without it. Stick with humor everyone can enjoy, support, relax with, goodhearted laughter that gives those great mental and physical perks!

So… what are some fairly safe “targets” for getting laughs? • Yourself ! Your own flaws and quirks. Making lighthearted jokes about yourself puts people at ease and brings them closer to you. They can relate. Humility is charming! • Situations you all face, i.e. new regulations, how busy it is, the industry, difficult customers you all deal with (with no customers present, of course!)

• Personal characteristics with low ego-involvement. Most of us are sensitive about appearance, but we’re less invested in other aspects of ourselves. For example, I don’t mind colleagues sharing laughter with me about my bad handwriting, my raucous laugh, or how grumpy I am when I get up at 5 a.m. for pilates and there’s no coffee going when I get there! They do it with affection for who I am, not with disdain or ridicule. At WTN we’ve been using humor as a powerful training tool for 20+ years. We’ve learned that people are much more open to learn when we laugh together. Even the most resistant employees are engaged and enlightened once we get them to relax and laugh a little! Let us help protect your business from conflict and lawsuits with our most popular program, “Workplace Harassment: the Real Deal”, available through your NPA compliance store.

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FEFE ATAT U RE U R EA RATICLE R TICLE

By Dave Griffiths, A Cut Above Pawn Beaverton, OR 97005

The Pawn Shop Bible Back in February, a guy walked in to our store and presented a family Bible dated 1864 for a loan. This was one of those guys that set off all the sirens as soon as he walked in, so we declined the loan. Two days later he was back with the Bible tucked under his arm so we took a closer look. It was obvious upon looking through the Bible that someone had meticulously kept records of family events for over 100 years. We felt it was imperative that we find the owner of the Bible, so we loaned $50 on it to get it in our possession. As soon as the pledgor left, we called the local police who came down and took a look. They agreed with our assessment and said they would try to find an owner. Always up for a challenge, I bet them that I could find the owner before they did. They sent two more people down to take pictures, and off we went to see who could hit pay dirt first. Being an amateur genealogist, I went online and in two hours found a possible owner for the heirloom. I called the detectives the next morning only to find that they, too, had come up with

a name. It was not the same as my name, but it was a relative. After a long chat with the detectives, it was decided they would contact both parties and try to sort things out. Meanwhile, I sent a message to the person I found online, and he called me back asking if he could come take a look at the book. A meeting was arranged and a few days later this gentleman found himself looking at his great-great-great grandmother’s Bible. After another long talk with the detectives it was determined that the Bible had indeed been stolen, so it could be released. They already had the bad guy in jail. However, the gentleman insisted on paying me, so we got our $50 back. Nice story, right? Well, there is more to it! The family Bible originated in Wisconsin and, at the turn of the 20th century, made it to Oregon. Of all the original members in that family, only 2 made it to the West coast. The Bible came with one family and stayed in that family until recently, when it was sold in an estate sale by one of the family members. This was NOT the family member I found. I guess that I lost the bet since I did not find the original owner, but the story goes on. The Bible was purchased in the estate sale, passed along and eventually stolen from one of the parties who bought it. The person I found turned out to be a judge, and was born and raised in Oregon and had little knowledge of his extended family. His grandfather had been the governor in the early 1900’s and his father had been a Congressman back in the 60’s, so he was well-connected. In the midst of determining who should have the Bible, he found that the original owner, who sold it in the estate sale, was his cousin, and they have been going duck hunting for over 20 years. They had no idea they were related! I was able to locate over 120 relatives for the judge and gave him all of the information so he could have it for his records. After having the back of the book re-bound, it is now in a display case for his family to enjoy. An unfortunate side effect of our industry is the stolen merchandise that presents itself. While some stores do better than others at not taking this stuff, it is inevitable that we will all end up with it from time to time. My first instinct was to not take an item I thought was stolen, and many of you would do the same thing. However, fate smiled on us and we got a second chance to do the right thing. I got a kick out of trying to find the owner before my detective, and made a difference for someone’s family. A side benefit has been that the police department has yet another reason to love us, and a judge who spends his time dealing with bad guys, has a new appreciation for pawnbrokers!

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First Impression...Continued on page 10

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Dear Ms. Meinecke: Once again, on behalf of over 15,000 surviving law enforcement families nationwide, C.O.P.S. thanks the National Pawnbrokers Association for their contribution to the C.O.P.S. scholarship program. The C.O.P.S. Scholarship Program provides assistance with tuition, books and fees for surviving spouses and children of any age who do not receive tuition-free education as a state death benefit. C.O.P.S. scholarships are awarded three times per year up to a maximum amount of $1,500 per semester with a $12,000 lifetime cap. The fallen officer’s death must be certified “line of duty” by the Public Safety Officers Benefits Program, Bureau of Justice Assistance. Scholarships for the Winter/Spring 2012 college semester have been awarded by Concerns of Police Survivors. Two recipients who best met the criteria of the Future Business Leaders Scholarship program were chosen from among our applications. These two recipients were notified that their scholarship was provided by support from the National Pawnbrokers Association. The recipients are: Jacob Pettine of Colchester, VT, is the son of Officer John Lamm, Fairbanks Police Department, AK, EOW 1/1/1998. Officer Lamm was shot and killed after responding to a suicidal man with two other officers. As they entered the home they were fired upon. Jacob is attending the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he is completing his degree in physics. Shala Shores of Carmichael, CA, is the daughter of Detective David Miller, Sacramento County Sheriff ’s Office, EOW 1/2/1983. Detective Miller was killed in an automobile accident during a pursuit. Detective Miller observed the men get in an altercation outside of a business and gave pursuit. He was attempting to get them to slow down when his truck hit the vehicle, causing him to veer off of the roadway and strike a utility pole. Shala is attending Sacramento City College where she is completing her degree is field ecology. With your assistance, C.O.P.S. has now assisted 324 surviving children and spouses in 46 states and Puerto Rico further their education. On behalf of nearly 15,000 surviving law enforcement families nationwide, we thank you. Your support helps insure that C.O.P.S. continues to help America’s surviving law enforcement families rebuild their shattered lives. Sincerely yours, Lori Graves Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer

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www.PawnExpo.com

CO IT Y FE AT UM REMU A RNTICLE

NPA Future Business Leaders Support the future of our industry! The Future Business Leaders (FBL) Scholarship Committee is accepting applications from NPA members who wish to sponsor a future industry leader.

Keep your eyes open for deserving students in your community like these:

Karen Juco, Monee, IL.

Kelsie Holden, Niles, MI

For applications or more information: www.nationalpawnbrokers.org The deadline for 2011-2012 academic year is April 20, 2012. Contact FBL at (817) 337-8830 with questions.

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FE FEAT ATUURE RE AR A RTICLE TICLE

Are you an T

he National Pawnbrokers Association has launched a new system to help streamline internal membership communications. Email communication is the central way that the NPA reaches out to the membership. In the past, the NPA has issued various types of email blasts, such as legislative updates, member alerts and member benefits news. The new NPA Insider email system combines all these different categories of information into one, reader friendly, informative email document.

NPA Insider Newsletter

All NPA members are will receive the NPA Insider Newsletter. The NPA Insider is sent out every third Tuesday of the month. If you’re not receiving the NPA Insider emails, you may need to update your email address with the NPA by sending an email to connect@nationalpawnbrokers.org. Another benefit of NPA Insider: advertising revenue that supports the association’s programs. Each time you click on an advertiser’s logo and go to their web sit, NPA receives extra advertising revenue.

NPA Insider Online Video

At the end of 2011, NPA ended the Pawn TV project. In its place, NPA Insider debuted its new online video channel. NPA Insider videos will delivering authentic, interesting and valuable pawn news, webinars, and industry information in a quick and easy online video format. The videos are usually only one to three minutes long: short and sweet, but highly informative. NPA Insider breaks down interesting and complex news stories and makes them easy to understand and useful to you. The channel will also host webinars by industry experts, providing easy access to professional development.

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NPA Insider is produced in conjunction with the New York based new media development firm, 3 CLiCk Media. 3 CLiCk Media handles public relations for the NPA and has developed several successful online tools for the association, including NationalPawnbrokers.org, PawnShopsToday.com, PawnFyNdR.com and PawnTweet.com. The NPA Insider is hosted by Patricia Stark. Ms. Stark has established a reputation as one of New York City’s top business communications and media training consultants, specializing in coaching professionals and executives. Among her many accolades, she is a former Miss New York. In addition to her on-air hosting work for NPA Insider, the National Pawnbrokers Association is pleased to announce that Patricia Stark will present the keynote speech at the at this year’s Pawn Expo 2012 General Session in Las Vegas.

Help Desk

NPA Insider’s Help Desk can be accessed by visiting NationalPawnbrokers.org/members and clicking on the “Help Desk” button, or by clicking the “Ask Us” tab found on every page of the NPA website. The Help Desk will allow members to submit questions to pawn industry experts. These questions will be answered to the best of the abilities of a panel of industry experts. The Help Desk will also have a library of information that will be valuable to them, including vendor tips, best practices and other Insider recommendations. NPA Insider is not only creating an effort to communicate more easily with the membership and streamline the information exchange process, it’s also an effort to improve the quality of the writing, information and visual content.

N E W ME M BE R S

WELCOME NPA NEW MEMBERS! Alabama Lucky’s Wholesale, LLC—Robertsdale Arkansas Big Brother’s Pawn #4, Inc—Siloam Springs Braswell & Son—Conway J & T Land & Cattle Co., Inc—Rogers Pawn Gallery, Inc—Knoxville Arizona Bell Road Pawn—Phoenix California Downtown Fresno Coin, Jewelry & Loan—Fresno River Pawn LLC – Blythe Rocky’s Pawn Shop—Beaumont Colorado Auto Pawn America—Loveland Donkey Pawn Inc—Englewood Mister Money of East Pueblo #31—Pueblo Florida Gold N Connection (4 Stores)—Fort Lauderdale Gold N Connection—Hollywood Gold N Connection—Pompano Beach Gold N Connection—Fort Lauderdale Mega Pawn Jewelry Inc—Kissimmee Georgia Pam Prengaman——Suwanee Quick Cash Pawn, LLC—Rincon Tom’s Pawn Central—Lyons Hawaii Hawaii Loan LLC—Honolulu Iowa Premier Jewelry & Loan—Bettendorf Idaho Pawn 1 - Maple Grove—Boise Illinois Monster Pawn Springfield—Springfield Sterling & Knight Jewelry & Pawn—Hinsdale Indiana Quick-Cash Pawn Inc—Lawrenceburg

Kentucky Dan’s Discount Jewelry & Pawn—Frankfort Mister Money of New Circle #62—Lexington Quick-Cash Alexandria—Alexandria Sharpmart—Louisville Louisiana Bayou Pawn & Jewelry #3—Zachary Big A Jewelry Pawn Shop #2—Lake Charles Big A Jewelry Pawn Shop #3—Lake Charles Michigan American Jewelry & Loan—Waterford—MI Minnesota Excel Pawn & Jewelry—Champlin—MN

Sunbelt Jewelry & Loan #2—Houston Solid Pawn—Longview Top Dollar Pawn Superstores #14—N. Valley Mills— Waco Top Dollar Pawn Superstores #29—Mesa—Houston Top Dollar Pawn Superstores #31— Big Tex— Houston Top Dollar Pawn Superstores #32— I-45 North— Houston Top Dollar Pawn Superstores #37—FM 78—San Antonio Universal Pawn Inc—Alton Valu + Pawn Houston #5—Houston Virginia Gloucester Pawn—White Marsh Hilltop Pawn, Inc—Virginia Beach

Missouri Capital Pawn—Jefferson City Petey’s Pawn, LLC—Sedalia Piazza Jewelry & Pawn—Saint Louis Smart Pawn—Kansas City

Washington Colortyme—Sunnyside West Virginia Charleston Cash 4 Gold & Loan—Charleston

Mississippi Dad’s Super Pawn—Pascagoula

Caribbean CashWiz Antigua CashWiz Downtown CashWiz Freeport CashWiz Mandeville CashWiz Providenciales

New York Armaan LLC—New York Provident Loan Society of NY—Flushing Ohio Howard’s Jewelry Center—Mentor

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands C.G.D. Easy Cash Pawnshop #2—Saipan

South Carolina Dick’s Pawn Shop East—Myrtle Beach Fast Cash Pawn—Spartanburg Louie’s Pawn Shop—Myrtle Beach

Mexico Mister Empeno—4 new stores

Tennessee Dave’s Pawn Shop—Crossville Dave’s Pawn Shop—Cookeville Trenton Pawn & Sales—Union City Texas Cash Pawn #9—San Angelo El Bufalo Pawn (two stores)—Laredo Money Mart Pawn & Jewelry #19—Humble Money Mart Pawn & Jewelry #20—San Antonio Money Mart Pawn & Jewelry #21—San Antonio Money Mart Pawn & Jewelry #22—Universal City Quik Pawn – Deer Park Sunbelt Jewelry & Loan—Houston

Industry Platinum Partners C. Mahendra Jewels—Houston, TX MyOSHAstore—San Diego, CA Polygon—Longueuil, PQ, Canada Star Facet—Novato, CA Wallace Refiners—New York, NY Industry Partners Amipi Inc—New York, NY Classic Imports – New York, NY Gesswein Co., Inc—Bridgeport, CN ICE Signs—Kingston, NH M & B Enterprises of AZ Inc.—Carefree, AZ

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The NPA iPhone app is available in the iPhone App Store

S TAT E N E W S

MISSISSIPPI The Legislative session in Mississippi kicks off this month, and we will be scanning for bills that might affect us. Our longtime Banking Commissioner, John Allison, retired recently. He was a friend of the Mississippi pawn industry. He will be succeeded, at least for the time being, by Deputy Commissioner Theresa Brady, who has also worked with us for many years. The Dixie Trade Show and Educational Conference is just around the corner: March 17-19, 2012. It will be at held at the Double Tree Hotel in New Orleans. Butch Tinker, President of the Louisiana Pawnbrokers

Association and Kathy Pickerell, Secretary of the Association, have been working hard for several months getting ready. It’s going to be the biggest and best regional show we’ve had. If any of you would like to attend, or have any questions, text Butch at 337-249-9045 or contact Kathy at kpickerell@cox.net. I’m also available at 601-2122444. The hotel is right in the Historic French Quarter, and there is plenty to do in the Big Easy, so bring the family! We will be having two additional continuing education (CE) classes that will occur after The Dixie. We are working now to settle the dates and speaker(s) and will be sending out the information soon We are also putting together online courses this year for those who may be opening new stores in Mississippi. What a great time to be a pawnbroker, and I hope everyone has a great year in 2012!

Continued, page 51

S TATE N E W S

ILLINOIS We have all recovered from the holiday festivities, and now it is back to work. Our Illinois legislative season is around the corner. There are a few bills related to our industry in the process, so we will be watching them closely. The semi-annual meeting will be held at noon on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the I-Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign. You have heard about the annual trip to Capitol

Hill to lobby for our industry. Don’t pass up the opportunity to join us. It is one of the most basic and amazing parts of our form of government—making your voice heard by your legislators. This is your chance to participate. This year Indianapolis, Indiana will host the Midwest Pawnbrokers Convention. From the cocktail party on Friday evening May 18, 2012, through the closing state meetings on Sunday, May 20, 2012, commerce, seminars, and the free exchange of ideas about our businesses will abound. I look forward to seeing you there. Let’s keep the Medici Cup in Illinois for another year. Continued, page 52

S TAT E NE W S

OHIO

INDIANA Indiana, as well as many other states, has been a hotbed of activity, with new pawn shops opening and others being bought and sold. Many industry associations have concerns about public companies buying member stores and then not supporting the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;they just drop their membership. Indiana is feeling the pain. However, the Indiana Pawnbrokers Association (IPA) is still maintaining over 50% of non-public operators as members. In November of 2011, IPA sponsored a GIA Diamond Grading Class in Indianapolis, which sold out. Five diamond buyers were invited to buy from those bringing goods to sell. IPA will be sponsoring a class again in October or November of 2012. This year the Midwest Pawn Convention will be held in Indianapolis, May 18th-20th. There will be an amazing roster of timely educational seminars and a variety of vendors. This event site is close to Indianapolis International Airport, and easily accessible from the many interstate highways that intersect Indianapolis. The exhibit hall is sold out, and the attendee fee has been reduced another $20 again this year!

There are a number of legislative issues that the Ohio Pawnbrokers Association (OPA) is currently working on. Senate Bill 262 was recently introduced as a re-write to certain sections of the Ohio Pawnbrokers Act (ORC 4727). This legislation was initiated by the large, multinational, Texas-based payday loan corporation, Cash America. This was a response to earlier attempts to rewrite 4727 and drastically impede competition through the legislative process. In that earlier attempt, OPA successfully delivered our message that, as representatives of the pawn industry in Ohio, the proposed legislation was one companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attempt to put independents out of business and take over the pawn industry within the state. The new legislation will be much more difficult to fight. Cash America has pulled out all the stops and is doing everything they can to influence our legislators. This is where you, as a member of OPA, needs to step in. We need every member, all your employees, your family, friends and neighbors to contact your elected officials to let them know you oppose SB262. Tell them this legislation is not supported by the industry and would create undue hardships on pawnbrokers across the state. Please take the time to protect your industry.

Alta Diamonds, LLC We buy and sell clarity enhanced diamonds. 1.800.391.0012 62 W 47th Street, Ste 302 Ph: 212-221-9808, Fax: 212-221-9800 www.altadiamonds.net

S TATE N E W S In other legislative news, OPA has presented legislators our suggested re-write of Ohio Revised Code 4728, the Precious Metals Dealers Act. In short, the Act would be amended to create a level playing field between pawnbrokers and precious metals dealers (PMD). There will be equal licensing, reporting and holding periods for pawnbrokers and PMD. Most importantly, the legislation will require anyone who buys precious metals off the street to be licensed. While this may not put a stop to the plethora of unlicensed dealers, it will go a long way in giving law enforcement and regulatory agencies the power to put these individuals out of business. As always, OPA will continue to keep you informed of the current goings on in the State. Finally, as of this writing, a membership meeting and continuing education seminar is planned for April 22, 2012 in Columbus at the Quest Conference Center. This meeting will address some very important issues. Please mark your calendars. Your attendance is strongly encouraged.

FEBRUARY 2012

MAKE YOUR PLANS TO ATTEND THE 2012 DIXIE PAWNBROKERS EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel New Orleans March 17-19, 2012

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM

Registration Fee: Includes lunch, reception, dinner and seminars Member - $195.00 each ................................................................. $ __________________ Member Staff/Spouse/Guest/Family Members - $95.00 each ...... $ __________________ Non-member - $250.00 each ......................................................... $ __________________ Non-member Staff/Spouse/Guest/Family Members - $150.00 each $ __________________ TOTAL REGISTRATION FEE ..................................................... $ __________________

Please print (indicate names as you wish them to appear on badges) Name ____________________________________________

Phone ___________________________

Shop/Company Name _______________________________

Fax________ _____________________

Spouse/Guest ______________________________________ Email ____________________________ Address ____________________________________ City/State/Zip _______________________________ Others attending from your business __________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------Send your registration form and check for your registration fee to your state association as soon as possible, but no later than February 20, 2012. Make check payable to your state association. Alabama Pawnbrokers Rosemary Hipps 122 West Mobile St. Florence, AL 35630 rosiefh@comcast.net Mississippi Pawnbroker Kevin Macdonald 1425 Terry Rd. Jackson, MS 39204 sterryroadpawn@comcast.net

Arkansas Pawnbrokers Tim Collier 1123 S. University Suite 101 Little Rock, AR 72204 hogtim@windstream.net Louisiana Pawnbrokers Kathy Pickerell P. O. Box 1743 Denham Springs, LA 70727 kpickerell@cox.net

Make your hotel reservations directly with Doubletree, 1-800-222-TREE (8733), Group Code LDA, or go to www.neworleans.doubletree.com. Input arrival and departure dates in the field that says “Check Availability”. Click on “Go”. Input your room preference. Input group code, LDA, then continue. Rates are $139.00 per night for single or double room. YOU MUST MAKE ROOM RESERVATIONS BY FEBRUARY 15, 2012 TO BE ASSURED THE RATE!

INDIANA

C A L E N DA R O F E V E N TS MARCH 2012

2012 Legislative Conference

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2012 The Liaison Hotel, Washington DC ~ 202-638-1616 Group Rate: $269.00 Contact: Dana Meinecke / 817-337-8830

17 18 19

Dixie Convention MARCH 17-19, 2012 New Orleans, LA Contact: Butch Tinker / 337-478-9643

MAY 2012

18 2012 Midwest Pawnbrokers Convention 19 MAY 18-20, 2012 20 Wyndham Hotel, Indianapolis, IN Contact: Ron Stempkowski / 219-261-3173

JULY 2012

17 18 19

NPA Pawn Expo 2012 JULY 17-19, 2012

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV Contact: Lindsay Wilson / 817-337-8830 www.PawnExpo. com

OCTOBER 2012

13 Texas Association of Pawnbrokers Convention 14 OCTOBER 13-14, 2012 Embassy Suites Outdoor World, Grapevine, TX Contact:Peggy Roden/ 972-506-0203

19 California Pawnbrokers Association 56th Annual Convention and Exposition 20 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012 – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2012 21 Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa Contact: Kim Andosca/ 209-786-5115 www.CaliforniaPawnbrokers.org

Mark your calendar today. Classified Ads Available $3.00 per word • Minimum $30.00

Contact NPA office to reserve your ad spot 817-337-8830 • erika@nationalpawnbrokers.org

I N DE X O F AD VE R TIS E R S ADVERTISER

AAA Precious Metals (855) 285-8880 www.aaapreciousmetals.com ABC Diamond Buyer (586) 354-7274 www.ABCDiamondBuyer.com Alta Diamonds, LLC (212) 221-9808 www.altadiamonds.net Amipi (800) 530-2647 www.amipi.com Bluestone Trading (888) 800-BLUE (2583) www.Bluestone-Trading.com Burrell Printing & Promotions (800) 531-5234 www.BurrellPrinting.com The Buyers (562) 945-7276 www.TheBuyers.com Cash America (866) 291-8110 www.pawnshopbuyer.com

PG.

Palak Diam Inc (213) 228-0077 www.PalakDiam.com

PawnMasters (888) 949-7296

Professional Texas Insurance (800) 742-6240

Rapaport (212) 354-9800 www.rapaportauctions.com

The Ring Man (215) 677-2440

Gemological Institute of America (800) 421-7250 www.gia.edu

Golden Opportunities (888) 387-6017 www.GoldenOppUSA.com

RMF Consulting Group (866) 204-7209 www.checkcashingcompliance.com

Hi-Tech Precious Metals & Refinery (866) 950-7528 www.HiTechPMR.com

Rolland Safe Co (800) 225-2984 www.rslc.net

Stallcup Group, Inc www.thepawnshopbroker.com

Hoover & Strong (800) 759-9997 www.hooverandstrong.com Houston Precious Metals (713) 228-3931

Stebgo Metals (800) 289-0138 www.stebgo.com

International Gemological Institute www.igionline.com

IF C

Livesays (813) 229-2715 www.Livesaysinc.com

Stuller (337) 262-7700 www.stuller.com

Manhattan Gold & Silver (212) 398-1454 www.mgsrefining.com/npa

The Trendz (866) 337-7464 www.thetrendz.biz

Umicore

Mid-States Recycling & Refining (847) 298-0010 www.midstatesrecycling.com

Union Life & Casualty Insurance Agency

Championship Rings (615) 484-6701 www.ChampionshipRings.net

3 CLiCk Media www.3ClickMedia.com em@3CLiCkMedia.com

CompuPawn (866) 545-9868 www.CompuPawn.com

Continental Assaying (617) 391-0019

Data Age/PawnMaster (888) 949-7296 www.DataAge.com

Geib Refining Corp. (800) 228-4653 www.GeibRefining.com

Gesswein (203) 365-5400 www.gesswein.com

CashPass Network (877) 505-6600 www.CashPass.com

CR Jewelers (800) 574-8820 www.nationalmeleebuyers.com

Garrett Metal Detectors (800) 527-4011 www.Garrett.com

Dillon Gage (888) 436-3489 www.dillongage.com

Garfield Refining (800) 523-0968 www.GarfieldRefining.com

National Jewelers Supplies (888) 657-8665 www.NationalJewelersSupplies.com North American Metals (800) 773-1626 www.NorthAmericanMetals.com NTR Metals (800) 889-0396 www.NorthTexasRefining.com

(877) 795-5060 www.umicore.com (800) 545-5624 www.PawnInsurance.com United Precious Metals

(800) 999-3463 www.UnitedPMR.com

WINTER 2012

IBC

Wexler Insurance Agency (800) 432-1853 www.WexlerInsurance.com

White Pine (646) 758-0292 www.whitepinediamonds.com Worldwide Diamond Co (213) 622-2191 www.WWDiamond.com

The NPA does not specifically endorse any entity and makes no representations, warranties or guarantees, and assumes no responsibility for, the products or services provided by these entities. The NPA expressly disclaims all liability for damages of any kind arising from the use or the performance of the products or services provided by these entities

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