In this episode of the AFSA Extra Credit Podcast, we sit down with Eric Ellman, President at the National Consumer Reporting Association. Ellman has been in the consumer credit and reporting space for almost 30 years and walks us through the history of consumer credit and its interesting anecdotes.

Ellman takes us in a time machine back into the late 19th century to discover how merchant-based credit systems evolved into our modern national credit bureau, the role of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the significant challenges consumers have faced over the years.

Guest: Eric Ellman, President, National Consumer Reporting Association

In this episode of the AFSA Extra Credit Podcast, we welcome Tab Edmondson, Senior Director of Lender Solutions at Epic, a new business partner of AFSA. The discussion centers on modernizing loan payoffs and lien release processes, highlighting the challenges dealerships face with multiple lenders and the inefficiencies in current systems. Tab shares insights from his extensive experience in the automotive industry, emphasizing the importance of streamlining processes to benefit dealerships, lenders, and consumers.

In this episode of the AFSA Extra Credit Podcast, we sit down with the elected presidents of the AFSA Education Foundation EDGE and Leadership Development Programs. Joining the conversation are Roman Roberts and Jasmine Carter from Republic Finance, along with Bobby McLendon from Security Finance. Together, they discuss the professional and personal impacts of the EDGE program at Mercer University and the Executive Leadership Program at UNC Chapel Hill. The guests also share their early experiences with money and highlight the critical role of the free MoneySkill program in classrooms across the country.

Learn more about the AFSA Education Foundation programs at www.afsaef.org/leadership and MoneySKILL at https://afsaef.org/.

In this episode of the AFSA Extra Credit Podcast, AFSA SVP Danielle Arlowe is joined by Jennifer Keys and Matt Isaacson from Covius. The discussion centers on the complexities of vehicle recovery compliance, specifically focusing on proposed legislation in Massachusetts and Colorado and how these bills would impact right-to-cure notices and repossession processes for vehicle finance companies.

Speakers

• Jennifer Keys: Senior Vice President of Compliance, Covius.
• Matt Isaacson: Senior Regulatory Counsel, Covius.

Host

• Danielle Fagre Arlowe, SVP, AFSA

AFSA is tackling AI head on in a few short days at the 2026 Independents Conference & Expo – all of our sessions, committees and networking groups will revolve, even in a tangential way, around AI, how the consumer credit industry can get the most out of this emerging technology and what you need to keep your eye out for.

Back in the fall, AFSA moderated a panel at the Annual Meeting about some of the ways AI is already integrated into lending systems, analyzing unstructured information moving beyond traditional credit metrics, enabling sharper risk assessment and, ultimate a more personalized borrower experience at every stage.

The panel included:

• Elizabeth Blackhall, Senior Compliance Specialist with Husch Blackwell
• Lawrence Buckley, SVP, Business Development, DataOceans
• Tammy Mouta, Product and Growth Lead with Salient AI.

While you pack your saddle bags for Frisco or wait in that boarding line, take a listen and refresh yourself on where we stand in the AI space. Then, when you land, get ready for a deep dive on all things AI.

Listen to the Extra Credit Podcast wherever you get your podcasts or visit afsaonline.org/podcasts.

How much of your personal information is available online—and who can access it?

In this episode of the AFSA Extra Credit Podcast, we sit down with Ron Zayas, CEO of Ironwall by Incogni, to discuss the growing risks tied to personal data exposure, cyber threats, and executive security.

Fresh off Ironwall's feature on 60 Minutes, Ron explains how his company helps protect executives, employees, and organizations by removing sensitive personal information from data brokers, search platforms, and even the dark web.

The conversation explores how bad actors use publicly available data to target individuals, why attacks increasingly happen at home rather than at the workplace, and how artificial intelligence is making phishing scams more sophisticated—and more effective.

Ron also shares practical steps individuals can take to better protect themselves and their families, including limiting where personal information is shared, using VPNs, and understanding how everyday transactions may expose sensitive data.

In this episode:

• Why personal data has become a major security vulnerability
• How criminals use publicly available information to target individuals
• The rise of AI-powered phishing scams
• Why executives and employees alike are increasingly at risk
• How location tracking and data brokers collect personal information
• Practical steps consumers can take to protect themselves online

Whether you're focused on cybersecurity, consumer privacy, or protecting your organization from emerging threats, this conversation offers valuable insights into today’s rapidly evolving risk landscape.

In this episode of the AFSA Extra Credit Podcast, host Dan Bucherer sits down with Andres Klaric, co-founder of Fuse, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of lending, loan origination, and customer experience.

Andres shares the story behind Fuse’s evolution—from a direct-to-consumer lending business to an AI-native platform serving banks, credit unions, and finance companies across the U.S.—and explains what it truly means to build and operate in an “AI-native” world.

The conversation dives into the rapid pace of AI innovation and the growing gap between those building the technology and those trying to adopt it. Andres emphasizes why waiting for the dust to settle isn’t an option, and how lenders can begin capturing real value today by focusing on workflow automation, continuous improvement, and practical implementation strategies.

Listeners will also gain insight into:

• Why many AI initiatives fail—and how to avoid “throwing AI on top” of existing systems
• How automation can drive efficiency without replacing human expertise
• The importance of transparency, compliance, and data ownership in AI-driven systems
• Where human judgment—especially in risk and underwriting—remains essential

Andres also discusses how AI is shifting roles within organizations, freeing teams from repetitive tasks and enabling more strategic, high-value work.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore AI or looking to scale your current efforts, this episode offers practical insights into how to adopt AI intentionally and effectively in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.

Happy New Year! The AFSA Extra Credit Podcast is back with fresh perspectives, best practices and great conversations with consumer credit industry leaders

In this episode of the AFSA Extra Credit Podcast, we chat with Ravi Bajagur from Sigmoid to discuss the role of AI in the financial services sector, particularly in lending. They explore the differences between traditional machine learning and AI, the importance of data quality, risk analysis, and the future of AI applications in lending. Ravi shares insights on how Sigmoid is helping lenders streamline processes and ensure security and explainability in AI models.

Speaker

Ravi Bajagur, Global Head, Financial Services, Sigmoid

-----------------------------

Don't forget to follow AFSA on Twitter @AFSA_DC and @AFSA_SGA and on Linkedin. The blog at afsaonline.org is also a great resource for the most up-to-date news.

If you've got questions or you'd like to suggest a guest, please shoot us an email at membership@afsamail.org or tweet at us.