About CDIA - CDIA

About CDIA

  • Overview

    The Consumer Data Industry Association (CDIA) is the voice of the consumer reporting industry, representing consumer reporting agencies including the nationwide credit bureaus, regional and specialized credit bureaus, background check companies, and others. Founded in 1906, CDIA promotes the responsible use of consumer data to help consumers achieve their financial goals, and to help businesses, governments and volunteer organizations avoid fraud and manage risk. Through data and analytics, CDIA members empower economic opportunity, helping ensure fair and safe transactions for consumers, facilitating competition and expanding consumers’ access to financial and other products suited to their unique needs.

    CDIA Team

    Dan Smith
    President & CEO

    Eric J. Ellman
    Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Legal Affairs

    Sheila M. Greenwood
    Senior Vice President of Congressional Affairs and Chief of Staff

    Anita Appel (Popwell)
    Vice President, Education Services

    Betty Byrnes
    Vice President for Finance and Operations

    Sarah M. Ohs
    Vice President, Government Relations

    Kristine Poplawski Thomas
    Director, Marketing & Events

    Zachary Taylor
    Director of Government Relations

    Ally Zimmel
    Manager, Education Services
  • History

    1906

    (Rochester, NY) National Association of Retail Credit Agencies founded

    1929

    Association becomes a division of the National Retail Credit Association

    1934

    Association spins off from NCRA; becomes National Consumer Credit Reporting Corporation

    1937

    Renamed Associated Credit Bureaus of America (relocates to St. Louis, MO)

    1964

    ACB of A moves to Houston, TX (later renamed as Associated Credit Bureaus) Crediscope adopted – first uniform standards
    for reporting of credit payments by lenders

    1970

    Fair Credit Reporting Act [FCRA] enacted (substantially amended in 1996 and 2003)

    mid 1970s

    Metro Format developed by credit reporting industry – a standard format to ensure greater precision in reported data

    1991

    ACB relocates to Washington, DC

    1997

    Association introduces Metro 2® Format, an updated and more robust version of Metro

    2001

    Name changed to Consumer Data Industry Association

    2003

    Fair & Accurate Credit Transactions [FACT] Act passed

    2006

    Association celebrates Centennial Anniversary

  • Industry

    With consumer spending accounting for approximately 70% of the U.S. gross domestic product, CDIA members provide organizations with information and analytical products that are key to the success of our nation’s economy. Credit bureaus and specialty agencies offer fraud prevention and risk management tools that assist companies in assessing risk while ensuring fair and safe transactions for consumers. Resident and employment background check companies play a critical role in making our communities safer as well. CDIA members adhere to the Fair Credit Reporting Act which regulates how consumer reporting agencies use individuals’ information and protects consumer rights. The result is a detailed regulatory credit system that limits the sharing of information for permissible purposes only and has strict requirements on accuracy, consumer access and correction.

    For information on eligibility for CDIA membership, please contact cdia@cdiaonline.org.

  • Education Services

    Robust regulatory compliance training promotes the health of the entire consumer data industry. CDIA Educational Services (CDIA ES)—drawing on CDIA’s more than 100 years of experience serving the consumer reporting industry—supplies comprehensive training solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of consumer reporting agencies, credit grantors and those who use and furnish information to consumer reporting agencies.

    Now governing the ongoing training of over 25,000 employees representing various points along the consumer data industry’s spectrum, CDIA ES consults expert legal counsel from the nation’s capital to expand and enrich the training we offer our growing client base.

     

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