AFSA awarded Barbara McFadden, chairman of Motorists Acceptance Corporation in Beaumont, California, as this year's Outstanding Independent during the Independents Conference and Exposition held in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

McFadden began her career in the finance industry in 1954 with Niagara Finance in Toronto, Canada. In 1955, she left Niagara Finance and became a trainer for Seaboard Finance Company.

McFadden relocated to Southern California in 1960 where she worked for a thrift and loan company. With the blessings of her employer, on the weekends she helped her husband, Norm, with the opening of their own finance company. She raised subordinated debt, solicited business from car dealers, and maintained the company books.

Due to health reasons, McFadden sold their finance company to her previous employer, and over time, operated three thrift and loans together as senior management. In 1992, she retired from the finance business, but that only lasted six months. That's when she started Motorists Acceptance Corporation.

Since joining the association in 1993, McFadden has served on the Independents Section Advisory Board, she continues to assist AFSA in recruiting new members and is a long-time supporter of the AFSAPAC and Education Foundation.

For the past 10 years, she has been a director for the California Financial Services Association (CFSA) and has served as chairman of its Independent Section twice, received the Independent of the Year Award, and is currently in line to become chair of the state association in 2004.

Since 1984, the AFSA Independents Section has presented an Outstanding Independent Award to an individual who has contributed to the growth of the financial services industry while at the same time helping to raise the image of the independent operator.