In April, the AFSA Marketing Committee elected a new chair: Marty Bowie, Marketing Manager for Security Finance Corporation, a consumer loan company headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Bowie, who has been with Security Finance for over four years, has over 20 years of marketing experience focused primarily on financial service products. In her current position, she manages and directs marketing and advertising for over 900 branches nationwide.

As head of Administrative Services for Security Finance, she is responsible for Customer Relations which handles consumer disputes, credit bureau reporting and researches any identity theft alerts for the organization.

Continuing as co-vice chairs for the Marketing Committee are Steve Hess, executive vice president of marketing for Centex Home Equity, and Dan Barnett, Director, Consumer Lending Ecommerce for HSBC North America. Hess is responsible for developing marketing strategies and executing marketing programs designed to support each of Centex Home Equity's primary origination channels. He also has responsibility for the company's Bank Referral unit that develops strategic alliances with other national financial service providers.

Hess has over 24 years experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Centex in February 1997, he served in a similar capacity as SVP for Corporate Marketing for Ford Consumer Finance Company and Meritor Credit Corporation (the former home equity lending division of GE Capital).

Dan Barnett is Director, Consumer Lending e-Commerce for HSBC North America. He is responsible for all online marketing and web development activities for HSBC's consumer finance brands. Barnett first started working in the consumer finance industry over twelve years ago. He also spent two years as a Managing Director at Xceed, Inc. – a global digital consulting firm.

The AFSA Marketing Committee provides members with a forum to discuss marketing topics and issues involving the consumer finance industry. Participants in all sectors of the financial services industry benefit from this group's yearly professional development meeting. Senior marketing executives interested in joining the Marketing Committee may contact Lynne Strang, AFSA's staff liaison to the committee, at lstrang@afsamail.org.