About Apprisen

Agency Overview

Our Mission: Helping people improve their financial well-being through counseling, community outreach and financial education.

Some Historical Facts

In our 56 year history as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, we have helped over a half-million predominantly low-to-moderate-income individuals and families learn to manage money, balance their budgets and get out of debt.

Today

Apprisen Financial Advocates continues to be based in Columbus, Ohio and is now the result of almost 20 merged credit counseling organizations since 1999. Known in its local communities as Consumer Credit Counseling Service, Apprisen continues the commitment to community-based financial counseling and education with one of the largest networks of local offices in the U.S. We move into the future with a focus on creating innovative services that can help people in every stage of their financial lives meet their financial goals.

2009

Unprecedented growth, continued expansion, and development of innovative delivery methods marked the first steps as a national organization. Apprisen Financial Advocates was chosen as a national name that would link our growing family of services, provided in local offices as well as by phone and Internet, under one national identity.

2000

Expansion throughout and beyond Ohio into several other states signaled another growth period. To reflect the agency more accurately, the agency became Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the Midwest.

1981

As services spread into other areas of Ohio, the agency became Consumer Credit Counseling of Central Ohio. Comprehensive financial counseling, housing counseling, the Debt Management Program and community financial education helped Central Ohioans manage their credit and debt more effectively.

1967

Economy Budget was incorporated as Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Columbus in order to provide opportunities for community involvement and to expand the scope of its work.

1955

The Economy Budget Service Company, the first free credit counseling service in the U.S., was established in Columbus, Ohio by Harry E. Fuller, President of the Capital Finance Corporation. Its purpose was to aid families, through budgeting and guidance, who had been overwhelmed with credit problems. Representatives from other communities across the country soon came to Columbus to learn how to duplicate the services to help their residents.

Our Principals

Our principal officers are Michael S. Kappas, President/CEO; Johnny M. Cantrell, Senior VP/COO; and Christopher J. Kallay, Senior VP/CFO.

Our Name

Apprisen Financial Advocates, our national name, is derived from two important
words whose definitions clearly describe the work that our agency performs to
fulfill its mission.

Apprise (uh-priz’): verb – to inform, to instruct, to enlighten

Advocate (ad’-veh-kit): noun – one who speaks or acts in support of another;
one who counsels, encourages, or champions

Our Commitment to Improvement

To ensure that the needs of the communities we serve are comprehensively and continually addressed, we adhere to a performance and quality improvement philosophy.

Our Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) program is designed to encompass a wide range of service delivery aspects, including internal audits, client record reviews, and the on-going analysis of survey responses and other statistical data. Regularly scheduled meetings are conducted to discuss and address trends and customer service/ operational improvement opportunities. Client comments that are received, either as part of a survey response or individually, receive follow-up. Personnel can also provide feedback at department meetings or through the Human Resources suggestion box. The overall goal of the PQI program is to promote a high level of consistent service to our clients and creditors.

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