IRVING, Texas -

It might only be August, but the American Recovery Association (ARA) already has April on its radar.

ARA in conjunction with headline sponsor, Harding Brooks Insurance, announced the theme, secured keynote speakers and early bird registration details for the 11th annual North American Repossessors Summit, which is set to take place at the Omni Mandalay Hotel in Irving, Texas, on April 18-19.

Seeking to address the ever-changing business environment and to help attendees conquer the fear of change, the NARS 2019 theme has been coined: “Adapt, Conquer and Overcome: Accept the Marketplace, Face your Fears and Make Money.” The NARS planning committee swiftly and unanimously chose this theme for NARS 2019, thanks to their combined experiences from the lending, recovery agent and vendor sides of the industry.

“With the way the industry is structured today, it’s truly an ‘adapt-or-die’ situation for small business owners,” ARA president Dave Kennedy said. “The speakers and education sessions at this year’s NARS will be heavily business-focused. We want to arm recovery professionals with the tools they need to change their strategy, embrace new practices and build a business they can eventually retire from or pass on to the next generation.”

Breaking records of past summit timelines, the committee has already secured two keynote speakers: Bob Burg, motivational speaker and bestselling business author; and Mike Sarraille, a former Navy SEAL officer.

A highly acclaimed speaker and the author of "The Go-Giver", a Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek Bestseller, Burg will deliver a three-hour business workshop at NARS 2019. Through this workshop, Burg will teach NARS attendees profitable, business-building skills they can immediately take back to their businesses. He was named one of the 30 Most Influential Leaders by the American Management Association and one of the Top 200 Most Influential Authors in the World by Richtopia.

In addition to serving 15 years as a Navy SEAL officer and five years as a U.S. Marine and Scout-Sniper, Sarraille is a graduate of the University of Texas McCombs Business School. Not only is he a leadership instructor and strategic adviser for Echelon Front, a management and consulting firm, but he’s also a recipient of the Silver Star, six Bronze Stars, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals and a Purple Heart.

According to Echelon Front, Sarraille and his fellow SEAL members in the program “creatively interweave edge-of-your-seat SEAL and Top Gun combat stories with practical leadership concepts and principles.”

Early bird registration is now open for $375, a savings of nearly 25 percent off the normal registration fee. Individuals can sign up for early bird registration at reposummit.com.

ARA members also can purchase tickets for up to four additional staff members at a rate of $250 per person. Registration for exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities for NARS 2019 will be announced and open to the public soon.