As ARM Compliance Business Solutions celebrates six years, The People Behind Compliance continues to shine a light on the individuals whose experience, perspective, and dedication shape the company’s approach to compliance.
For the second part of this series, we caught up with Irene Hoheusle, our dedicated compliance advisor since 2023. Irene’s journey has included years of hands-on experience, teaching, policy development, and finding practical ways to turn compliance expectations into everyday operations.
Today, Irene brings that perspective to her work at ARM Compliance Business Solutions.
What inspired you to pursue a career in compliance?
When I started working for a collection agency, I quickly learned that compliance just made sense to me. I thought of it as common sense, even when the “common sense” of it wasn’t so common!
I would get excited going to conferences and hearing others talk about compliance because my mind would say, “Yes, that’s exactly what I thought!” or sometimes, “Oh, you got that wrong; you’re missing things!” Those experiences confirmed that I have a strong grasp of compliance.
I spent 28 years with that agency, serving as the main compliance person and continuing to grow my knowledge along the way. When I eventually resigned, I knew one thing for certain: whatever I did next, compliance had to be part of it.
What do you enjoy most about working with our clients?
I love the feeling I get when they get excited over something I did or helped them do. Seeing their appreciation and hearing their praise keeps me knowing I’m doing the right thing. I’ve always felt that if all agencies were compliant, maybe the black eye on our industry could finally heal. After all, we are all in this together, and it takes only one bad apple to be pounced on by those looking to make a name for themselves by repeating the negative narrative. I love that I can help every client be compliant and help heal the black eye.
What area of compliance are you most passionate about, and why?
I really love putting plans together and writing policies. Still, I’d have to say I love teaching compliance, especially to those just starting in the industry, whether it’s a new organization entering the space or a collector entering the collection industry as a career. I must admit, I love deciphering the minds of others who make the rules to see what they thought and how they thought things worked. Whether debating why it’s not realistic or thanking them for listening to the common sense they should all have, the passion is there.
What does operational compliance mean to you?
In my opinion, Operational compliance isn’t just knowing what is and isn’t compliant; it is the ability to turn that knowledge into action, including training staff, monitoring, auditing, doing risk assessments, logging crucial information, and knowing when to make changes. It’s a world in and of itself, outside of gaining the knowledge itself.
What is one piece of advice you would give someone working in compliance today?
Don’t be afraid to admit you need more information. Sometimes people feel they can wing it with the information they have, and sometimes it’s because they would rather not make changes or are afraid to know they need to change something. When we always do what we’ve always done, we never know what we can actually accomplish.
What accomplishment at ARMCBS are you most proud of?
I’m proud of so much, but one thing I didn’t do until I worked at ARMCBS was work with multiple AI companies to help them develop their AI agents’ talk-off and compliance understanding. It was fun to “break the bot.” Often, I’d do scenarios they didn’t realize they needed, and the AI agent didn’t know how to respond. Helping them better understand real life in our industry has been rewarding.
What motivates or inspires you each day?
Life. I love life. Staying relevant and healthy for my family. The pride my children and their children have in me is overwhelmingly wonderful. It feels great to know others see me as independent, intelligent, and capable of doing the things I’m passionate about. My daughters and grandchildren motivate and inspire me every day of my life.
What’s your favorite hobby or way to spend your free time?
I still like to do projects around the house; I’m a home improvement woman. I love power tools, wood, and tiles. I also have a habit of going down the rabbit hole of doing diamond art! It’s the no-brainer hobby that just relaxes me. When not doing projects, or sometimes even when doing them, I love to spend time with my daughters and my 7 grandchildren. I’m blessed that they all make time for me. The grandkids range from 20 years old to 18 months, and I couldn’t be happier than when I do a “camp Grandma” or take them on vacation. Seeing my girls laugh, enjoy each other, and enjoy my company is what makes life worth living.
Tell us one fun fact that most people don’t know about you.
I love costumes. I’ve created and worn Halloween or fun day costumes, and I am a person who takes it very seriously. I used to work in the garment district of Manhattan, and I can out-sew most, so making elaborate costumes is fun, and the scarier or more “out there,” the better. One of my recent favorite costumes is Winifred Sanderson from Hocus Pocus. Who knew I looked like Bette Midler! Even my props worked out fantastically.
What’s your favorite vacation destination or a place you’d love to visit someday?
Every year, I visit my sister in New Jersey, and every year she visits me in Kansas. We also make it a tradition to go someplace fun together. A few years ago, we went castle hopping in Scotland, and I could talk about that trip all day! Let’s just say, trust me, WE DO NOT BLEND! But it was absolutely awesome. I’d love to go to Greece with my sister, my daughters, or my grandkids one day.
What does “Building Better Compliance” mean to you?
To me, building better compliance means that even though everyone in our industry understands the need for compliance, most don’t realize it is a living, breathing thing with a life of its own. There is always more, always changes, always a new rule, regulation, or case that changes what we think we know.
Building better compliance means understanding and accepting this so you can move forward and keep doing better, forever. I’ve used a saying I read a long time ago: “Peace does not come from the avoidance of conflict; it comes from the ability to cope.” I believe this is true for compliance also. Stop avoiding the inevitable, cope with it, and make it right.
