Posted by Happy_in_Fl on 3/21/07 9:50am
Msg #181057

Well "Dah!" Old Subject- NNA!

Just logged in to NNA- to 'Update the Profile'- and discovered that Certification said "No"-
Then noticed they had background check that said "No".

I paid for renewal in July for NNA Membership, and also for Signing Agent Membership- and figured the Certification would be carried over with that. (Wrong).

Called NNA; the lady said "no, you didn't pay for the test- so your not certified". (Okay, fine).
Told her I had a Background Check with Notary Rotary just completed, with National Verification Registry, and I could fax her a copy, so she can enter "Yes" next to that on my Profile. (Wrong)

She commented, "No, NNA only recognized their own Background Check, and no-one elses".

Then was told of their "all inclusive offer" etc etc etc.... now my blood was boiling, and vent valves in my ears were blowing out steam. (Cold, hard, matter of fact, like this is a recording, take it or leave it)

As "You- all" have been saying, all along, it's a NNA thing, in their favor only, it is surely not the "Individual Notary" their concerned about helping, it's their pocket book!

(Guess the "Dollar Rules, and they can say it as they want it, hey?)

IMHO,Notary Rotary is the best Site and Organization going, second to none.

Reply by BetsyMI on 3/21/07 10:22am
Msg #181060

I agree, and that's why I will be letting all my NNA stuff lag when it expires. I have been getting renewal notices for months and my membership doesn't expire until the end of July. Got a renewal notice for my E&O and it doesn't expire until mid June!

Reply by Charles_Ca on 3/21/07 10:56am
Msg #181066

Get the word out, here you're preaching to the choir...

The NNA is positioning themselves as he voice of the notary in the US and if you really feel that this is not the case you are going to have to be militant in letting everyone, especially those who respresent you in your State's Capitol as well as in DC that the NNA does not speak for you and that in fact they only spek in their own interest.

Reply by LisaWI on 3/21/07 11:04am
Msg #181068

Re: Get the word out, here you're preaching to the choir...

Funny you should mention that Charles. They are trying to make their presence here in Wisconsin as being the "Notary" voice. They are referenced to in our states Notary Pamphlet. I have even been told by our SOS to call them on notarial issues. I think we should be given a choice on this matter, so thank you for posting this.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 3/21/07 11:16am
Msg #181070

Re: Get the word out, here you're preaching to the choir...

No problem Lisa, I believe that the NNA is positioning itself as the "Voice of the Notary" in most states. They appear to have a very tight campaign and they are very single-minded bout the whole thing. I think it would be a travesty to have them be recognized as the "Voice of the Notary" since the only one's they really care about is the NNA and each and every action is openly for their benefit. If action isn't taken quickly they will wind up monopolizing the notary business something I am sure that will wind up being antagonistic to the best interests of the notary.

Reply by Lee/AR on 3/21/07 11:24am
Msg #181075

Absolutely right on, Charles... but

this has to be handled at the state level very carefully or we may find that the state decides to gawd-knows-what with nothing-special-now Signing Agents.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 3/21/07 11:28am
Msg #181078

So right Lee, but check out my response to Sylvia's post

below and see if you don't agree.

Reply by Kevin/Ct on 3/21/07 11:30am
Msg #181079

Re: Get the word out, here you're preaching to the choir...

Yeah...I am kind of interested in seeing how they do against the North Carolina Bar Association concerning attorney only closings. Apparently they have chosen to oppose the Bar. My money is on the Bar Association.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 3/21/07 12:08pm
Msg #181097

I would suspect it depends on the depth of their pockets...

I believe that at least one of the principals of the NNA is an attorney and i suspect that they may actually have more money then the NC Bar Association and campaigns are won or lost depending on funding. This maybe a good area for them to test their strength to see how they might fare against the better funded states such as California, New York, Florida and Texas. If I know the NNA I am sure that they see a profit motive in the fight.

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/21/07 11:54am
Msg #181094

Re: Get the word out, here you're preaching to the choir...

They (the xyzzzzzzz) aren't all that able to impress Texas lawmakers, et al. I like that.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 3/21/07 11:15am
Msg #181069

American Society of Notaries

Happy
Do you belong to the ASN? They are headquartered in Tallahassee. They are a far better organization than the NNA. They are concerned with the individual notary. I discontinued my membership in the NNA when they decided to make the Signing Agent business their priority instead of the notaries.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 3/21/07 11:26am
Msg #181077

Re: American Society of Notaries, I agree, I like the ASN

and I am a member but they too are primarily a marketing system. The thing that has bothered me since I became a notary was that there is no professional organization representing notaries. An organization run by notaries and to the benefit of notaries and not to benefit the organization. I am hoping that the notary networks will start to caucus amongst themselves because I believe that only in a grassroots situation will this ever happen. We have had several people who have tried to start a national association of notaries but succumbed to the lure of profit. I am talking about an organization similar to the National Association of Realtors, or the American Medical Association, or the American Bar Association every notary organization I have seen so far is organized strictly for the profit motive. As Marlene so eloquently put it one day, they won't go for it because they can't make a profit. We need an organization that is supported by the membership, composed of elected representatives of the membership and operates at the pleasure of the membership. When was the last time you were allowed to vote for a governing board member of the NNA, ASN, or any of the notary organizations? I'll probably be soundly chastised for this but perhaps the notaries are not ready for a professional organization becasue there are so few professional notaries: think carefully of what the word professional means before you jump all over me for having said that.

Reply by Lee/AR on 3/21/07 11:35am
Msg #181082

Charles, I already did... and I do agree.

But the Nat'l Realtors Assoc. & AMA have had their problems, too. What to do, what to do? I'm working on it in AR. The NNA is still listed in a pull-down menu on AR SOS site, but no longer with a prominent 'logo to click on'.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 3/21/07 11:57am
Msg #181095

Its tough, the NNA has full time people working to promote

them. Notaries have to put food on the table and so don't have the individual resources to counter the efforts of the NNA easily. It is going to take a grassroots campaign to contact your elected representatives and let them know that there is no organization truly representing notaries. I realize everyone has a lot of things requiring their attention but if this business is to survive as a viable business its going to take the effort of all notaries. The Unions have power because they organize. The professional associations have power because they organize. The notaries are going to need to organize collectively and not behind any individual to get the respect that they deserve. I don't kow ow many notaries you have in Arkansas but say you have 200, if each was willing to commit $100 a year to promote our notary network within the State, that's $20,000 with which you could hire a part time lobbyist to do nothing but promote your position. You would get immediate status and respect. I suspect that there are more than 200 notaries and that there would be a professional who would be looing to work only part-time to do the promotion.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 3/21/07 12:53pm
Msg #181118

Re: American Society of Notaries, I agree, I like the ASN

The ASN is the first national non-profit organization for notaries.
Their annual fee is low, and always has been. Their supplies are reasonable. They provide a toll free number for member support. Their newsletters are informative and their monthly tips e-mails are invaluable.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 3/21/07 1:07pm
Msg #181122

All you say is correct Sylvia, unfortunately while being an

IRS 501(c)3 organization the ASN is not a professional association of notaries, it is not a mutual benefit association, and, while I agree it is an excellent organization, it is closed to participation from its stated constituency.

Reply by Marlene/USNA on 3/22/07 9:56am
Msg #181326

Re: All you say is correct Sylvia, unfortunately

. . . they don't know Pennsylvania. ASN knows Florida, NNA knows California, USNA knows Pennsylvania, but as far as answering questions for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, none of us can live up to the claims we make to do it all for everyone. We'd *like* to, we make sincere efforts to, but the mere fact that every state writes, interprets and enforces its own notary law in its own way just flummoxes us.

We know that someone in Wisconsin does not want to pay dues to USNA and call in with a question only to be told, "You should call your secretary of state." Or to be put on hold while *we* call their secretary of state! (Which is worse? Hmmmmm. Both.)

Charles and I have had long email discussions about this. A national organization can't see to the interests of all notaries without a high-end dues structure to cover costs and/or selling products to cover costs. Those costs are impressive simply in the research, lobbying and networking areas to keep fingers in all the pies in the country on notaries' behalf. I see the advantage of Charles' "grassroots efforts," but it requires a similarly impressive output of volunteer labor to get it going and keep it moving and an administrative office to take some of the load off as well as to share the results of one feeder group with all the others. Dues again - to cover costs of treasurer, website(s), lobbyists, etc.

I likened USNA to a ship that has a charted a course in a specific direction, only to have the word go up from the staff (who had the most contact with the passengers) to the captain (the decision maker) that the destination was not where the passengers really wanted to go. It takes an enormous amount of planning and effort to steer a different course. It may be that the captain decides to go ahead as planned and hope the passengers find what they need when they get there.

Well, I sent that analogy to a watery grave! Thanks for more conversation on this topic.

Marlene/USNA
[e-mail address]

Reply by Larry/Ca on 3/21/07 11:16am
Msg #181071

These people are probably the......

only organization that offers signing agent certification that has an expiration. While there are many licenses that need to be renewed, I cannot think of any educators that require you to start over with their education every two years. Organizations that provide training and certification ought to be accredited by an enity that sets standards for that certification. Becoming certified in this industry is simply a marketing tool you pay for and in no way represents that you have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary, as implied by certification.

Reply by Leon_CO on 3/21/07 11:38am
Msg #181084

Larry, may I quote you?

You wrote a very interesting comment:
---------------------------
"Becoming certified in this industry is simply a marketing tool you pay for and in no way represents that you have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary, as implied by certification."
---------------------------
I am presently writing an article about NNA certification that I will be publishing soon on my blog. Today, if I can get it finished. I would like to include your comment. I also wrote a book review on amazon.com about the certification book. I just touched on it briefly, but I intend to go back and revise it. There is a lot more that I will include -- a lot of shortcomings, etc. Certification is a topic that I feel very strongly about, and I agree with a lot of what you said.

Reply by Leon_CO on 3/21/07 11:45am
Msg #181087

Re: Larry, may I quote you?

I forgot to add, I don't intend to use your name, just the quote.

Reply by Larry/Ca on 3/21/07 12:11pm
Msg #181099

Sure Leon..... n/m

Reply by Leon_CO on 3/21/07 2:57pm
Msg #181152

Message Deleted

This message has been deleted by a forum moderator.

Reason: Advertising

Reply by Ever/CA on 3/21/07 2:46pm
Msg #181148

Mortgage Encyclopedia

I enjoyed reading your blog entries, Leon. They're very informative. I saw your blog about Mortgage Encyclopedia and prior to that, the other day, I saw your review of it on Amazon and I was like, hmm, I think I may "know" this person.

I reserved a copy at my library. If I like it, I'll go get myself one. It was also on the "must" list of one mortgage officer/broker/trainer on Amazon. That's how I found it.

Cheers,
Ever

Reply by Kevin/Ct on 3/21/07 2:11pm
Msg #181140

Re: These people are probably the......

Yeah...even the state Bar examiners of most states will accept five years of practice in another state with reciprocity in lieu of taking the Bar exam over again in order to become admitted to the Bar of the second state.

Reply by Marlene/USNA on 3/22/07 10:02am
Msg #181328

Re: These people are probably the......

>Organizations that provide training and certification ought to be accredited by an enity that sets standards for that certification. Becoming certified in this industry is simply a marketing tool you pay for and in no way represents that you have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary, as implied by certification.<

Yup, yup, yup. And the big question is, who would be the "entity" that sets the standards for the certification? You don't want more government in your business. You don't want a for-profit national association doing it for you. You don't want 50 different groups determining certification standards for their individual states. So who does it?

That "entity" Charles envisions, that we are all light-years away from seeing bear fruit. . .