Gregory B. Sheperd has established a reputation in the collection industry as an extremely knowledgeable professional with excellent management skills. In this highly specialized field, he has more than 20 years of experience that serve his clients well.

Greg received his bachelor’s of science degree from Appalachian State University and is a commissioned officer in the Army Reserve. He began his career in vacation ownership at Peppertree Resorts in the company’s servicing and collection division. Shortly thereafter, he was asked to establish Meridian Financial Services’ collection division when the company was being formed in 1989. Greg’s dedication, hard work, and problem-solving skills led to a series of increasingly responsible roles and ultimately to his being named president of the company in 1997.

Meridian is a third-party collection agency that provides services to vacation ownership resort developers, property management companies, and homeowner’s associations. The company utilizes advanced industry-specific technology and has the capability to develop custom settlement programs. Purchased by Interval International in 1999, Meridian is headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, and has offices in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Mobile, Alabama.

Most recently, Greg directed negotiations for the acquisition of Resort Management International, a company that also provides collections solutions to the vacation ownership industry. This acquisition increased Meridian’s domestic and international customer base and capabilities.

In addition to leading the team at Meridian, Greg is active in the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the vacation ownership industry’s trade association. He is a Chairman’s League member and has participated on the Membership, Meetings, and Publications Committees. His industry expertise and dedication was recognized with the Registered Resort Professional (RRP) designation, the resort timeshare industry’s highest individual designation. He has been a speaker at numerous ARDA regional meetings and national conventions. He also is the Vice President and a Board member for the Virginia Resort Development Association.

His other professional accomplishments include being awarded the Fellow in Collection Business Management by the American Collectors Association in 1994. He is the secretary/treasurer for the North Carolina Collectors Association and a licensed Real Estate Broker in North Carolina.