• In 1972, L & M Accounts, Inc.’s founder/Principal, Larry Van Ert, originally went to work with his business partner Mike Romanowski at H & R Accounts, Inc., then located in East Moline, IL. At that time, H & R Accounts rented a 20x25 room for $70/month. Mr. Romanowski performed sales and typing while our Principal made collection calls and did the filing.
  • In 1978, H & R Accounts, Inc. relocated to neighboring Moline, IL, adding significant volume to its list of clients as a direct result of having built a reputation of notable service among its existing clients.
  • In the late 1970s, H & R Accounts, driven by L & M’s founder and Mike Romanowski, expanded through performing all bad check work for 80 of the approximate 117 Eagles Food Centers stores and all area bad check work for Geifman Food Stores, Target stores, and Kmart.
  • In the early 1980s, L & M’s founder worked with Arthur Anderson in rewriting contracts for Illini Hospital. It being only one of several significant cleanups for various clients, he and a few of H & R’s employees rewrote more than 2,600 accounts during the process.
  • During the 1980s, L & M’s founder was providing collections training for area hospitals, including then-known-as Lutheran, Franciscan, and Moline Public, all 3 of which now fall under the Trinity umbrella within the Iowa Health System. He was also providing training for all in-patient and out-patient accounts at St. Luke’s, Mercy, and Illini Hospitals, all 3 of which now fall under the Genesis Health System.
  • In the 1990s, L & M’s founder and Mike Romanowski started a receivables company, MedPay Management Systems; by 1996, H & R Accounts employed more than 100 people: 73 full-time collectors and more than 30 MedPay employees.
  • In 1999, H & R Accounts, driven by L & M’s founder and Mike Romanowski, expanded into commercial collections. Pioneer Hi-Bred – then the world’s largest seed company/headquartered in Johnston, Iowa – became their largest commercial client. Through 2006, L & M’s founder managed 70% of Pioneer’s collections across the nation, maintaining a 68% recovery rate. During this time, he provided training for Pioneer’s collection staff and met regularly with management, implementing new ideas.
  • In the early 2000s, Mike Romanowski and L & M’s founder were responsible for making H & R Accounts, Inc. PPMS (Professional Practices Management System) certified. They were only the 9th agency in the nation to become certified PPMS in multiple locations by the ACA (Association of Credit and Collection Professionals). Also at this time, 100% of H & R’s large collection staff was designated (CPC) Certified Professional Collector.
  • Come 2006, L & M’s founder and Mike Romanowski sold H & R Accounts, Inc.
  • By 2009 through the time he founded L & M Accounts, Inc., L & M’s founder kept active in the business by consulting for a Des Moines, IA area agency.
  • March, 2012: L & M Accounts, Inc. was established in Moline, IL.