Newsletters

In This Issue
- Spring into Change
- Strengthening the Credit and Sales Partnership
- Nominees for the NACM BCS Board of Directors
- ICEL Chair: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
- Credit Reporting Connections
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- ICEL Recap: Credit Card Surcharges and Fee Reductions

Looking Ahead

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Spring into Change

by Joanne Martin, CCE, L.K.L. Associates

As spring begins and I see all of the new growth stretching, peeking up through the ground and the trees budding, I reflect on my own life and growth. I think about how plants gain strength through sun, water and food. We are the same. In order to grow, we need to continue learning and experiencing new things. Spring is a good time to assess our strengths and weaknesses in credit. It's also a good time to think about the areas in which we need improvement to help us better manage our company's accounts Read full article

Strengthening the Credit and Sales Partnership

by Treva Edwards, Sunroc Corporation

To me, the credit department and sales department have always seemed to have a love-hate relationship. I have seen the conflict that can arise between the two departments. Both departments have different jobs, functions, agendas and goals. People understand what their responsibilities and job duties are and are protective of it. This is where the conflict comes in. The sales department is willing to do whatever it takes to make the sale, all while the credit department is doing everything that it can do to protect the company from credit issues. Both departments are necessary to a company, but they do not always agree on what needs to be done Read full article

NACM Board Election Candidates 

Each year, members of the NACM Board of Directors retire and new board members are elected to replace them Read full article
The candidates for this year's open board positions are (in alphabetical order): 
 

Shanna Diaz, CCE, Easton Technical Products

Stephanie Johnson, CBA, Gritton & Associates Inc

Kelley Kunz, CCE, Henriksen Butler Design

Kelly Passey, Plastic Specialties

Whitney Davidson, CBF, CCRA, Sunroc Building Materials

ICEL Chair: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (and it's all Small Stuff)
by DeAnna Leahy, CCE, Sunroc Corporation

I have been reading the book, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, (and it's all Small Stuff), by Richard Carson. We are reading this book as a credit department team, and I have found some extremely helpful information for both my personal and professional life contained in the pages. I have enjoyed it so much, that I have essentially read the book twice and have purchased it as an audiobook as well. 

In a nutshell, you have to learn to put your little struggles into perspective, and by doing so, you gain more enjoyment and appreciation of other people and life in general. The book is set up by giving the reader 100 strategies to avoid struggles. These strategies are elaborated in short essays, which makes the book an easy read.

The most important aspect of the book is its realization of the demands of our modern life, as well as the culture in which we live Read full article

Credit Reporting Connections

Portfolio Management Suite

Do you have high risk accounts that you are constantly worried about?

Well, worry no more! There is a FREE tool available to you that will monitor these account on your behalf and alert you according to your preferences.

Helping our members easily, efficiently and effectively manage their portfolio is at the heart of what we do at NACM. We've assembled this suite of essential services to provide you and your team with a solid foundation to proactively manage & reduce risk, deploy your resources more appropriately and benchmark your performance against your local peers, your industry and the participating NACM national database Read full article

Corporate Social Responsibility
by Tim Schapiro, CCE, Nicholas and Company

Corporations are some of the most powerful and influential entities in the world and can have a heavy impact in our daily lives. As Mitt Romney says, "Corporations are people too" meaning that corporations have many of the same rights as a person - they can own property, they can sue people and be sued, and they can enter into contracts. The granting of the same rights that people have to corporations is termed Corporate Personhood. This process has expanded rapidly over the last several years Read full article

ICEL Recap: Credit Card Surcharges and Fee Reductions
by Stephanie Johnson, CBA, Gritton & Associates

To surcharge, or not to surcharge? That is the question.

Matt Fluegge from Vantiv, an NACM partner, presented his knowledge on the rules and regulations surrounding credit card surcharges. Vantiv is the nation's largest credit card processor. He started with a disclaimer; as will I. 

His presentation, and my recap, are not intended to provide legal advice, but rather are for convenience and information purposes only. Each organization should make all choices regarding surcharges with management, legal, and accounting counsel Read full article