The past several months has seen a buildup of pressure in Washington, D.C. that is threatening to explode over government funding, redistricting and an array of other issues. While some Members of Congress and Senators are calling for a reasonable bipartisan solution, they are being drowned out by firebrands in both parties that are looking to make a stand here and now.

After nearly 40 years of dedicated leadership, NACM National President Robin Schauseil has announced her intention to retire at the end of May 2026. During her tenure, Robin guided NACM through both challenges and opportunities, strengthening the organization and championing the credit profession with passion and tireless commitment. The NACM National Board of Directors extends its deepest gratitude for her decades of service.

A new customer is ready to place a big order, but they’re stuck waiting for credit approval. Behind the scenes, the credit team is buried in manual data entry, chasing trade references and waiting for a manager’s review. Time is lost, energy wasted and costs pile up—all without adding real value to the customer. Believe it or not, many credit departments operate this way without realizing how inefficient the process has become.

Taiwan, or the Republic of China, is one of the world’s largest exporters of high-end electronics. However, its heavy reliance on exports makes the country vulnerable to global market fluctuations. Additionally, its low total fertility rate and aging population raise concerns about future labor shortages.

NACM and FCIB’s six-level Professional Certification Program has helped numerous credit professionals hone their skills and gain essential knowledge to enhance their prospects in the world of credit management. 

No other department’s work impacts the day-to-day of the credit team quite like the sales department. As the credit team works to mitigate risk by carefully considering the possible ramifications of each transaction, they rely on the sales team to bring in customers. The work of each department is inextricably tied to the other, so it is only natural that sales would be credit’s closest ally when advocating for system upgrades.

NACM’s seasonally adjusted combined Credit Managers’ Index (CMI) for August 2025 improved 0.7 points to 55.0. “Overall, the CMI shows improvement as we hit midsummer,” said NACM Economist Amy Crews Cutts, Ph.D., CBE. “The index has not moved much over the past year but has followed a gently sloped upward trend.”

Benchmarking has long been a part of the credit management playbook. Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) like days sales outstanding (DSO), bad debt to sales or average days delinquent (ADD) is standard practice in many credit departments.

Over the past 37 years, Robin Schauseil has witnessed tremendous growth and positive change within the NACM organization, and she is deeply grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to its success. In discussing her career, Robin said, “It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve as President of this association since 2002 and to have been part of the NACM National staff since May 1988. I am so proud of the national association we’ve built together and even more proud of how we’ve built it: with a strong sense of responsibility to each other and to the members we serve, with inte…