Designation journey evokes love of learning while expanding professional network

In the dynamic, ever-changing world of business credit, a designation is not only a testament to a certain level of expertise, but a demonstration of a credit professional’s dedication to furthering their career. For Amber Kelton, CBA, CCRA, assistant credit manager at Helena Agri-Enterprises (Fresno, CA), earning her Certified Credit and Risk Analyst (CCRA) designation was an opportunity to deepen her understanding of credit and risk, and also a chance to form deeper ties with NACM’s professional network.

“After going through the process for the CBA designation, I knew I wanted to earn the CCRA designation,” Kelton said. “I learned so much from the NACM online courses and have been able to apply what I have learned at work. As a credit analyst, I am constantly looking for any indicators of risk and knew that obtaining the CCRA would help enable me to assess risk more effectively.”

After passing the CBA exam, Kelton found that she was only one course away from completing her CCRA designation. “I took the Financial Statement Analysis (FSA) II course at this year’s Credit Congress and after hearing the news I passed the exam, I applied for the CCRA designation,” Kelton said. “Overall, this was a positive experience for me. The only true challenged I faced was trying to absorb the abundance of information in a relatively short period of time.”

Attending the FSA II course at Credit Congress last month was a unique opportunity for Kelton to refine her analytical skills while forging valuable connections with fellow credit professionals taking the course.

Even after earning her two designations, Kelton’s professional certification journey is just getting started. “I am super excited to continue my education through NACM’s online courses and certificate programs,” Kelton said.

Study tip: “Whenever you start to feel slightly confused or think you might have a question, just ask the question,” Kelton said. “Our instructor George Schnupp did a wonderful job of explaining the topics and rewording things so we were better able to understand.”