Member Spotlight: One Step at a Time

In B2B credit, business and law go together. Developing skills in business law helps credit professionals navigate complex legal environments, mitigate risks, protect assets and foster ethical conduct. Timothy Van Natta, CBF, clinical assurance division chief at California Department of Health Services (Sacramento, CA), just earned his Certified Business Fellow (CBF) designation through NACM's six-level Professional Certification Program.

"I have some experience with business law as I've previously worked in two large agencies," he said. "So, I was familiar with a lot of the material, but I learned much more about law when it comes to credit management as there was a lot of overlap with what I do."

The CBF helped Van Natta understand business better, both domestically and globally. "I think credit is really the heart and soul of business," he explained. "So, understanding credit law just allows you to understand business better, which is neat for me. It was something I never studied in college."

Van Natta said earning his CBF was gratifying as it was hard work. "I also feel like being older makes it a little harder to learn new material," he said. "But when I do, I internalize things better once I have a lot more context and experience to attach the information to."

Overall, the CBF designation journey exceeded Van Natta's expectations. "I think that the online courses are really excellent and one of the advantages is that you can go back and reference the material long after you've passed the course."

💡Study Tips: Don't rush through it. "Internalize the material by taking that time to retake the quizzes and sort out why you missed the questions," Van Natta said. "Go back to the book and lecture to complete the picture before you move on to the next module."

For more information about each designation within NACM's Professional Certification Program, visit our website.