Member Spotlight: Strive for More

Growing in your career means always striving for more. It means growing in your knowledge and skill set that will make you an asset for any company you work for. That is why NACM established the six-level Professional Certification Program for credit professionals to learn and sharpen their skills, further enhancing their credibility both in their company and their field.

Lisa Cullen, CCE, CCRA, credit manager at Daikin TMI LLC (Chesterfield, MO), recently earned her Certified Credit Executive (CCE) designation after a large gap in her credit education. "My journey started back in 2008 in a previous job where a colleague and I were discussing what I wanted to do and I was introduced to NACM," she said. "She and other colleagues gave me the incentive to pursue taking classes with NACM to better myself in the field of credit."

After taking a long break, Cullen didn't know she was going to pursue her CCE until last year. "I hired and started mentoring a young lady who is getting her CBA," she said. "Her and another colleague essentially encouraged me to earn my CCE and so I did."

Along with refreshing her math skills, the CCE taught Cullen a lot about business law and accounting. "The one thing I liked about taking these courses and getting these certificates is that it's like cramming a four-year degree into two with just a group of courses," she said.

Cullen encourages others to take full advantage of the courses as it is beneficial for a career in credit. "Not only does earning your CCE help your business financially, but it helps you gain better recognition when you go to job interviews," she said. "It also helps you meet and network with the right people within your field."

"I feel fulfilled and motivated now, in my career and in life," Cullen said. "I don't know what my next goal is going to be, but I know it's going to be something big because I have that drive."

💡Study Tips: Take journal style notes. "Instead of typing notes on my computer, I write my thoughts out with pen and paper, like a daily journal," said Cullen. "It helps to highlight and make bullet points of what you read about or what you want to know."

Find a mentor. "If you need help outside of studying online and listening to lectures, don't be afraid to reach out to someone," she said. "I asked someone who already earned their CCE a few questions I had about the course which was very helpful."

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