Why Credit Congress Is a Worthwhile Investment

NACM’s Credit Congress & Exposition started off as a mission to bring together credit professionals from across the nation to network, learn and stay informed about the latest changes in the credit world. Now, it is more than just an annual hub of credit knowledge—it’s a catalyst for career growth and professional development. By attending Credit Congress, you and your colleagues will have the chance to not only grow in your careers but contribute to your company’s overall financial success. Once you decide that Credit Congress is for you, it’s time to convince senior management of the same by building a compelling case.

Gain Approval from Senior Management

Vendors to solve a problem: You can add your personal touch by building your own schedule with your goals clearly listed. Whether that’s by PowerPoint, a one-on-one meeting or a letter. “List some of the vendors that are there and if your company is going through a particular issue, present them with three different vendors attending Credit Congress that could offer a solution to the problem,” said Adam Aune, credit manager at Butler Machinery (Fargo, ND) who attended Credit Congress for the first time this year.

Lean on a colleague: Sharing the experiences of colleagues who have previously attended is helpful in forming your argument for attending Credit Congress. Erik Bullock, credit manager at Walcro Inc. (Bloomington, MN) said his predecessor was a part of NACM but had never been to Credit Congress. “I learned about Credit Congress through our local affiliate, NACM North Central,” he said. “So, I talked to my manager about attending and they were fully supportive. My argument was that I don’t know a whole lot about credit management and that I will have a lot of huge takeaways from this conference, and they allowed me to go to Credit Congress for the first time this year.”

Rare in-person networking opportunity: At NACM’s Credit Congress & Expo, credit professionals can meet and connect with other credit professionals through various networking events. The newfound connections can provide insight on any issues or lead to business opportunities in the future. “You make connections with people in a similar business or who have a similar customer base you can reach out to during challenges or if there’re new changes in the industry,” Aune said. “You’re able to build relationships with vendors at the Expo Hall that can help with different facets of your business, whether you’re looking for more technology or you want to see what products can benefit you and your company.”

Maintain and earn certifications: The best way to convince upper management is to make them aware of the intangible and tangible benefits of Credit Congress. NACM offers two certificate courses during Credit Congress: Business Credit Principles, which satisfies a Credit Business Associate (CBA) course requirement, and Financial Statement Analysis 2: Credit and Risk Assessment, a preparatory class for the Certified Credit Executive (CCE) designation exam and also a core course for the Certified Credit and Risk Analyst (CCRA) designation.

By maintaining and earning professional certifications, credit professionals can grow in their credit knowledge and skill set all while establishing credibility in the industry. Henley Rowe-Anderson, CCE, CICP, revenue risk manager at Carrier Enterprise LLC (Charlotte, NC), has attended Credit Congress for the past five years, taking credit-related courses to obtain his CICP, CBA and now his CCE. “I have progressed in my credit career and have received numerous promotions in the credit field at various companies since attending my first Credit Congress,” he said. “I attribute my success to having wonderful mentors and managers who advocated for NACM and encouraged me to attend and to take the necessary courses to obtain my credit certifications.”

DeAnna Leahy, CCE, NACM chair and corporate credit manager at Sunroc Corporation (Orem, UT), attended her first Credit Congress in 2009 after striking a deal with her manager. “Because of the economy, it had been a rough year for my company, and they had put a freeze on travel,” she said. “So, I asked my boss if I could attend Credit Congress where I was to be honored with the CBF of Excellence National Award and in return, I paid half the expenses. I also signed up for the CCE review session that year, which was helpful when I went to sit for my CCE exam. Afterwards, I informed them about how attending refines credit skills and increases credit knowledge, minimizing risk and saving money for the company in the long run. Not to mention, it allows credit professionals to do their job more efficiently.”

Education investment: Rowe-Anderson has his team members print out the sessions and courses that will be offered at the conference from the NACM website. “NACM does an excellent job providing a full schedule of the Credit Congress, which you can share with upper management and sell how this experience will be a wealth of knowledge for you and your credit team.”

At Credit Congress, credit professionals have the opportunity to learn about all the different facets of credit management. From financial analysis and bankruptcy to international credit and leadership. “I made sure to attend a session on the tools for writing a credit policy as I am new to credit and my company did not have a credit policy yet,” said Kristin Farmer, credit and collections manager at HMI Glass (Louisville, KY), who attended Credit Congress for the first time in June. “I attended a session on how to improve cash flow where I learned about using rebate programs and one about networking, which was really helpful. I also learned about how to make better credit decisions overall.”

Attending Credit Congress makes employees more informed about the latest the latest trends in the credit industry and important changes in the economy. Staying current on the latest credit industry and economic trends helps credit professionals remain competitive, especially during a tumultuous economic period.

Finding new hires: Many companies continue to struggle with staffing shortages. NACM’s Credit Congress is the perfect place to meet other credit managers who may be looking for a new job. You can gather contacts in case your team has an opening in the future.

When you return: Be sure to write your boss a thank you letter and include some points that you learned while at Credit Congress. This will help with the following year when you need to convince them all over again that Credit Congress should be included in the budget.

This year marked NACM’s 127th annual Credit Congress in Grapevine, TX, with nearly 1,200 attendees present. And the upcoming 128th Credit Congress will be held in Las Vegas, NV from June 9-12, 2024. Will this be your first time attending the conference? Network with others ahead of time and connect with credit managers who will be attending by joining NACM’s Mentors & Milestones Program or one of our virtual Thought Leader Discussion Groups.