National Association of Credit Management

The National Association of Credit Management (NACM) is a non-profit organization based in Columbia, Maryland that promotes standards for the business-to-business credit profession. Founded in 1896, NACM has more than 15,000 members, primarily of credit and financial executives representing manufacturers, wholesalers, financial institutions, and service organizations.^[1] The trade association specializes in education for its membership, advancement of credit industry practices as well as business credit and accounts receivable management products and services.

NACM has been active in its advocacy agenda for more than 100 years in Washington, DC, lobbying during the crafting of relevant legislation. Among its recent federal legislative priority issues were bankruptcy reform, the Federal Trade Commission’s “Red Flags Rules” and the 3% withholding tax issues.

NACM’s education, training and professional certification programs include the Credit Business Associate (CBA), Credit Business Fellow (CBF), and Certified Credit Executive (CCE) designations, among others. It trains Certified Expert Witnesses (CEW) in the area of business bankruptcies and preferences.

The association’s international arm is Finance, Credit & International Business (FCIB). FCIB provides education, seminars, credit groups and reporting designed for the international credit professional. In 2011, the division launched its “Doing Business in…” series to highlight key details of credit and collections dealings, notably for emerging economies such as Brazil, China and South Korea.^[2]

The newest NACM division is its "Mechanic’s Lien and Bond Services" division, which includes information and services pertaining to various commercial construction-related matters as well as state and federal laws governing lien and bond rights and processes. In May 2013, the NACM Mechanics Lien and Bond Services division was sued by zlien in federal court for alleged copyright violations and unfair trade practices. The suit specifically alleged that NACM illegally scraped content from zlien's mechanics lien resources, as well as from other websites, and sold that content to its membership through its "Lien Navigator" product.^[3][4]

NACM’s annual conference, Credit Congress, is the industry's largest gathering of credit professionals.^[5] Robin Schauseil, CAE, is the group's president. The current national chairman is Gary Gaudette, CCE, ICCE.^[6]

NACM produces the monthly Credit Managers' Index, an economic indicator compiled through a poll of credit and financial professionals.

Core Values

NACM lists its "Core Values" as follows:

• Enhancing, promoting and protecting the interests of business credit and financial management.
• Representing business credit grantors in all industries.
• Being a member-owned association that exists primarily to serve and support its members.
• Research and benchmarking.
• Maintain and promote highest ethical standards.^[7]

Affiliates

NACM members join the organization via local affiliates, which offer a variety of educational opportunities and credit services. Affiliates include:

• Credit Management Association^[8]
• Forius NACM North Central^[9]
• NACM Business Credit Services^[10]
• NACM Business Credit Services^[11]
• NACM Connect^[12]
• NACM Credit Professionals Alliance^[13]
• NACM East Tennessee^[14]
• NACM Gateway Region^[15]
• NACM Great Lakes Region^[16]
• NACM Gulf States^[17]
• NACM Hearthland^[18]
• NACM MidAmerica^[19]
• NACM Mid-South^[20]
• NACM New England^[21]
• NACM Northwest^[22]
• NACM South Atlantic^[23]
• NACM South Central
• NACM South East
• NACM Southern Group^[24]
• NACM Southwest^[25]
• NACM Tampa
• NACM of Texas^[26]
• NACM Upstate New York^[27]
• Pacific Southwest Credit Association^[28]
• Pennsylvania Association of Credit Management^[29]

References