News, Information and Commentary
November 2018
A few thoughts from
Jon Flora, President & CEO
120 years is a long time - but wait, there's more
In January, we begin our 120 th year of serving credit professionals like you. Opportunities abound for our members and customers!

Over the last six years, I’ve written about the changes we all face in our business lives. Mergers, compliance, you name it. The pace of change continues to increase along with the related challenges. As your professional resource, we keep looking for new ways to meet member needs. This means thinking outside the box.
Let’s talk education. Below you will read about online webinars. We tried them in 2018, you clearly liked them a lot, so we’ve booked out all of 2019 with great new programs. 

The webinars have especially been a home run in terms of participation so we are trying something new. To help offset the costs associated with the online offerings, we will be charging a modest fee for each program. Instead of giving a free seminar with your membership, we will be offering you 5 free webinars with the remainder available for a modest $30 fee per webinar. The cool part of this is that you pay for one registration and can have a conference room full of colleagues participate at no extra cost! A number of members have tried this group approach with great success. Bottomline: We expect this will save you and NACM BCS time and money, and provide you with more frequent educational offerings.

The classroom isn’t going away, however. We will also be offering a Lien Seminar this winter (both beginning and advanced) and another live seminar next Fall.  Look for details soon. 

We head to Anchorage for our Holiday Luncheon and Seminar on December 4 th. If you are doing business in the 49th state, plan to join us for a great program and networking.

Also, we are returning to paradise for the 3 rd Annual Hawaii Winter Credit Forum in Honolulu on January 24 thThis is not just for our Hawaii members either.  We will have all new programs and a great hotel rate ($189 and no resort fee). If you book your hotel and airfare this month, you will enjoy a very affordable educational opportunity in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Finally, we are introducing several new products and services through a new partnership we’ve established with Cutting Edge Business Resources & Solutions (CEBRS). All have special NACM BCS pricing and touch on a number of areas beneficial to your company. Ready the story below, then click the accompanying link for more information.

Suffice it to say, we are not letting a lot grass grow around our feet. We begin our 120 th year with a commitment to serve you in different ways that help you even more. The world is changing and we’re responding with a sharper focus on how best to meet your needs. 

We’re grateful to have you in our association family. And, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

All the best,
Remember to VOTE on or before November 6th!
ASSOCIATION NEWS
New addition to our family
We are pleased to let everyone know that our friend and colleague, Ricole Isbey-Johnson, gave birth to a bouncing baby boy on October 24 at 11:23 p.m. The young fellow weighed in at 8 lb. 9 oz. Although our staff has had many creative suggestions, at this writing his name has not yet been divulged to us!

We offer our congratulations to Ricole, Eric and 2 year old Stella as they welcome Baby Boy Johnson to their family.

Ricole will be away from the office for most of the next 12 weeks returning full time early in the New Year. If you would like to send your best wishes, click here .
BUSINESS NEWS
COMPETITION RESULTS IN LOWER AIRFARES TO HAWAII
"Materially lower prices" on West Coast to Hawaii flights

NACM BCS member Alaska Airlines, which acquired Virgin America in 2016, has reported softness in West Coast to Hawaii markets, as many carriers have added capacity, reducing average prices. Industry-wide available seat miles increased 9 percent in the third quarter, Alaska said, and likely will grow another 8 percent in the fourth.

“The only region in our system that is experiencing materially lower pricing today is Hawaii,” Andrew Harrison, Alaska’s chief commercial officer, told analysts Thursday on the carrier’s third quarter earnings call.

For more information, click below:

FICO TO TEST NEW TYPE OF CREDIT SCORE WITH EXPERIAN

Credit scores are about to get a tweak that might help those with weaker credit. Read more at:

SEATTLE HOME PRICES FINALLY CALM DOWN AFTER 4 YEARS

Average list price dropping

For the first time in four years, the average house is selling for a bit below the listing price in Seattle and across the surrounding metro area.
It's another sign that a hectic market has finally calmed down for burned-out buyers.

Read more by clicking below for the story:

WHEN SEARS FLOURISHED, SO DID ITS WORKERS. AT AMAZON, IT'S COMPLICATED.

The New York Times takes a look at the retail giant of the last century compared with its replacement in this century. Click for more:

DATA BREACHES CAN CRIPPLE A SMALL BUSINESS

Breaches at major companies get headlines but a small company can be crippled. Here are some ideas to protect your company.

CREDIT REPORTS & TOOLS
New tools just for you
As the needs of credit professionals and their companies change, so too must the offerings of NACM BCS. We have recently entered into a new partnership with CEBRS that offers our members and customers a number of products and services designed for the future. Some are credit related; some are not. All can be of help to our members and all come with exclusive pricing for you - our NACM BCS customers.

We've selected five options and encourage you to talk with your company's leadership about what fits your needs. Just click below for more information.

Let us know what you think!

NACM's own credit report
If you're looking for an alternative or second pull credit report, the NTCR may be what you need. It includes data provided by many participating NACM-member companies across America. Several users find the NTCR to be helpful when used in conjunction with either their Experian or D & B reports.

For more information, talk to your NACM BCS Account Executive or give us a call at 206-728-6333. 
Best Products. Best Partners.
SEMINARS
ALASKA HOLIDAY FORUM

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4TH
EMBASSY SUITES, ANCHORAGE

Join us in Anchorage for our annual Alaska Holiday Forum featuring outstanding presentations on credit topics and Alaska business. And, of course, the social networking with professional colleagues is always a good time. Details to follow but be sure to save the date . See you on December 4th!
THE 3RD ANNUAL
HAWAII WINTER CREDIT FORUM

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24TH
HILTON WAIKIKI BEACH HOTEL
HONOLULU, HI

ALL NEW PROGRAMS AND SPEAKERS

The Hawaii Winter Credit Forum has become one of the "must-do" conferences of the year. It's appropriate for credit, finance and other management professionals. Whether you are located in Hawaii or the mainland, this year's presentations offer high value to management at all levels.

Airfares are reasonable and the hotel rate is just $189 per night. We've made the Forum affordable, so don't come alone. Bring your company associates!

SPECIAL NOTE: WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF HOTEL ROOMS AVAILABLE SO MAKE YOUR DECISION BY NOVEMBER 15TH! CLICK ON THE BOX BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION

SEE YOU IN HAWAII
EDUCATION
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ONLINE WEBINAR: NOV. 7, 2018
FREE TO MEMBERS

"MANAGING STRESS IN THE CREDIT DEPARTMENT"

Frazzled, floundering and frustrated when dealing with Credit Department Stress? Join our Presenter Robert Shultz to come away with strategies for managing the day-to-day stress with which busy credit professionals are faced. 

12:00 - 1:00 PST
11:00-12:00 AST
10:00-11:00 HST
1:00-2:00 MST
  • July 17-27, 2019
  • June 22-July 2, 2020
  • American Univ, Washington D.C.
NACM's Graduate School
Join the ranks of outstanding credit executives who have mastered the Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management. Enhance your educational and professional experience by enrolling in GSCFM. For information, click below:

The next CMI survey will be open November 12-16.
Credit Manager's Index
As a credit manager, you are in a key position to provide information that shapes business strategy on a globe scale.

NACM's CMI is a unique tool used by economists use to track the major shifts in business. Credit managers use this data to understand the environment they are working in, while putting their various credit relationships in a broader context.
Each month, take a few minutes to respond to the survey with your company's information. Added to the contributions of many other businesses across American, the results off an accurate review of the economy from the view of credit managers .

Click below for more information:
CMI
CAREER PLANNING
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CHECK FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES!

The NACM BCS Job Center gets a lot of traffic. Whether you are trying to hire or looking for the next stop on your career path, this is our most active link. And, it changes all the time. Be a frequent visitor!


11 TIPS FOR CAREER PLANNING

Career planning is not something that you do once and then forget. Considering that the average worker will change careers – not jobs but careers – five to seven times in their lifetime, career planning is an activity you should do at least once a year.

EVENTS & EDUCATION CALENDAR
Industry Trade Groups
Puget Sound Area

November 8

11:30 a.m. Floor - Duke's Chowder House

November 15

11:30 a.m. Wiring - Duke's Chowder House
11:30 a.m. Eastside Construction - 13 Coins Bellevue

November 14

11:30 a.m. Tacoma Construction - Johnny's Dock
11:30 a.m. Food - Duke's Chowder House

November 15

11:30 a.m. Wiring - Duke's Chowder House
11:30 a.m. Eastside Construction - 13 Coins Bellevue

November 20

11:30 a.m. HVAC - Duke's Chowder House


Honolulu

November 13

11:30 a.m. Hawaii Hospitality - Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel

November 14

11:30 a.m. Hawaii Food - Waikiki Yacht Club

November 16

11:30 a.m. Hawaii Building - Waikiki Yacht Club


Anchorage

November 21

12:00 p.m. Alaska Suppliers and Food - Elim Cafe
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We salute and thank all who have served our country.
Veterans Day, November 11th
Upcoming Professional Programs
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Serving the Commercial Credit profession since 1899
NACM Western Washington Alaska Hawaii | 800-423-5710
P.O. Box 3665 - Seattle, WA 98124 | www.nacmbcs.org

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