Serving credit professionals since 1899

Note: The earlier version of this month's enews contained a repeated article in our President's Corner. Please take a few minutes to read the following update. Thank you.

This experience of serving on non-profit boards has served me well as I have moved through management roles at various organizations. I know what it’s like to sit in the seat of the board members, what healthy dynamics between the board and management should look like, and how to recognize the difference between governance and management.

The role of a non-profit board is a) to set the mission, strategies and goals of the organization, b) to ensure that the organization is carrying out activities that support its mission, c) to be prudent stewards of the financial resources, d) to ensure legal and ethical integrity of the organization, e) to hire and oversee the performance of the top executive. When it works well, it’s amazing to see a group of 12-20 people from different experiences and backgrounds come together and act as a single voice, for the benefit of the organization. When done right, the creativity, connections and intelligence of the group exceeds the sum of its parts.

At NACM Business Credit Services, our board is made up of 12 NACM members. Most are Credit professionals. For many, it’s their first time serving on a board, while some come with prior experience. Some have served multiple times (there are term limits, and after serving a maximum of two - three-year terms, a board member must take at least a one year break) and this helps with the continuity of the group. All of these members dedicate their time and energy to ensure that your NACM affiliate is working to meet your needs. I am very thankful for this group!

Michelle Porcelli, from Crowley Fuel in Anchorage, Alaska, is serving in her second year as board chair. Carrie Bratlie, a consultant with Two Degrees (Slalom Consulting) in Seattle is the immediate past chair. Cassie Sheehan from Carlile Transportation in Tacoma, and Dan Zaback from Alaska Copper in Seattle, joined the board last year. Danial Pharris (attorney) in Seattle, Erin Austin of Premier Alaska Tours in Anchorage, Janice Lyons from Ferguson in Hawaii, Josh Nolan of Willscot in Arizona, and Steve Giboney of Silvaris in Bellevue, WA, have been serving on the board for several years or more. This spring, we welcomed three new board members: Chantelle Rottle of North Coast Electric in Auburn, WA, Andrew Boorse, in-house attorney at ReBath in Arizona, and Alan Gray, from Old Castle Building Envelope in Texas.

If you run into any of these people at NACM events or out in the world, please thank them for their service. The pay and glory are non-existent. They do it for the love of NACM!

If you think that serving on the NACM BCS board is something you might be interested in sometime, please reach out to me (lauram@nacmbcs.org). In addition to people who are seasoned professionals, we welcome people in the early stages of their career as well. The main criteria are a willingness to read materials in advance of board meetings, take the time to form strategic questions, an ability to attend regular (mostly virtual) meetings (currently six times per year), and the commitment to share your ideas and opinions in a thoughtful manner in group discussions. Curiosity and a passion for learning are a plus! If you have other non-profit causes you’re interested in, I’m fairly certain they would also love to hear from you!

Education

July Webinar

It’s Dangerous NOT to Know: The Full View of Payment Processing

July 15 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Members – Free / Non Members – $25

Collecting and processing payments quickly, efficiently, and in compliance with payment network regulations, association rules, and states laws is crucial for every company. Knowledge will not only protect your company, but it will help you get paid and stay paid with as minimal impact to your margins as possible.

Come learn about:

• Convenience Fees vs. Credit Card Surcharging
• States’ Laws and Surcharging
• Interchange Optimization
• ACH Rules and Opportunities
• Level 4 Processing Discounts – Alternative Payment Methods

Presented by

Start planning for live Fall education programs.

Save these dates:

Alaska Forum - September 25th, Anchorage

Hawaii Island Insights - October 17th, Honolulu

Western WA Forum - November 6th, Seattle-Tacoma

More information will be coming soon.

We have been invited to offer our members the opportunity to attend the podcasts presented by LBM Journal. The publication supports the lumber and building materials industry. The trade credit podcasts are hosted by our good friend and colleague, Thea Dudley. They are free and worth a listen on your way to and from work, during lunch or when you have a few minutes to learn.

Click on LBM Talks to access the programs. New podcasts drop every other Tuesday and are stored on the LBM website for future listening. New programs will be available on the following dates this summer:

• JULY 15 and 29
• AUGUST 12 and 26

The podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube, or directly from LBM Journal.

A Q&A with our Collections Manager, Danny Mackes

Editor: Danny, Collections seems like a ubiquitous service. What sets the Collections Services at NACM BCS apart?

Danny: NACM BCS Collections staff prioritize professionalism and integrity, because we understand that we are the face of our client’s business when collecting on a debt. Our 125 years of representing businesses across all industries is the foundation of our success and what separates us from other collection agencies. We’re also just a phone call away if you have questions or concerns about any claim you’ve submitted.

Editor: Do you accept Collections from non-members? What advantage do members have?

Danny: We have both member and non-member Collections clients, and we welcome both. However, as a benefit of membership, Members receive preferred pricing.

Editor: Why should a member use the NACM BCS Collections service?

Danny: You will get a personalized service that you don’t get at other Collections agencies. Our success in collecting is as good or better than any agency in the business. In addition, the revenue we generate from your collections placements, helps support member services and keeps the cost of membership dues low.

Editor: Do you have advice for when it’s optimal to turn over an invoice to collections?

Danny: Well, I would start by saying, don’t hesitate! If you have a sense that there is going to be a problem, let us get involved as soon as possible. If your team hasn’t been successful in collecting by the 90-day mark, send them over to us. We offer a free 10-day demand letter, and this often gets the attention of the debtor, at no cost to the client.

Editor: What about bonded invoices?

Danny: Bond invoices should be sent to us as soon as the 30-day mark has passed. That improves the chance that our client will be in the front of the pay-out line. If someone else impairs the bond first, it’s less likely our client will get paid.

Editor: What options are there for submitting invoices for collections?

Danny: There are now three different ways to submit your claims. In addition to submitting individual claims through the member portal, you can also submit a batch of claims on a spreadsheet, and recently, the ability to create an API connection has also been added. This allows companies who send large numbers of claims to do so by simply pushing a button. If you are interested in learning about one of these methods, please reach out to me at dannym@nacmbcs.org.

Editor: If someone wants to learn more about the NACM BCS Collections services, what should they do?

Danny: Call me at 206-728-6324, or email at dannym@nacmbcs.org. I’m always happy to talk to our members!

On Tuesday, the gasoline tax will rise by 6 cents a gallon, the first increase in nine years for the primary revenue source sustaining Washington’s transportation system. Washington has the third highest gas tax in the nation behind California (61.2 cents) and Pennsylvannia (57.6 cents).

The hike is the most prominent piece of a six-year, $3.2 billion package passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson earlier this year.

Tuesday’s increase will push the state’s per-gallon tax rate on gas and other vehicle fuels from 49.4 cents to 55.4 cents. Starting July 1, 2026, it will rise each year by 2% — about a penny annually — to account for inflation.

For more: KUOW

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) have announced that in May 2025, privately-owned housing starts in May were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,256,000 -- 9.8% below the revised April estimate of 1,392,000, and 4.6% below the May 2024 rate of 1,316,000.

Single-family housing starts in May were at a rate of 924,000, which was 0.4% above the revised April figure of 920,000. The May rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 316,000.

For more: MortgagePoint

Things that make you go "hmmmm"

Here’s the Line Between Middle Class and Upper-Middle Class

You may think you’re part of the middle-class, but depending on your income tax bracket you could be upper-middle class and simply not realize it.

Here's a look at the differences in the heritage states we serve.

Alaska

• Median household income: $89,336
• Middle-class income range: $59,557 to $178,672
• Upper-middle class income begins: $138,967

Hawaii

• Median household income: $98,317
• Middle-class income range: $65,545 to $196,634
• Upper-middle class income begins: $152,938

Washington

• Median household income: $94,952
• Middle-class income range: $63,301 to $189,904
• Upper-middle class income begins: $147,703

For a look at the rest of the country, take a look at: GoBankingRates

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