Whether you are like my friend, or a perpetual planner like me, there is something valuable about stopping to take stock, and say, in the words of the poet Mary Oliver, “what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” 

I know from talking to many of you, that hardly anyone sets out to become a credit professional, but here you are! You have been given the chance to create a rewarding career where you can make a difference and help your company succeed. This has become a big part of your life plan. At NACM, our entire reason for existing, is to help you make the most of that plan.

Throughout this month’s newsletter, you will see suggested New Year’s resolutions to consider as you think about how you will move your career forward this year. See if you can find all five of them! And if you have set a goal related to your career, don’t hesitate to reach out and find out how we might help you meet that goal. I am always available for a phone call or to have coffee with a member! Send me a note at lauram@nacmbcs.org.

I also want to acknowledge the merger of our two CFDD Chapters in Seattle and Tacoma, and the expansion to include members in Alaska and Hawaii. This is great news and I encourage to read more below.

For all who observe, happy annual goal setting! Wishing each of you a happy, healthy and successful 2026!

Learn about AI in the Credit Department. Take an hour and listen to this great webinar that was held a couple months ago. Ty Knox, the Director of Credit & Risk at EFCO Corp is speaking your language and will help you see the potential for AI in credit.

Excel Essentials

Online Class

Tuesday, January 27 from 8:00AM-12:00PM PT

Registration Fee $135

This course provides a comprehensive foundation in Microsoft Excel, equipping students with essential skills to navigate and utilize the software effectively. Topics covered include fundamental terminology, data entry and manipulation, spreadsheet management, and preparation of sheets for printing.

Excel Calculations and Charts Introduction

Online Class

February 10, 2026 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Registration Fee $135



This course provides a comprehensive introduction to performing calculations and creating charts in Excel. Students will explore the benefits of leveraging Excel for mathematical operations, learn various methods for executing calculations, and understand how to display and interpret formulas. Additionally, they will gain the skills needed to create dynamic charts for impactful visual data representation.

Outlook – Simplify, Organize, and Boost Productivity

Tuesday, 2/24/2026 from 8:00AM-12:00PM PT

Registration Fee $135

This course empowers students to go beyond using Outlook as a simple email client, transforming it into a powerful productivity tool. Students will unlock hidden features, discover proven strategies, and adopt best practices for streamlining their daily tasks. By mastering advanced tools and techniques, they’ll learn how to manage emails, calendars, and tasks in a way that saves time and enhances overall efficiency, helping them work smarter, stay organized, and communicate more effectively.

Josie and Marlis representing Hawaii at Credit Congress 2025

Register for Credit Congress. The Advanced Pricing ends February 20, so now is a great time to sign-up! If you’ve been before, you know that not only will there be many opportunities to learn and network, but your NACM BCS team always wants you to have a good time! This year we will be attending a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game on Sunday afternoon and hosting our group in a suite with food and beverages provided. Register today and we’ll send you the details!  

2026 Economic Outlook

Online Webinar

Wednesday, 1/14/2026 from 12:00PM-1:00PM PT

Members – FREE / Non-Members – $25

Join us for an insightful session on the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the economic landscape in 2026. This webinar will provide actionable intelligence for credit professionals navigating an evolving market. Our expert speaker will cover key indicators, economic drivers, and what these mean for risk management and credit strategies in the year ahead.

Presented By: Paul Bachman, Corporate Economist | Salt River Project

Fraud in Commercial Credit

Online Webinar

Wednesday, 2/11/2026 from 12:00PM-1:00PM PT

Members – FREE / Non-Members – $25

An insightful session exploring key trends in commercial credit fraud. 

Presented By: Thea Dudley, The Credit Overlord

Young Credit Professionals Focus Group

Are you a credit professional between the ages of 23 and 43?

Join us on Thursday, Feb 12 for an interactive morning focus group in the greater Seattle area (exact location to be announced soon), where you’ll have the opportunity to shape the future of NACM Business Credit Services. This is your chance to share insights, exchange ideas, and influence the direction of your professional association.

Enjoy coffee and refreshments as you connect with other young professionals in the credit field. It’s more than a meeting — it’s a conversation that could define the next chapter of our industry.

Breaking News: CFDD WAHIAK Invitational “Peer-to-Peer” Kick-Off

We are excited to announce the merger of the CFDD Seattle and CFDD Tacoma Chapters and creation of the new CFDD WAHIAK (to include our Washington, Hawaii and Alaska members).

Our goal is to be more inclusive of our Hawaii and Alaska members, as well as our Washington members. This new chapter brings credit professionals together through virtual connection, collaboration, and community.

CFDD WAHIAK Invitational “Peer-to-Peer” Kick-Off Event!

Thursday, January 8, 2026 – 3pmPST via ZOOM

Event Highlights:

Discover what CFDD has to offer:

• Monthly Best Practices Forum – Share insights, solve challenges, and learn from peers.

• Local & National Chapter Webinars – Access professional development at your fingertips.

• Local & National Scholarships – Opportunities for growth through education & certifion.

Hear inspiring testimonials from credit professionals at all stages:

• Early-career voices

• Mid-career leaders

• Silver-career experts

Attendance drawing - $25.00 Gift Card from Amazon

Come connect virtually with fellow credit professionals, explore the benefits of CFDD membership, and learn how this new tri-state chapter supports your professional journey.

Email Heidi@StarRentals.com for the zoom link.

CFDD WAHIAK Webinar

JANUARY 13, 2026 | TUESDAY | NOON-1:00PM (PST)

The Legal Landscape of Electronic Signatures

Unlocking Compliance & Confidence in the Digital Age: Join us for an informative webinar that

explores the key legal frameworks, compliance requirements, and practical considerations

surrounding electronic signatures. Whether you’re a business professional, credit manager, legal

advisor, or administrative leader, this session will deepen your understanding and help you

navigate the evolving world of digital authorization with clarity and confidence.

Presenter: Jason Torf, Attorney

RSVP: Heidi@Starrentalscom or call 253-893-2609

Complimentary Zoom Webinar presented by CFDD WAHIAK

Take care of your future self. We held a terrific webinar on retirement planning in December. Take the time to listen to all the good advice that Merit Financial Advisors had to share, and see what you can do to set yourself up for the next chapter (you’re never too young or too old to get started!) 

This month, the Washington State Legislature begins its short session (60 days) with an apparent renewed interest by the Governor and lawmakers on creating an income tax for high earners. As always, NACM will monitor issues that may impact credit laws and business in general. When called upon by our lobbyists, we participate in the process to protect the interests of our members.

Every few years someone wants to alter the State's Lien Laws which, after many years of hard work by NACM and others, are already among the best in the nation. When these times arise, we need help from our members to be in Olympia for conversations with lawmakers. These are typically last-minute requests but if we show up in person, we can make a big difference.

If you would like to be part of our Legislative Team and participate in the legislative experience, please drop a note to Jon Flora, CEO, jonf@nacmbcs.org. You can make a difference for our profession!

As State and Local governments deal with a plethora of issues in this new year, previously approved laws are coming into effect. You will want to stay aware of their impact and, when necessary, make a call to your legislator or city/county council representative.

Examples include:

Minimum Wage Increases: 

The Washington state minimum wage will rise to $17.13 per hour. This adjustment is tied to inflation and will also affect salary thresholds for overtime exemptions. 

Seattle's minimum wage will increase to $21.30

The Hawaii minimum wage is set to increase to $16.00 per hour starting January 1, 2026. This increase is part of a multi-year plan that aims to address the 

state's high cost of living and support low- and middle-income workers.

Alaska's minimum wage will increase to $14 on July 1, 2026

California's Minimum Wage will increase to $16.90 in 2026

Pennsylvania and Federal Minimum Wages remain at $7.25

B&O Tax Increase:

In Washington, increased B&O Tax obligations will also take effect in January, impacting some of the state’s larger employers. A 0.5% temporary surcharge on taxable income above $250 million, applicable for four years. Starting in 2027, the state will also permanently raise the B&O tax rate for manufacturing, retail, and wholesale businesses to 0.5%. For larger employers, this is on top of the temporary tax increase.

Green Fee and Tourist Tax:

Hawaii will implement a Green Fee that requires cruise ship operators to pay a tax to help address climate change impacts. Additionally, a new 14% tax on cruise ship passengers will be added to help manage the environmental impact of tourism on Hawaii.

Follow NACM BCS on LinkedIn. We have a resolution to post regularly in 2026, and it’s a great way to stay up to date on what’s going on. You can even re-post and help get the word out to others who might not know what NACM BCS has to offer.  

Make time to learn. NACM BCS provides so many opportunities. In addition to the monthly webinars, we have just added some Excel classes and this year we will be hosting a new event called “Credit on Tap.” Credit on Tap will be held twice in the Seattle area, and once in the Honolulu and Anchorage areas. These events will be a best practice discussion followed by a networking happy hour. It will be a terrific time! For all of these opportunities, and the Fall Forums planned for each of our three states, go to our Events page and sign up now! 

www.nacmbcs.org

800-423-5710

Serving the commercial credit profession since 1899