A few thoughts from our CEO, Jon Flora
Welcome to 2019!
This new year marks our 120th anniversary serving the commercial credit profession.
In 1899 our association began life as Seattle Men’s Credit Association later joined by the Tacoma Men’s Credit Association. Although the names were a little corny from today’s perspective, this rich history makes us one of the oldest businesses and business organizations in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and Hawaii.
Throughout the coming year, we’ll be bringing you reflections on the past 120 years.
We will also be bringing new opportunities to help you in your work as a credit professional.
This begins with monthly online webinars. These programs were wildly successful and well received in 2018, so we come into 2019 with a complete list of new offerings designed to support you and your work. The full list of presentations is listed on our events calendar. Start your year off, right, and register for one, today!
We also begin 2019 with our 3rd annual Hawaii Winter Credit Forum. Whether you live in Hawaii or on the mainland, you will find the program to be worth your time and modest registration fee. In our January eNews, we introduce our keynote speaker just to give you a taste of what’s to come. For more information, click on the registration button below.
In March, look for a Lien Seminar including options for rookies and veterans. More information will be coming soon.
Sometime during late winter, we return to Alaska for another try at our Holiday Forum. Canceled because of the December earthquake (everyone is okay, by the way), we’ll soon have a date for the replacement effort. Just stop the ground from rumbling and we’ll be there!
This spring, NACM National Credit Congress comes to Aurora, Colorado. If you’re planning to go, now is the time register if you want to take advantage of early bird pricing. There’s also still time to apply for a scholarship from our new Business Credit Foundation. Fill out the form and submit no later than February 1st.
In 2019, we can likely expect new compliance rules and scrutiny. We may not like the rules or the work/expense that accompanies their implementation but there will be no choice. 1899 was definitely easier. We intend to offer educational opportunities focused on compliance.
Finally, whether you call it the Seattle Squeeze, Via-Doom, or Car-mageddon, it ‘s coming on January 11th. If you live, work or plan to visit in the greater Puget Sound area, prepare for at least three weeks of highway hell throughout the region as the new Seattle Waterfront Tunnel prepares to open. The 100,000 vehicles that currently use the soon-to-closed Viaduct will have to go…somewhere else. The article we included in our January eNews, excerpted from the Seattle Times, is worth a read so you and your company can prepare. It’s also important to note that this really won’t be just three weeks. This disruption will drag on for years because of major construction projects. Perhaps it’s time to pump up the tires on the old Schwinn!
120 years is a long time. Over the decades, this association has always been focused on serving the needs of our members and customers. We look forward to continuing that important tradition as 2019 gets underway.
We wish you a successful and prosperous New Year. Thanks for joining us for this great ride.
