Honors & Awards
Alice M. H. McGregor Award of Exceptional Achievement
This award memorializes one of NACM’s great leaders, Alice M. H. McGregor, CCE.
In her honor, this highly prestigious award recognizes creative approaches and consistently high performance by credit practitioners that benefit the recipient’s company, affiliate, the national organization and the business credit profession. Alice M. H. McGregor award recipients serve as role models; they are leaders rather than followers, set standards for others, and apply their professional expertise outside of their companies.
You need only to look at Alice’s vast and reaching accomplishments to understand what embodies this award: Alice was educated at Edinburgh Business College and the London Graduate School of Business. She was the first woman to receive the CCE designation and graduated from NACM’s Graduate School of Credit & Financial Management in 1978.
She joined Puget Sound Salvage & Equipment Company in the credit department, and by the time it became known as Pacific Industrial Supply Company, she was a co-owner. Ultimately, Alice became the President of Pacific Industrial Supply Company.
She was well known for her dedicated service within her local Affiliate, NACM Business Credit Services in Seattle, Washington, where she was a member for 29 years. She served in many volunteer capacities, including Chairman. She led many seminars, sharing her knowledge and expertise, and was a mentor to everyone she knew. In 1985, NACM Seattle honored her as their Credit Executive of the Year.
She was a leading figure in NACM-CFDD Seattle and was named Credit Woman of the year in 1976. Alice served as National Chairman from 1989 to 1990. When asked about the secret to her success, Alice would always simply say, “hard work.”
View the current recipient below.
Nominations
Click below to nominate a special credit professional.
Application Period:
December 1, 2012 - January 18, 2013.
Award Details
O. D. Glaus Credit Executive of Distinction
In February 2010, a revered leader and visionary within NACM, O. D. Glaus, passed away. NACM can think of no better way to both memorialize and honor O.D. than to continually identify and honor those that reflect his vision, energy, commitment and love for the credit profession. Therefore, in May 2010, the National Honors & Awards Committee, with an endorsement from the National Board of Directors, renamed the National Credit Executive Award the O.D. Glaus Credit Executive of Distinction.
As with the National Credit Executive Award, the O.D. Glaus Credit Executive of Distinction seeks to acknowledge exemplary professionals within the field of credit. The nomination criteria have been honed to seek those that emulate O.D.'s legacy. The award will be bestowed annually in tribute to O.D. and to recognize remarkable professionals within the NACM organization.
Designation of Excellence Awards
The Designation of Excellence Awards were created to honor designation holders at three distinct levels: the CBA, CBF and CCE. Each honoree must have an unrelenting pursuit of excellence through enhanced and improved knowledge. Equally important is the desire to share that knowledge through speaking, teaching or mentoring.
NACM Instructor and Student of the Year Awards
The NACM Instructor of the Year is a person who is not only passionate about sharing their hard-earned knowledge, but also challenging their students for more. The NACM Student of the Year is a person who takes the challenge of hard work, compounded with work, family, professional and civic responsibilities, head on.
Mentor of the Year
Mentor of the Year is a person who is defined as a wise and trusted teacher or guide. For some, guiding, nurturing and motivating those in need is innate.
Strength in Numbers Recognition Award NACM’s strength is in its numbers: Members are the foundation of every association. The NACM Strength in Numbers Awards honor individuals who have given so much to our association. These strong leaders have helped shape our organization, whether through service as a staff member, an Affiliate Manager or an expert outside of the membership arena.
GSCFM Awards
NACM’s Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management awards the programs high achievers every year. Click here to view our 2012 GSCFM Award recipients.
CCE Designation of Excellence Award
Heidi Lindgren-Boyce, CCE
The 2012 recipient of the CCE Designation of Excellence award is Heidi Lindgren-Boyce, CCE, senior credit manager for Star Rentals in Seattle, WA. As the CCE award recipient, you must be dedicated to the credit profession, committed to improving yourself through higher education and committed to making a difference.
Lindgren-Boyce has proven she is an NACM advocate by the five awards she has already received over the years from her affiliate, NACM Business Credit Services – Seattle, Alaska and Hawaii. She has served as chairman for both her affiliate and her CFDD Seattle Chapter. She serves on several affiliate committees including as the chairman of the 2011 Pacific Northwest Credit Conference and Orchid Auction Committee. She has also served several times as the chairman of her general contractors and construction industry credit groups.
As a previous NACM-National CBF Designation of Excellence recipient, Lindgren-Boyce mentors both her staff and fellow members in their pursuit of professional designations.
Mentor of the Year Award
Larry O'Brien, CCE, ICCE
The 2012 Mentor of the Year, Larry O'Brien, CCE, ICCE, is not only a mentor, but a teacher and a volunteer who encourages his staff to do the same. He is dedicated to raising the bar and exceeding expectations through continued education for himself and his staff. He believes that although the price of participation and education may be high, the rewards far outweigh the risk of making costly mistakes due to a lack of knowledge, lack of information, or a weak network.
His staff holds him in high regard, "He sets the bar: he's fair, open-minded and provides me with solid guidance I can count on," said one of his employees. His staff pays him the highest of all compliments by saying how lucky they feel to be working for such a great mentor.
O'Brien, CCE, ICCE, director of corporate credit for Potash
Corporation in Northbook, IL is a member of NACM Midwest.
Instructor of the Year Award
Duane Schwartz, CCE
Duane Schwartz, CCE, credit manager for the Tile Shop in Plymouth, MN, is the 2012 Instructor of the Year. Schwartz has fulfilled the high standards of this award by being a person who is not only passionate about sharing their hard-earned knowledge, presenting concepts and explaining the facts, but also challenging their students for more. Schwartz cares passionately about inspiring his students to learn, broaden their horizons and reach through active participation.
Schwartz is an avid supporter of the NACM organization, from recruiting students, to volunteering his time in leadership roles for the organization. He was the first to volunteer to fill the position of CAP and ACAP instructor for his affiliate, Forius. Schwartz has enhanced the CAP class by building an online community for students to interact with the instructors and network with one another. He also teaches Principles of Business Credit.
Schwartz is active with CFDD Twin Cities, having served on its board of directors, as well as on the NACM National Board of Directors.
Student of the Year Award
Jason Sanborn, CBA
Jason Sanborn, CBA, accounts receivable manager with J.H. Larson Company in Plymouth, MN is the Student of the Year. As his affiliate, Forius, said, Sanborn "is the epitome of an emerging credit professional." He was an active participant in CAP classes and quickly became a leader to the other students.
Sanborn attended his first NACM conference in 2009. Since then, he successfully completed each of the three CAP classes in 2010 with the highest marks, attained his CBA designation in 2011 and participates in an affiliate committee, as well as forums and groups. He plans to continue his education to attain his CBF and CCE designations.
2012 Recipients
NACM and the National Honors and Awards Committee congratulate this year’s national award recipients!
O.D. Glaus Credit Executive of
Distinction Award
Val Venable, CCE
NACM's second O.D. Glaus Credit Executive of Distinction is Val Venable, CCE, director of credit at Ascend Performance Materials in Houston, TX. Val is a long-time member of NACM who believes in education and commitment. This belief began when she attended her first Credit Congress in 1991 as a member of NACM Connecticut. Determined to never again be among those sitting when credential holders were asked to stand, she began her pursuit of the CCE designation, which she successfully completed by 1992. Now fully committed, she completed the NACM Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management in 1994.
Venable's service to NACM has included attendance at more than 80 seminars, as panelist at several Credit Congresses and speaker at CFDD National and All South conferences. She also served as NACM Chairman for the 2001-2002 term.
Venable has been a go-to expert on bankruptcy and bankruptcy reform for the NACM Government Affairs Committee for the past decade and has testified before the U.S. Congressional committee on behalf of NACM. She has also co-chaired an American Bankruptcy Institute committee on NACM's behalf.
Venable currently serves as a board member with NACM of South Texas in Houston. The June issue of Business Credit featured Val's member profile on the announcement of her selection as the O.D. Glaus Credit Executive of Distinction.
CBA Designation of Excellence AwardKarol Saito, CBA
Karol Saito, CBA is this year's CBA Designation of Excellence award winner. This award recipient sets an example for all who want to begin their pursuit of higher education and professional certifications. These role models work tirelessly to complete courses, take exams and contribute to their local affiliate and CFDD chapter.
As a member of NACM Inland Northwest, Saito has demonstrated her commitment to the profession. She has belonged to several industry credit groups, and has served as chairman of her affiliate's subs and supplier group. She has also served on several affiliate committees, guiding some of them in the role of chairman, and is currently serving on the NACM Inland Northwest Board of Directors.
Saito earned her CBA designation and has gone on to share her knowledge by serving as the instructor or speaker for several seminars. Her affiliate describes her as the go-to person for mentoring on issues like lien rights and security agreements.
Saito is the credit manager at Rolled Steel Products, Inc. in Spokane, WA.
CBA Designation of Excellence Award
D'Ann Johnson, CBF
D'Ann Johnson, CBF was presented with this year's CBF Designation of Excellence award. She is the credit and collection manager at Roofers Supply, Inc. in Salt Lake City, UT. Johnson has served on several committees for her affiliate, NACM Business Credit Services – Salt Lake City, and has advanced to the position of committee chairman. She has also served as the chair of their Intermountain Credit Education League, and is currently chair of the building related suppliers group.
Johnson earned her CBA designation in 2005, followed by her CBF designation two years later. She is now working toward her CCE designation. Not stopping with her own advancement, through her encouragement and support, several of her staff have obtained their designations and attend local seminars and classes.
