Focus on Members
Focus on Life Members - Allan Hale and Andy Steele
It is often said that we learn a lot from past experience, and from the experiences of others. In this issue, we will highlight the experiences of two retired members and what they learned from their many years in credit that they would now like to pass on to those just getting started.
Allan Hale,
CCP(Emeritus)
We recently spoke to Allan Hale, CCP (Emeritus) and Andy Steele, CCP, FCIB, asking them how they got into credit management, and what skills are critical for success in this field. Both credit their contacts in the Credit Institute of Canada with helping them advance their careers.
Allan is very grateful to the CIC and even now, 10 years into his official retirement, he still attends the dinner meetings of the Hamilton chapter. Andy has recently offered to share his wide credit knowledge with the CIC by helping us prepare information for our new Knowledge Centre.
Allan was working as an Accounting Supervisor when the company’s corporate credit manager invited him to join the credit department and supported him in taking the CIC courses to obtain his designation, which he earned in 1977. The same boss (who was himself an MCI at the time) then told him he was qualified to be a Credit Manager and encouraged him to find a credit management position, which he did. He spent the next 30+ years working in several companies, building vibrant credit departments from scratch. He loved the challenge of trying to improve a company’s financial performance. During this period, he also became active in the Hamilton Chapter and served as its President from 1981-82. He also continued to be active in the Institute at the national level and became President & Dean in 1993. Allan credits this volunteer work in helping to improve his public speaking skills and giving him more confidence speaking in front of groups.
Allan’s advice to those considering a career in credit management:
Know yourself and what your strengths are. If you enjoy working with people, are detail oriented, and can approach credit/collections as a bit of a game-- getting the company to pay you before they pay someone else, then credit management is the right career for you. You also need to be creative in terms of managing a department and its people and be interested in learning a wide range of skills. Many credit managers take on additional administrative responsibilities once they prove they have the skills. Allan, for example, in his last Credit position also took on Contract Administration, a skill he developed as a Credit Manager.
Andy Steele,
CCP, FCIB
Andy entered credit management from a different path. He graduated from the Canadian Institute of Bankers program, but found more opportunities for advancement in commercial credit management. He earned his MCI designation in 1986 and spent the next 30+ years building and managing credit departments in several companies. Along the way he mentored many credit professionals, urging them to enroll in the credit professional program of studies. He convinced senior management of the benefits of hiring trained credit professionals.
Andy’s advice to those considering a career in credit management:
Be sure to enroll in the CIC courses and get as much education as you can. Recognize, however, that this is only the beginning. The certification helps you get your foot in the door, but in order to advance, you also have to develop your people skills, skills like negotiating with a customer so they pay you on time. He also urges members to take advantage of the great networking opportunities available to CIC members, and use that network to help solve everyday problems and advance in their careers.
