Letter from...
Sheila Roames, CCE
CFDD National Chairman (2012-2013)
It is a great honor and privilege to serve our membership as National Chairman. CFDD is unique in many ways and we have a great future ahead of us. I am very excited about our leadership and our new board. It is dedicated people such as these who will continue to ensure our growth for the coming year.
My theme for the coming year is, "CFDD—Developing Tomorrow's Leaders—One Member at a Time."
For 85 years, CFDD has continued to offer its membership countless opportunities. All you have to do is reach out and take advantage of them. Each one of us must make the decision to either become an involved, active member, or just be another name on the roster. Will this be the year you choose to take advantage and invest in these opportunities? Allow the benefits of CFDD to assist you in reaching your goals and wonderful feelings of success. However there is one more step to this, pay this forward and share this information and experience with another credit professional.
My story isn't really much different from those you've heard before. When I was first hired, my supervisor informed me that I had a "credit thingy" on the second Tuesday of every month. That was how I was introduced to CFDD. At one of the meetings, a friend "volunteered" me to become the chapter vice president by placing me on the ballot. To my great surprise I was elected, so there was no backing out now.
Just remember, all of you who are members but not active on your local board or as officers, the education goes well beyond credit topics. Now you are learning about leadership, professional development, teamwork, and of course, public speaking. It's amazing to look back on all of this today. How did I get here? I truly believe that someone or several "someone's" took the time to help develop a new credit leader. Now is my time to pay it forward.
As members and credit professionals, we endeavor to:
- be the best at what we do,
- work hard and do our jobs well,
- achieve recognition,
- network with our professional colleagues,
- advance our professional education, and
- give back and share what we have learned and experienced through personal involvement in our individual chapters.
I really enjoyed Chairman Bartlett's theme this past year, "Planting the Seeds of Success." Are you planting your seeds? Are you playing your part in "Developing Tomorrow's Leaders?"
It is truly up to us to be the "CFDD sales force," to tell our story and to share the wealth and success of what we are as an organization of credit and finance professionals, promoting development and credit education.
As members, we can never talk enough about membership, as we are all interested in the growth of our chapters. What makes you stand out from the next credit professional? I believe it's your membership in CFDD which is the catalyst that brings all these things together. How can we pay this forward to another credit professional and help develop them? How can we reach out to an up and coming credit professional? We serve, we learn, we grow, and then we step aside and gently guide—watching in wonder as those who follow us in leadership positions step into the spotlight. It's a continuing journey as the roles we play constantly change.
My challenge to all members this year is to recognize the true value of their CFDD membership. We have become credit leaders because of our connection to CFDD and NACM. We've put all we have learned to work as our roles continue to evolve. Continue down that path. Continue to learn and grow professionally. Continue to build your professional network. Continue to pass the baton on—it will continue to serve you well.
Remember, this is yet another seed we can plant and another opportunity to help develop another credit leader.
