Certified Credit Executive (CCE)

What Is a Certified Credit Executive (CCE)?

Certified Credit Executive (CCE) is a professional designation issued by the National Association of Credit Management (NACM). It is an executive-level designation. The CCE designation validates that a person is capable of managing credit at a high level of the industry.

Understanding a Certified Credit Executive (CCE)

Credit management is part of a company's risk management practices. It involves evaluating possible credits, whether they be businesses or individuals, to determine whether the company should extend credit to that business or individual.

If it is determined that credit should be extended, then the credit management process also determines how much credit should be extended. It involves evaluating financial statements, legal documents, understanding credit theory, and a multitude of other information.

Individuals who wish to obtain the CCE certification are required to sit an exam to prove they have sufficient knowledge of the credit, financial, and legal topics studied. Renewing the certification involves paying a fee once every three years and completing continuing education and participation points.

Because the Certified Credit Executive (CCE) certification is at an executive level, the types of job functions that a CCE would have would be evaluating and approving higher levels of credit for larger amounts of money.

Qualifying for the Certified Credit Executive (CCE) Exam

There are three ways an applicant can qualify for the CCE exam. Plan A requires applicants to hold the Credit Business Associate (CBA) and Credit Business Fellow (CBF) designations and 125 Career Roadmap points. This plan applies to individuals who have minimal credit experience but want to gain the fundamental skills and knowledge of the field.

Plan B requires applicants to have 10 years of business, credit, or financial management experience along with a four-year college degree and 125 Career Roadmap points.

Plan C applies to applicants who have 15 years of credit or financial management experience, are age 57 or older, and have 125 Career Roadmap points. This plan is suitable for applicants who don't hold a four-year college or university degree.

Certified Credit Executive (CCE) Exam Structure

The CCE exam has a duration of four hours and comprises two sections, each worth 50 points. The exam's first section requires applicants to complete short answer and essay questions about credit, legal, and management topics.

Applicants complete a case study in the second section, where business credit knowledge gets applied to real-world examples. Both parts of the exam evaluate knowledge in accounting, finance, domestic and international credit concepts, credit management, and credit and commercial law.

Studying for the Certified Credit Executive (CCE) Exam

The NACM does not provide a practice exam; however, it does recommend that applicants review the following publications in preparation:

• “Credit Management: Principles and Practices” fourth edition, by Dr. Charles Gahala, CCE
• “Understanding Financial Statements” by Lyn M Fraser
• “Manual of Credit and Commercial Laws” by the National Association of Credit Management
• “Antitrust, Restraint of Trade, and Unfair Competition: Myth vs. Reality” by Wanda Borges

Certified Credit Executive (CCE) Certification Costs

The first step is to file the Education Department Registration form, for a cost of $174 for NACM members and $350 for non-NACM members. Next, an applicant must file the CCE Designation Application form, at a cost of $385 for NACM members and $770 for non-NACM members.

NACM requires CCE recertification every three years; recertification costs members $175 and nonmembers $300. Recertification discounts are available for members who renew three months before certification expiration.