Rising to the top of international credit and trade finance.(Finance Credit International Business/National Association of Credit Management)

The path forward is anticipated to be a rocky one. The global slump is putting downward pressure on international trade with global gross domestic product growth to be well below the 2.2% originally forecast. The dollar continues to regain ground, tempering U.S. exports, while firms are being forced to scale back on staffing as profits wane. Contacts, erudition and education are becoming more paramount as the slowdown grinds on. So is the need to tap into the pulse of international credit markets.

International credit and trade finance professionals have always had a home with FCIB. The association has strived to provide its more than 1200 members from 55 countries with conferences brimming with networking opportunities to form relationships with other credit practitioners and individuals. Annual events like FCIB's Export Credit and Trade Finance Summit in Europe, and International Credit Executives (ICE) and Global conferences held in the United States are venues to not only discuss and form lasting partnerships with customers and end-users, but they are also caches where paths to new markets are unveiled, as are strategies to cope with financing challenges in the global marketplace.

"Without the networking, where would you meet 200 people and get 200 answers to the problem that you have?" said Nick King, MICM, NACCO Materials Handling Group, Inc. "You never find that in your own company. In the year ahead you need to be here. If you are in the credit and finance industry, you need to be a part of FCIB, because if you are not, you are going to be standing alone and fighting, and you are going to be left behind"

Beyond the advantages of providing a platform for international credit practitioners to increase their exposure to customers and colleagues, FCIB also provides opportunities to increase their knowledge base. The world of international trade finance and credit is a complex environment, and credit practitioners have to maintain their command of the rich and diverse landscape.

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"As sure as you well know, the world economy is facing a huge financial crisis on a global scale that has never really been seen before," said Hermelinda Gonzalez, CBA, CICP, Scoular Company. "[FCIB] provides us with this great opportunity and provides us with courses regarding foreign exchange, compliance and CICP certification. I think with all of this, there's a great opportunity to be a credit professional in today's economy, because today we earn our stripes as credit professionals."

For ongoing advancement and education, FCIB offers the most prestigious designation for international credit and trade finance practitioners: the Certified International Credit Professional (CICP). Representing the pinnacle achievement in the field, the CICP exemplifies dedication to continued professional growth and achievement. As the road ahead remains challenging, that's not a trait professionals want lost on management or peers.