History of the Saskatchewan Chapter

75th Anniversary

Credit Institute of Canada

The Credit Institute of Canada originated in Winnipeg, Manitoba in the late 1920's (1928). The Saskatchewan Chapter, an Affiliate Chapter of the Winnipeg Chapter, was established on January 12, 1931 and operates as a support group to Credit people in our province. We focus on continuing education, student enrollment, and seminars.

In addition to basic seminars on credit, we offer sessions on topical issues that impact our industry. These can include new legislation and/or changes to existing legislation. For example, the Personal Property Security Act (PPSA) was a very important piece of legislation providing a convenient vehicle to secure creditors. When the PPSA was introduced, we offered an all day Educational Session. Our guest lecturer for the morning program represented the Government who actually prepared the verbiage for the Act. To ensure our membership understood all the implications of the act, our afternoon facilitator was a Solicitor.

We offer a variety of functions that include lunch or dinner meetings (with guest speakers) and social events. In the past, our Curling Bonspiels were immensely popular with 16 teams entered. You had to register early to be one of the 64 people participating. Golf tournaments continue to be well attended and fun. They offer an opportunity to meet credit personnel in a more informal atmosphere.

One obstacle to Chapter development is geography. While our population is only one million residents, Saskatchewan has a large land space. Credit people are scattered throughout the province which creates challenges to gather together for credit related activities. We find the best mix is to rotate functions between Regina (south) and Saskatoon (central and north).

The Chapter has been recognized for its accomplishments on more than one occasion by being awarded the Quaker Oats Trophy, most recently in 2001. To win the award is a humbling but motivating experience.

Due to scant record-keeping since the Chapter's inception, we can only approximate the chronological data. We apologize for any names omitted but wish to herald the following Executive who ‘charted our course.

The first President was D.T.Derry, M.C.I. followed by Ray Dorward, Scotty Henderson, Peter Balon, Henry Grazley, Ken Reid, and others. From 1976 through 1982, Hal Reich, MCI, led the group. David Hengen, CCP (Emeritus), has assumed the helm on three occasions (1982 to 1987; 1989 to 1993; and most recently assisted in reactivating the chapter in 2001-2002). In between David’s terms, the presidents were Orest Zabinski (l987 to 1989), Larry Dreger (1993 to 1998) and Glen Lloyd, CCP (1998 to 2001).

As of this date (September 2002), the Chapter is very active thanks to an aggressive and hard working nucleus of executive and membership personel.

Respectively submitted by:

David Hengen CCP (Emeritus)

David is Past President of the Saskatchewan Chapter.

Celebrating 80 Years of Professional Credit Education

November, 2008.

2008 marks the eightieth anniversary of the Credit Institute of Canada (CIC). Created by a special Act of Parliament in 1928, the CIC is the only Canadian organization which grants official designations to professionals in the Canadian credit field, and is recognized as the primary source of credit management training in the country.

The Credit Institute of Canada (CIC) professional training benefits both professional members of the organization and the businesses they serve. Carol Breining is one such individual. Carol became a member of the CIC British Columbia branch at the beginning of her career as a credit professional in the international forestry industry, and earned the CCP (Certified Credit Professional) designation shortly thereafter. She is former CIC National President and Dean, was an active member of the National Board of Directors, and has been awarded the prestigious CCP (Emeritus) designation.

Throughout her nearly 30 year career, Ms. Breining distinguished herself as a leader in the credit industry.

“To be a successful credit manager you must have all the tools to do so,” Ms. Breining states. “I started as the secretary to the Corporate Credit Manager. After completing the CIC program I was promoted to Credit Manager handling a very large accounts receivable portfolio. Without the formal educational component, that would not have been possible.”

Ms. Breining notes that the volatility of the financial marketplace makes it prudent for employers to ensure that they have a knowledgeable individual handling the credit portion of the business.

“Most companies operate with a line of credit from a financial institution as well as third-party accounts receivable insurance. These institutions require that the credit personnel handling the accounts receivable portfolio have either a Finance Degree or the CCP designation. A professional that has a designation and continues to maintain it by completing the continuous educational components is far better prepared to deal with the legal issues associated with credit management. I would definitely recommend credit professionals firm up their credentials.”

The CCP designation is widely acknowledged in today’s global marketplace as a symbol of excellence in credit management. The Certified Credit Professional designation (CCP) is a rigorous and reputable benchmark of excellence that enables businesses to clearly and confidently identify individuals of outstanding training and capabilities.

For more information about the Credit Institute of Canada and the CCP (Certified Credit Professional) designation, please contact:

Regina Delovitch, General Manager, Credit Institute of Canada 219 Dufferin Street, Suite 216-C, Toronto, Ontario M6K 3J1