Profile: Zelma Echols, CTP, Treasury Manager, Allstate Insurance Co.

From the April 2006 issue of AFP Exchange magazine

AFP spoke with member Zelma Echols about her experience with earning the Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) designation. She has had the designation for 10 years.

Tell us briefly about your career.

I'm 20 years with Allstate, several with accounting and within the corporate treasury department.

When did you decide to work on your CTP?

While in accounting in the field office. The treasury department had the foresight to have people in the field office to have knowledge of the cash management disciple. So I actually sat for the exam while I was still in the field. And a couple years after that I was transferred into corporate treasury.

How has it changed your career course?

It did because I had no idea that the discipline even existed. So it actually opened up doors of opportunity within the corporate treasury area.

How has it changed the quality of your career?

It just keeps me more informed. It keeps me more focused on what are the key issues within not just cash management but corporate finance in general. As the demands have changed over the years, it's not just about cash management services of disbursements and receipts; it's more than that.

What qualities do you find that set someone with a CTP designation apart from the pack?

It's more of having the credentials speak to your commitment to the discipline, but also it speaks to that you are serious about the continuance of education.

Would you recommend it to established professionals as well as young, up and coming professionals?

Absolutely, yes.

When should it be taken?

I think it's after you've had some practical experience. I don't know that just academic studying the body of knowledge is going to do it for you. But I think having some practical experience to accompany or complement the body of knowledge is very helpful, so I'd say someone with at least two to three years of experience, experience in some type finance capacity whether that's strictly cash management; it's running a lockbox; it's running a sharing purchase program; or it's looking at finance and debt; but you have to have some type of actual experience. I think that's helpful.

Do you have anything to say to people considering taking the CTP exam?

It keeps you focused on staying abreast of what's happening and that's important. You make more informed decisions.