Who am I?

I have been a member of AFP since 1996. I passed my CTP (originally a CCM) in 1998, after failing to pass the exam in 1997. I was given the task of creating a Treasury department at the company I work for, something I had never done before, and wasn’t real sure how to accomplish. Being asked questions about things I had barely heard of was what sent me searching for answers. I began to find those answers in the body of knowledge, which evolved into the Essentials of Treasury Management, 3rd Edition that we have today. I saw the certification as a very focused means to acquire knowledge I didn’t possess in a field I found extremely interesting. Since then, the field has grown and become more than I had ever imagined.

I have spoken to many people at the annual conferences and in the classes I have taught in the last few years, and have discovered that, in many ways, I am no different than many of the folks out there. This makes me heave a great sigh of relief and it should do the same for you.

Why? Because you’re not crazy for taking on the challenge of attaining your certification. As a matter of fact, you’ve got lots of company and it’s all good. Don’t think that it’s going to be easy, however. Nothing could be further from the truth. As a matter of fact, if you’re looking for something easy, I’d suggest you look elsewhere. Treasury is a fascinating field with more parts and pieces and offshoots than you can imagine. It is an opportunity to explore the vast universe of business where there is almost no limit to what can be.

It is my intention to use this blog to share with you as much of what I have learned as a CTP teacher, and as a practitioner in Treasury, as I can squeeze into these postings. Something I have said on several occasions is that there is no one, true way. That belief places a very large responsibility on those of us that accept it because we will be going new places, finding new direction, and otherwise defining what will be here tomorrow. This certification helps all of us to stay on the right track as we move forward.

- Fred Butterfield, CTP