The Commitment to Education Continues to Dominate in 2017 (as it has for the past few years)!

As a life-long adult learner, I’m pleased to continue active involvement in providing a variety of educational programs directed to professional adults. These endeavors include faculty positions in both Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts courses in Leadership and Organizational Studies and a Master of Arts in Social Justice. In addition, I continue to facilitate on-line domestic and international certificate programs in finance and business-related topics for several business associations.

I have been a faculty member of St. Mary's College, Moraga, CA, for many decades, involved in facilitating adult, working professionals in various BA and MA- related business and leadership courses. I guide students as they complete their "final projects" (theses) in their BA or MA Leadership programs. I facilitate a course, "Leading in a Diverse World," a BA requirement in the Leadership Department of St. Mary's School of Education. This program assists learners in developing a framework to appreciate the impact of culture on leadership behavior and processes. In addition it can enhance behavioral and cognitive skills that can be applied in diverse cultural contexts, both domestically and internationally. I also teach "Organizational Theory and Change," a program that examines the major schools of thought regarding organizational theory. Within that framework, students explore how major changes in the external and organizational context enable leaders to shape organizational designs, structures, and processes in ways likely to benefit the individuals served by the organization, the individuals within the organization, and the larger society.

In my sixth year, I'm pleased to continue instructing for ICTF (International Credit and Trade Finance), a global finance association providing on-line courses in international credit management. These unique offerings, provided through Arizona State University, enable professionals from all over the world to asynchronously watch videos of subject matter experts as they present Ppts., written material, while having the opportunity to share experiences on-line.  Certificates of completion are awarded after the eight week sessions of either "Essentials" or "Advanced" international credit. Both courses carry the ICTF and Arizona State U/Thunderbird School of International Management designations.  Thunderbird School of International Management is a program that is highly rated, as noted below

• No. 1 business school in the "International" MBA program specialty - by U.S. News & World Report. 
• No. 1 in International Business - by the Financial Times.
• No. 1 for "Internationalism of Alumni" - by The Economist.          

Here is the link to ICTF
http://www.ictfworld.org/ (go to the "Education and Training" link in the site to read about the on line programs).

I am in my tenth year of instructing for the Credit Managers Association of Northern CA. In 2007, this association asked me to help develop and teach Business Credit Principles and Financial Statement Analysis. These on-line courses offered by CMA are part of the track to the CBA designation (Credit Business Associate) offered by NACM (National Association of Credit Management). Through 2015, over 400 participants from 18 states and Canada have completed the CMA courses and earned their designation. CMA is the only credit association affiliate in the US that offers a “live” instructor for the weekly, on line programs. I was honored  to be awarded the 2013 "Instructor of the Year" by CMA.

For more information regarding courses offered by CMA, click on

http://creditmanagementassociation.org/services/education/

2010 and 2009 - What Kind Of Years?

During the past two years, building on educational efforts, I continued to instruct and facilitate business-related, on-line, face-to-face and hybrid degree and certification programs.

The successful on-line international program sponsored by the FCIB Association (Finance, Credit & International Business) continues to attract global learners from around the world. As co-developer and lead instructor of the course, I have been pleased to see that through the close of 2010, over 1,300 people from 35+ countries have received their certifications.

The CA credit association, CMA, and I found enduring interest from business professionals desiring on-line programs in Financial Statement Analysis and Business Credit Principles part of the "track" to the CBA (Credit Business Associate) designation. Learners from 14 states and Canada have successfully completed these programs since inception. In addition, a private, "in-house" version of these business courses was offered to a major publishing firm located on the east coast.

With St. Mary's College of CA, I continued my adjunct faculty position dedicated to those public and private sector learners seeking the degree of Masters of Arts in Leadership.

Presentations on topics from mitigating export risk to cultural issues in the global business environment were made to business and trade groups in San Diego, CA, Portland, Oregon, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, FL.

I was pleased to develop and facilitate programs in international business at an executive program at Dartmouth College, Hanover, Mass.

My second year with the Advisory Committee for the Export-Import Bank of the US as one of two representatives for U.S. small businesses was concluded. The experience was enlightening and provided additional insights into the issues that the U.S. needs to address in order to be more competitive in world markets.

Q Finance, a new publication published by Bloomsbury, UK, asked me to write an article, "Essentials for Export Success." Described as a resource for finance professionals, the 2,000 + page QFinance publication provides problem-solving tools with topics covered that include global strategy and performance measures, macroeconomics, mergers and acquisitions, business ethics and export risk mitigation techniques.

Quote to Cash Process Consulting

Q2C is a company I co-founded with some partners in 2002. We help companies improve working capital management by focusing on all activities within the quote to cash cycle. This encompasses policies and procedures, processes, organizational structure, systems and automation opportunities.

We analyze the current status, recommend improvements and provide implementation oversight.

We deliver improvement in cash flow, accounts receivable management and provide alternatives to secure or finance sales.

If you are experiencing...

• Slow A/R turns and eroding profitability;
• High level of customer deductions; or
• Lack of cross-functional approaches to issues related to credit, billing, customer service, cash management, collection, cash application and dispute management

...we can help! Please contact us or visit the Q2C website for further information.

Our Clients

Our clients include:

• Agilent Technologies
  
• Dole Foods
• Dreyer's Ice Cream
• Dun & Bradstreet
• Euler Hermes Credit Insurance
• Hewlett-Packard
• Hitachi Data Systems
• Honeywell, Inc.
• Mail Box Etc.
• McGraw Hill Publishing
• Medallion Carpets
• Safeway Stores
• Sanrio
• San Francisco Airport Commission
  
• Sun Micro
• Weyerhaeuser
  

Publications

"Essentials for Exporter Success," published in QFinance by Bloomsbury Press, UK, 2009, describes how taking intelligent global risks coupled with developing relationships leads to rewards.

"The Evolving Role of Credit Risk Management," Risk Management Magazine April 2005 by William Atkinson. Managing accounts receivable is becoming an issue of increasing importance not just to companies’ financial personnel but to risk management as well. With comments by Paul Beretz

"The International Obstacle Course" By William Atkinson. Clearing the hurdles of credit and collections overseas requires training, excellent teamwork, and frequently a third-party's helping hand. With comment by Paul Beretz.

"Cohorts in Learning" By Jane R. Schultz. Paul Beretz comments on the FCIB partnership with Michigan State University to create an unusual online course about global credit management.

"International Skills: Don't Leave Home Without Them. An interview with Paul Beretz" by Sherry Schlossnagle. (Reprinted from the September 2000 issue of Business Credit magazine with permission of NACM.).

"Stop, Look and Listen! : Expert Advice on Doing Business in the Pac Rim" by Paul Beretz (Reprinted with permission from IOMA's Report on Managing International Credit and Collections, September 2000 issue.)

Country Profile: "Singapore: Singapura - the 'Lion' City" by Paul Beretz (Reprinted with permission from IOMA's Report on Managing International Credit and Collections, July 2000 issue.)

Country Profile: "Handling Credit and Collection Issues When Exporting to South Korea" By Paul Beretz (Reprinted with permission from IOMA's Report on Managing International Credit and Collections, February 2000 issue.)

"How to Prepare for a Systems Application Installation or Upgrade" By Paul Beretz (Reprinted with permission of Business Credit magazine, a publication of NACM. The original article appears in the January 2000 issue.)

What We Do

Want to improve profitability? Pacific Business Solutions evaluates and creates opportunities that will improve cash flow for global manufacturing, distribution, and service companies, both high and low tech.
In addition, Paul provides training, both on-line and in-house for clients in financial statement analysis, business credit, negotiating, international country risk management.

Paul Beretz, Managing Director of Pacific Business Solutions, has successfully capitalized on more than thirty years of business experience providing the following results:

1. Start-up to middle market sized companies:

• Initiated tactical and strategic processes for automotive service/wholesale-oriented, twenty-five year old company; guided the new president and three key operations managers to evaluate the needs of the market place and competition, establish personnel performance measures and utilize budgeting and forecasting tools.
• Established accounts receivable goals and process improvements for a thirty-year old floor covering distributor; evaluated capabilities of finance and operations organization; instigated an "order to collect" task force that improved customer satisfaction and accounts receivable quality and collections by twenty percent.
• Drove and mediated a successful buy-out between two partners of an established, fifty-year old company specializing in fluid handling and sale of processing equipment (a buy-out that had been stalled for two years due to the inability of the partners to agree on the terms).
• Formulated an approach and identified issues for a start-up subsidiary of a Fortune 50 company that wanted to establish an on-line auction of accounts receivable.
• Created and led management team-building process for a franchise of a national company serving the postal and communication sector; facilitated and established action plans including understanding the business culture, customer feedback and recognizing growing pains that are consistent with an expanding operation.
• Edited and enhanced web site content of a fast-growing organization that assists exporters in expediting documentary payments.

2. Middle market + companies:

• Formulated a "best practice" strategy to identify and improve processes negatively impacting the accounts receivable for a $1B software provider - the result? Reduced DSO (days sales outstanding) by ten days in one quarter; reorganized the department and re-defined and created new departmental job descriptions; authored a "desk procedure" for world-wide operations which provided - for the first time - a consistency in understanding and maximizing the credit and collection process.
• Provided expertise to resolving accounts receivable issues resulting from the merger of two multi-$ B, global manufacturers; assisted the Integration Team to develop world-wide action plans impacting personnel, facility locations and the accounts receivable process.

3. International:

• Provided guidance and recommendations to several multi-$B companies in the recognition of economic, country, and cultural issues fundamental to selling products and services in Pacific Rim countries.
• Retained by an international trade association to give seminar on "Expect the Unexpected - Selling Overseas."
• Presented several company in-house and on-line training program covering international credit risk management.
  

4. Systems/Enterprise Resource Planning:

• Founded and act as facilitator for an organization for companies in northern California who desire to enhance their understanding and application of the Oracle Order Entry and Accounts Receivable module (the group, Bay Area Oracle Receivable User Group, is recognized as a "SIG" (Special Interest Group) by the Oracle Corp.
• Retained to present a program to a global organization entitled "How to Prepare for an ERP installation or Upgrade" (My article on the subject was published in Business Credit magazine, the January 2000 issue).

Contact Pacific Business Solutions

Export - Import Bank of the US

I was re-appointed for a second year to the Advisory Committee of the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. for 2008-2009. The committee's primary task is to advise the Bank concerning its programs, especially with respect to competitiveness. The committee has been considering a number of areas of opportunity, including identifying the strategies and mechanisms to enable exporters to stay competitive in today's global marketplace. The picture above was taken with the Honorable Jim Lambright, Chairman and President of Ex-Im.

California Business Credit Executive of 2008, Presented by CMA

What an honor to receive the "Credit Executive of the Year" award for 2008" from CMA! I am really humbled by the recognition and now able to join the ranks of past CMA credit execs of the year.
I've spent all of my business life in and around credit management and this award is truly one that I will treasure. Much of my life has been devoted to education - first as an avocation when I was in the corporate world, and now as a vocation as I begin my tenth year in consulting. Besides the undergraduate and graduate programs I teach, I'm very pleased to have been involved in both the development and instruction for on line, certificate eduction. This would include the FCIB International Risk Management program as well as CMA's courses in Business Credit Principles, Financial Statement Analysis and Interpretation and Credit Risk Assessment.
It's a pleasure working with CMA, a vibrant association that is taking the lead in providing timely, on-line education for credit and business professionals.

New Edition of Trade Guide for Exporters Released

In April 2008, due to the excellent reception by US exporters to the first edition of the Trade Finance Guide, the second edition of the Trade Guide was released.

Since its release in April 2007, over 5,000 printed copies of the Trade Finance Guide (TFG) have been distributed to the public and its online version has been downloaded more than 20,000 times from the US Commerce Department website. The second edition includes a new chapter on foreign exchange risk management as well as updates to all of the other chapters. The additional content is in response to the interest expressed by a number of SMEs (small, medium size enterprises) that wish to export more efficiently in foreign currencies by mitigating the risk of currency exchange loss.

At the request of the U.S. Departmentt of Commerce, I provided overall guidance in the development of this update as I did for the first edition. I worked very closely in the editing with the project manager for the Guide, a senior Commerce employee, who was a student of mine a few years ago in the FCIB on line risk management course.

Q4 2007 Noteworthy Events

Washington, DC: I was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Under Secretary for International Trade of the U.S. Department of Commerce for my contributions to the Trade Finance Guide, a reference publication produced by the Commerce Department to assist U.S. exporters.

I was elected to a three-year term on the Advisory Board of FCIB beginning in 2007. With FCIB having over 1,000 member-firms in 55 countries, the board will address the continuing development of educational programs while expanding global areas that provide solutions to international business concerns of its members.

Business Credit Principles: Now On Line!

The very successful, on-line Business Credit Principles course, instructor-led by Paul Beretz, is offered by CMA (the California Credit Association). This program is approved by NACM as certification credit toward the Credit Business Associate (CBA) designation.

To find out about programs scheduled in 2009, check out http://www.anscers.com/Upcomingevents.aspx

Financial Statement Analysis (FSA1) Online Course

Are you interested in improving your ability to analyze a financial statement? The sessions are held on-line, with Paul Beretz as the "live" instructor, one day a week, from 4 PM - 5 PM, PT, for six consecutive weeks. The course is approved by NACM as certification credit toward the Credit Business Associate (CBA) designation.
To find out about programs scheduled in 2009, check out http://www.anscers.com/Upcomingevents.aspx

Credit Congress Presentation, Las Vegas, June 2007

Below is the summary of a 3 hour presentation Paul made in Las Vegas at the annual Credit Congress.

Introduction to International Credit
Speaker: Paul Beretz, Pacific Business Solutions, A Q2C Partner
CEUs: .25/Valid for CCE Recertification/3 CPEs

Does your company export goods or services outside the country? Or perhaps you just want to learn more about the methods that effectively identify and apply credit approaches on a global basis in order to expand your own professional skills. This program examines risk attributes that result from country, currency and cultural influences in the global credit and collection process. Legal options for the credit risk manager are analyzed. Risk mitigation techniques such as credit insurance and how to recognize and apply a variety of payment options are evaluated. Utilizing current best practices are considered and enhanced with international experiences from a seasoned credit executive.

International Program Held in the Southwest, May 2007

Recognizing a need for international risk education in the southwest, Paul presented a program on Export Risk Mitigation while leading a round-table discussion on issues facing those selling off-shore.

International Risk Management Program

Paul continues to facilitate learners in international risk management through an on-line, instructor led program FCIB's International Credit and Risk Management Online Course that he helped develop in 2003 with Michigan State University, the US Department of Commerce and FCIB, the premier international finance association.
Through Q208, over 1,100 professionals from 30+ countries have received their CICP certification (Certified International Credit Professional). The next program began on Sunday, September 14, 2008. If you missed this, think about January!

International Credit and Risk Management at Dartmouth College

Paul taught for the second year this past summer at Dartmouth College at the invitation of the National Association of Credit Management's (NACM) Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management (GSCFM). This executive-level program is an invigorating two-week, two-year (four weeks total) program presented on the campus of Dartmouth College. The course, International Credit and Risk Management, is described as follows:

In the global business environment, the professional credit executive realizes that issues of risk management are dynamic. The course is designed to develop both an understanding of the vast changes in the global economy and transitions in the social and political sectors that impact our decisions. In addition, the program offers an opportunity to appreciate what "best practices" will work in the field of international credit and risk management. The concerns for both the global buyer and seller are examined. Country, currency and culture risk attributes are identified with specific examples. Risk mitigation techniques; international law; credit insurance; sources of credit information are considered. Payment alternatives are described and evaluated. The role of banks and how credit professional should effectively relate are assessed. Collection techniques; negotiating scenarios; international ethics and the future of global credit management are additional topics in the program.

. You can apply to future Dartmouth programs here.

Who is Paul Beretz?

Paul Beretz, CICE (Certified International Credit Executive), is Managing Director of Pacific Business Solutions, a company he created in 1999. In addition, he is a founding partner of Q2C (Quote to Cash) Solutions. He brings over 30 years of global, corporate experience in finance and management with industries such as telecommunications, semi-conductors, forest products, chemicals, plastics and consumer products among others. His expertise includes analyzing opportunities and providing resolutions in the order-through-collect cycle for manufacturers, distributors and service companies located worldwide.

Paul is a faculty member at St. Mary’s College (CA), instructing working professionals who are in the process of completing either their BA or MA in the program of Leadership and Organizational Studies. In addition, he directs students completing their final project in the MA in Social Justice course.  Paul has taught adult learners at UC Berkeley, Michigan State University, Arizona State University and an executive summer course at Dartmouth College.

He was responsible for developing and teaching a a successful international on line course for the FCIB association, (Finance Credit and International Business)  In 2011, ICTF (International Credit and Trade Finance) association requested Paul instruct on line courses through an affiliation with Thunderbird School of Global Management, a very highly rated management institution. Also, at the request of the California Business Credit Association (CMA), he created and instructs in two online certificate courses, “Financial Statement Analysis” and “Business Credit Principles.”

Mr. Beretz has given over 350 presentations and in-house training programs to Fortune 500 companies, associations and professional groups. He has been an expert witness, written articles for trade publications such as Business Credit and IOFM (Institute of Finance & Management), quoted by news organizations (e.g., Bloomberg), is a member of the Advisory Editorial Board of IOFM's publication, Managing Credit, Receivables & Collections, edits books on financial management and authored a book for the American Management Association on credit management. In 2009, he was asked to contribute an article on "Essentials for Export Success" for QFinance, a 2,000-page book, published by Bloomsbury Press, UK.

In 2007, Paul was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Under Secretary for International Trade of the U.S. Department of Commerce for his contributions to the “Trade Finance Guide,” a reference publication produced by the Commerce Department for U.S. exporters. More than 100,000 copies have been distributed (in print and via online)to the public. Mr. Beretz served as a member of the Advisory Committee of the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. for 2008-2009. Paul also received the "Credit Executive Award of 2008" from CMA (the California Business Credit Association) and in 2013 was named "Instructor of the Year"by CMA.

Paul earned his BBA from the University of Notre Dame, an MBA from Golden Gate University and the Executive Award at the Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management held at Stanford University.

FCIB Panel: Dimensions of Country Risk

At the annual global conference of the Association of Executives in Finance, Credit and International Business (FCIB) held in Coral Gables, Florida, November 12-14, a well-attended panel on "Fundamentals of Export Credit Management" provided a wealth of practical, hands-on advice for assessing global credit risks. The full schedule is here.

As a featured panelist I can provide you with more information. Contact me if interested.

Negotiation skills for credit managers

Here are some slides from the NACM Western Region Credit Conference. The session was entitled, "Negotiation Skills: a Workshop for Credit Managers."