History and Purpose of Credit Professionals International
For many years prior to 1930, women in credit offices worked together, becoming acquainted with each other principally through the use of the telephone. Edith Shaw Johnson, an employee of the Credit Reporting Company of Portland, Oregon, wished to become personally acquainted with the women in the credit offices. In Edith's own words: “The Breakfast Club grew out of a golf foursome. Four of us, girls from the Credit Reporting Company, had the habit of playing nine holes before breakfast and then going downtown for a cup of coffee. One day, being of a curious disposition, I invited some of the girls from the various credit offices whose voices I knew so well, but I had never seen, to join us. Not knowing when to stop, I called as many as I could and one hundred fifty turned up a few mornings later when we met at the Congress Hotel for breakfast. It was fun getting acquainted, and we then started a permanent organization.”
Imagine her surprise when 150 of the women she had called turned up for breakfast. Obviously, the time had come for an organization for women in credit. The first meeting was such a success and so beneficial to everyone that they made the decision to meet again a few days later, at the Congress Hotel at 7:00 A.M. on April 30th, 1930 and there formed the first “Credit Women's Breakfast Club”. There were 125 women in attendance and they became the charter members. Edith Shaw was elected President of the Club.
The purpose of organizing the Credit Women's Breakfast Club (CWBC) was the belief that through local, State, District and International group effort, women holding positions in the retail credit profession could become articulate as an organized body, thereby making possible the promotion of their common interests and the contribution of their common interests. The original membership requirements were to be employed in credit, and to be a member of the National Retail Credit Association, which later became ICA, the International Credit Association. Later the second requirement was dropped.
John Keeler, President of the Credit Reporting Company of Portland was an ardent admirer of CWBC and in his travels spread the word about the organization to the State of Washington. There, in September 1930, another club was formed. Word about CWBC spread rapidly. In May 1934 the Pacific Northwest Council of CWBC was organized in Tacoma, WA by delegates from five clubs in the tenth District of the National Retail Credit Association. The Pacific Northwest Council (now CPI of District 10) held its second annual meeting in Seattle, WA in May 1935 with 200 representatives from nine clubs.
The next District to form was the Dixie Council in 1937, which is now known as CPI of District 3 & 4. (CWBC of Atlanta formed in 1936, and Jean Jessup was its first President.) By the time of the June meeting in 1937 there were 61 clubs with a membership of 2,900 in the United States and Canada. At that June meeting in Spokane, WA, the members formed the Credit Women’s Breakfast Club of North America. That same year it was voted to make the CWBC a division of the National Retail Credit Association (later ICA) and Avadana Cochran of Bremerton, WA was elected as the first President.
At the second annual convention in Pittsburgh, PA in 1938, Edith Shaw Johnson was elected Honorary President of CWBC of NA in grateful recognition of her founding of the first Breakfast Club, with the following objectives: - To promote interest of those employed in the credit profession - To further educate those employed in the credit industry. - To further education in the credit and collections industries. - To promote goodwill, fellowship, and a better understanding among members by personal contact. - To maintain a friendly relationship between credit departments of various firms and businesses represented by the members and local Credit Bureaus.
Another important event occurred in 1938. Ida Bell, a member of the Cleveland, Ohio club was appointed Chairman of the committee to write the Creed of CWBC of NA and to design an emblem. The Creed and emblem were presented at the annual convention in 1938. The Creed was revised in July, 1988. The original emblem was a shield. On the shield was a globe, stars, and links. That emblem was replaced in 1994 with the current triangle design, with five rays representing the individual member and the local, State, District, and International levels.
Over the years, CWBC of NA continued to flourish and grow. In 1948, the educational manual was developed and is still published every year. This manual is the basis for association programs throughout the year and is our primary educational tool. It is distributed to all dues paying members.
In 1954, during the conference in San Francisco, CA, members voted to incorporate the organization and establish a central office as a central point for mailings, correspondence, supplies, and equipment, and the office of Executive Secretary was created. CWBC of NA became a non-profit corporation in the state of Illinois on May 3, 1955. The corporate office, located in St. Louis, MO, was in operation by June, 1955. The corporate office serves as an administrative center for officers, chairman, and board members. In 1973, the Executive Secretary's title was changed to Executive Vice President. In 1998, when the Executive Vice President retired, the staff structure was changed. Instead of an Executive Vice President, there is now a contract employee who, under the supervision of the President and with the help of a part-time employee and several volunteer coordinators, is in charge of the operation of the association.
In 1996, when the name of the organization was changed to “Credit Women International”, an award for the International Credit Woman of the year was started. Membership has been open to men since the bylaws changed in 1976. By 1993 men comprised about 7% of the membership. In 1979 the requirement that members be a member of ICA was dropped. Now the only membership requirement is that the person be employed by or retired from a company engaged in credit or collection activities. As the years progressed there was another movement for change in order to encourage men and women from every level of the credit industry to become members of the association. The name was changed in June 1987 to “CWI: Credit Professionals”, and again in 1990 to “Credit Professionals International”. The "Credit Woman of the Year" became the "Credit Professional of the Year". In 1993, CPI changed the designation for locals from "clubs" to "associations".
In 1988, the Board of Directors voted to establish an education foundation. In 1989 the Credit Education Resources Foundation (CERF) was incorporated and received 501(c)3 status (tax deductible) from the IRS. The mission of The Foundation is to provide credit education to the general public by utilizing and enhancing the combined talents, education and expertise of Credit Professionals International.
Always, we strive to achieve the purposes and objectives of Credit Professionals International. By banding together in an organization such as ours we have a larger voice in the promotion of our common interests. We are able to provide opportunities for CPI members in the areas of education and self-improvement. Today CPI's mission is to support the members of Credit Professionals International by providing opportunities for networking, career development, and community involvement, and CPI's vision is to be an innovative, member-driven association making positive contributions within the credit industry.
