Beating the Deadline for Continuing Education Credits Yields a Nice Reward
Even if there hadn’t been a contest, Jennifer Lauren would have gotten her Continuing Education Credits in before the deadline to keep her Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) in good standing.
“I worked really hard for that credential, so I want to make sure I’m maintaining it properly and keeping it up to date. I don’t want to forget to turn in those credits,” said Lauren, Executive Vice President-Chief Operations Officer-Audit Director at Woodford Bank in Monroe, Wisconsin.
Lauren has been an AAP going on four years and said maintaining both that and her National Check Professional (NCP) accreditation are “a top priority.” Not only did a lot of hard work go into earning them, but being an AAP makes her the go-to person at Woodford Bank for ACH questions. And since the bank processes all of its ACH files in house, there are a lot of questions.
“Having my AAP ensures the guidance I’m giving is accurate, consistent, and correct,” said Lauren. “ACH is the primary means of payment for all of our customers and businesses. It helps me because it gives me a strong understanding of the ACH Network.”
Woodford Bank has rapidly added ACH Originators over the last five years—it has about 100 now—and “having my AAP helps me educate our staff and our businesses, and it gives me the expertise to support that growth.”
Lauren is eyeing the Accredited Faster Payments Professional (AFPP) as her next accreditation. “I want to stay on top of it and understand it all,” Lauren said, “so that when we do decide to go with real-time payments, I have the knowledge.”
Everyone holding a Nacha accreditation who submitted their Continuing Education Credits before Dec. 31, 2025, was entered into a drawing for a complimentary pass to Smarter Faster Payments 2026 or the Payments Institute. Lauren won and selected this year’s Smarter Faster Payments Remote Connect, June 8-10.
For those considering becoming an AAP, Lauren said it’s a “very comprehensive” exam, but “definitely worthwhile.” Her advice is to “make sure you have the time to really study and take a deep dive into ACH.”
