In every industry, there exists a prized pinnacle, a point at which one is recognized as an expert in their field. In entertainment, that air of honor culminates in industry awards, with the elusive EGOT at its summit. The EGOT stands for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, and the distinction is only earned when an entertainer has received all four.
For Alexandra Martinez, AAP, APRP, Senior Payment Specialist at CFSB, a full-service payments, lending and banking provider based in New York, payments certifications represent her personal peak.
“I always joke about saying I want to one day get an EGOT. I view the AAP [Accredited ACH Professional], APRP [Accredited Payments Risk Professional], NCP [National Check Professional] and the upcoming AFPP [Accredited Faster Payments Professional] like that,” she summed up. “I want to get the NCP and the AFPP one day.”
Earning the FPP Certificate
And Martinez is well on her way. She recently completed the Faster Payments Professional (FPP) Certificate Program, which Nacha, the U.S. Faster Payments Council, and the Payments Associations are offering to help industry leaders better prepare for a landscape of faster and instant payments opportunities.
As one of the first to complete the FPP Certificate Program, Martinez sees the value in the knowledge she gained from it: The course gave her insights into the faster payments process that will allow her to better address the needs of not only her clients, but the market as a whole.
“Faster payments are new to everyone, and it’s been decades since a new payment rail has stepped into the payments arena,” Martinez shared. “I wanted to be at the forefront of that excitement and have access to the most up-to-date information.”
Applying faster payments knowledge
Beyond embracing the new payment system, Martinez’s participation in the FPP Certificate Program helped her more fully recognize faster payments’ potential for her FI and ways in which she needs to mitigate risk. As the operational lead for faster payments, she’s charged with the internal decisioning around how they apply instant payments, and it’s a responsibility she doesn’t take lightly.
“Obtaining the FPP Certificate allows me to have a solid foundational knowledge of all the processing flows, timing, terminology and regulations that relate to each payment product. This enables me to support my FI in developing policies, risk assessments, and procedures to roll out new services. This also lets me share my knowledge and access to resources with my co-workers, which is what I am most passionate about,” she explained.
With CFSB looking at instant payments use cases, having this internal expertise will help them to chart the course ahead—right as faster payments pick up steam. In fact, FedNow® is touting more than 850 financial institutions on the network and RTP® just reported both record-breaking volumes and a $1 billion-day. Momentum around faster payments is mounting, and Martinez wants to ensure her FI can be on the front-end of new offerings for their clients.
“This certification is particularly important because many of us still may not be using faster payments on a personal level, so this makes the topic all that more unknown to others. The certification will enable me to support my co-workers and clients in understanding this payment rail and how it will continue to evolve the money transfer network in the United States over the next several years,” she shared.
Growing the foundation
For Martinez, deepening her expertise means continuing to pursue advanced payments knowledge, seeking out the AFPP accreditation as soon as it becomes available: She hopes to be able to participate in the inaugural class in 2025. She believes the accreditation will expand her awareness of the evolving instant payments landscape, and more strongly position her FI for what’s to come.
Because when employees pursue payments certifications, the FI also benefits. Certificate programs like the FPP or certifications like AFPP not only provide immediate benefits to those who enroll in the courses, but deliver FIs more knowledgeable and valuable employees, giving them a competitive edge. In addition, expert staff empower coworkers by sharing their wisdom, fostering an environment of growth. Finally, this deeper awareness of new opportunities offers employees a way to brainstorm innovative ideas for clients and customers, creating potential business for the FI.
“Accreditations make you think a lot more critically about what you're doing and why you're doing it. This enables you to be able to help clients, too, and answer all their questions, know why there are certain rules in place, and be able to explain it to them,” Martinez noted.
Advice for payments professionals
And her advice for others who are on the fence about trying the FPP Certificate Program? Go for it.
“There’s no time like the present,” Martinez pointed out. “The more you know, the more your confidence will grow, and it will become apparent to those around you that you really know your stuff. By exposing yourself to learning opportunities you are constantly growing as an individual, a student, and a working professional.”
For more information on or to enroll in NEACH’s Faster Payments Professional Certificate Program, which is a part of NEACH U’s School of Payments Modernization, visit NEACH.org.