During any given academic season, you’ll find INB employees studying for advanced degrees, certifications or continued learning opportunities.  Working this hard when they’re not on the clock is one way INB staff truly become experts in our services. 

Allison Trelz was one of those people buried in study materials in recent months – and her hard work has paid off! Allison, senior finance consultant for INB, is now a Certified Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis Professional.

Financial Planning and Analysis helps organizations optimize the use of capital and resources by supporting business decisions. It’s a diverse role that drives strategic business decisions across the organization through integrated planning and forecasting, performance management and financial analysis.

Always Looking to do Better

Allison was interested in earning her FPAC (Financial Planning and Analysis Certification) to add to the robust financial experience she’s gained at INB.

“While I appreciate all that I have learned here, I was eager to pursue further training and resources to enhance my FP&A skills,” she says.

FPAC is the only credential that is specific to the field, and it covers core competencies not necessarily covered by a traditional degree, such as an MBA.

To be eligible for the FPAC exam, you need a bachelor’s degree in finance or related field, along with three years of experience performing FP&A job tasks.

Study Sharpens Skills

Preparing for the exam included approximately 80 to 100 hours of self-study, Allison says. The exam was broken into two parts:

• Financial Acumen: concentrating on concepts of business and finance, business partnering, and systems and technology.
• Financial Analysis and Business Support: concentrating on models & analytics, analysis/projections, and business communications.

Allison, a Senior Financial Consultant Officer at INB, feels that the exam prep material did a “thorough job sharpening my knowledge in finance, strategy, and business communications.” Now she’s looking forward to using her expertise to benefit INB and our clients.

“We have been pushing ourselves to present financial data in a way that offers actionable insights and adds value to the organization. That goal seemed to line up well with what this certification had to offer,” Allison says.