NACHA Accredits 546 Payments Professionals

Four hundred forty-one payments professionals received accreditation by passing the national AAP examination, administered on October 21, 2003. Of those, 400 received accreditation for the first time, and 41 received 5-year re-accreditation. An additional 105 payments professionals received re-accreditation in 2003 through NACHAs continuing education program. The number of first-time AAPs is up 18 percent over last year, and 83 percent since 1999. The total number of AAPs is up 12 percent over last year, and 42 percent since 1999. The AAP designation was created in 1993 to recognize professionals for their understanding and knowledge of the ACH Network and the payments industry. The 2003 AAP recipients will be honored at an AAP Breakfast at NACHAs annual conference, PAYMENTS 2004, on Monday, March 22, 2004 in Seattle, Washington. To qualify for accreditation, applicants must earn a passing score on the AAP exam. It is highly recommended that those choosing to sit for the AAP exam have a minimum of two years of experience in the payments industry. AAP accreditation is valid for five years, after which re-accreditation is available. The AAP exam is given every October at approximately fifty sites throughout the United States. The next AAP exam is scheduled for October 19, 2004. For more information, contact your local payments association or NACHA at 703-561-1100, or visit the NACHA web site at (www.nacha.org).