Staci G Holt CTP

CTP Profile: A Love for All Things Treasury Ignited 

Staci G. Holt, CTP, senior finance manager, RaceTrac, Inc. 

Treasury was an unknown to Staci G. Holt, CTP, in the early part of her career. She stumbled upon her passion by accident. A treasury analyst, where she worked as an executive assistant supporting the CFO and vice president of Treasury, was going on maternity leave, and the vice president of Treasury asked if Holt would be interested in learning a new skill set. “He’d noticed my work ethic, attention to detail and ability to learn quickly, which made me a great candidate,” said Holt. “I backfilled her position during her four-month leave, and my love for all things treasury was ignited!”

Now she’s in senior management   

In her current position as senior finance manager for RaceTrac, Inc., Holt oversees company liquidity and is responsible for maintaining strong bank relationships, with a focus on the company’s treasury wallet and borrowing capacity. She’s also been more focused on automation and maximizing efficiencies within treasury. 

Holt notes certain skills that have helped her achieve success in her current role. The first is being genuinely interested in the business as a whole, not just her role. The second is networking. “Staying curious about the business allows you to potentially see gaps and provide solutions in areas where treasury input may not immediately be considered,” said Holt. “Networking within your department, inside and outside of your organization provides an opportunity to gain a broader view, build confidence and get fresh ideas.” 

Being a senior financial manager comes with its challenges. Top of Holt’s mind right now is transitioning through the end of LIBOR. The way she’s chosen to meet the challenge is through the resources provided by none other than AFP. “The AFP conference, resources and articles have provided valuable education and insight, and have helped us to develop a workable approach to the LIBOR transition,” she said. “We reviewed our debt portfolio, met with our banking and credit partners for insight and are preparing a strategy to best position our company.” 

Growth and education   

At the top of Holt’s list of skills to add to her toolbox is project management. The move to automation has increased the need for intradepartmental collaboration and interdepartmental collaboration, to implement systems and processes that reduce redundancy and improve efficiencies. She also plans to further strengthen her accounting skills in order to broaden her career prospects.   

In the future, Holt aspires to be in an assistant treasurer or treasurer role. To that end, she would also like to add risk management to her skill set. “I often see treasurers responsible for treasury and risk and would like to gain experience in this arena,” she said.  

The CTP makes me feel recognized for my knowledge and skill  

After a few years in treasury, Holt knew she wanted to make it a career. “As such, I did some research and found the CTP designation was the global symbol of excellence for the profession. I knew this was what I needed to expand my knowledge base and be recognized as a knowledgeable treasury leader,” she said.  

Holt said obtaining the CTP credential has positively impacted her career. Hiring managers have acknowledged the fact that she holds the designation, and it has helped her to stand out among similar candidates in a talent pool. “It provides a boost of confidence when negotiating,” she said, “knowing the value I bring to the organization.”  

Holt said she would highly recommend the CTP to her peers doing work in, and/or related to treasury. “It is a respected, global designation in the industry, demonstrating a commitment to learning and becoming a subject-matter expert in the treasury space.” 

Learn more about the corporate treasury profession through original content and resources available only on AFP's website. You can also get started on your journey to earning your CTP here.

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