CBE Success Stories

The Certified Business Economist® (CBE) program, the certification in applied economics and data analytics, was designed by leading economists to bridge the gap between what is learned in an academic setting and the knowledge needed to succeed as a practitioner. To an employer, the CBE validates your competency, your ambition to advance within your profession, and your commitment to refreshing your skills and knowledge throughout your career.

Hear from some of our graduates about how the CBE program and courses have helped in their careers:
 

“The writing and presentation skills courses gave me several tools that I could apply right away in my career to become a more effective communicator. The courses were particularly valuable because they focused on developing and practicing with actual content from our day-to-day work, so it was easy to see the applicability of the concepts taught.”

“I see the CBE certification as a way to demonstrate my economic knowledge across a broad array of topics with real-world, business-focused applications and as a signal of my competency in business economics, verified by a well-known and respected group of economists.”

Matthew Bush, CBE
Vice President, Macroeconomic and Investment Research, Guggenheim Partners
 

“I received my Master’s in Economics in the Philippines, but I decided to earn my CBE because I knew it would demonstrate that I had the same core knowledge and competencies as someone who had received their degree in the U.S.”

“As a non-native English speaker, the Writing and Presentation Skills courses really benefited me. I feel confident now in not only producing economic data, but also presenting it.”

Scholastica (Gay) Cororaton, CBE
Research Economist, National Association of REALTORS
   
 
“Earning the CBE has been highly applicable to my work and helped me to understand my role in my organization even more. Senior management and peers within my industry are genuinely impressed with my CBE designation.”

“NABE’s course content as part of the CBE program was highly relevant, and I could readily apply what I learned to my work as an economic analyst. The courses help you to utilize all the academic theory in a business context.”

Jordan Frisby, CBE,
Economic Analyst, Port of Houston Authority
 


“I am always seeking out new challenges and new ways to distinguish myself. As someone with a Master’s in Economics, but not a Ph.D., the CBE seemed like a perfect way to emphasize my qualifications and capabilities to the broader community of economists.”

“The sheer breadth and depth of the subject matter of the exam was impressive.
I think the CBE certification and the rigorous CBE exam validate my skills and experiences both to myself and to employers.”

Edward Garnett, CBE
Policy Analyst, Banking and Regulatory Policy, FDIC



“I always thought there should be a certification for economists. When I saw that NABE was launching the CBE program, I knew I wanted to take part. Econometrics and other economic concepts are utilized for numerous models across a bank. Understanding core concepts covered in the CBE is crucial."

“The CBE program is a great networking opportunity and really helps in building relationships with other business economists at all steps on the career ladder.” 

Jason Kunkel, CBE
Model RIsk Management Program Manager, Ally Financial
 




“The NABE certificate course in Communication and Presentation Skills for Business Economists and Analysts solidified best practice presentation techniques and made me a more confident presenter. Since taking the course, I have been able to take on more responsibilities at work and speak more on the client-facing side.” 

“The CBE designation shows that I have the skill set needed to be a business economics practitioner and puts me in the ranks with well-established economists.” 

Kathleen Navin, CBE,
Director, US Economics, Macroeconomic Advisers by IHS Markit
 


“The best part of the Applied Econometrics course was its focus on solving the types of problems that you might actually face on the job. Learning theories and proofs can be useful for research, but having a solid understanding of the econometric techniques that policy-oriented economists use on a regular basis is absolutely essential for doing my job well.”

“I decided to pursue my CBE certification because I have always felt that I learn a lot on the job and thus hope to use the CBE program as a substitute for time spent in grad school. Also, since most of my work is produced for internal purposes only, the CBE certification will signal what I am capable of doing to a broader audience.”

Michael Redmond, CBE
   
   
 

                                                                                                                                                                                                          
“I was most interested in the CBE program because of the scale of applied skills taught through the courses. I have my doctorate in economics, but I valued that the CBE program was less focused on theory and more focused on the skills needed to do applied research. These are skills that can be used right away on the job to do useful and effective work.”

Luis Bernardo Torres, CBE
Research Economist, Real Estate Center, Texas A&M University 

Learn more about how you can set yourself apart and become a CBE!  For the full listing of current courses and exam offerings, view the 2018 CBE schedule.

Have a CBE success story to share or any other questions? Contact Tara Munroe at tmunroe@nabe.com.