Director of The College Store at Penn College Earns NACS Credential
Monday, February 7, 2005
Matthew P. Branca, director of The College Store at Pennsylvania College of Technology, recently earned the designation "Certified Collegiate Retailer."
The credential, granted by the National Association of College Stores, has been earned by fewer than 10 percent of all eligible candidates.
According to Brian E. Cartier, chief executive officer of NACS, the credential is a "mark of distinction" earned only by those who have demonstrated the representative knowledge essential to success in college-store management, expertise on collegiate retailing issues, and commitment to the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct.
To achieve the CCR credential, candidates must have a minimum level of relevant experience and pass a comprehensive, four-hour examination on the core knowledge and management functions of collegiate retailing.
Branca has been director of The College Store since 1999. He began working in the college-store industry in 1990 and has managed stores in New Rochelle and St. Bonaventure, N.Y.; Seattle; and Cranford, N.J. He was also a regional manager overseeing a group of stores in the Atlanta region.
In addition to being director of The College Store, Branca has been a member of the Human Resources Committee for the College's Internal Governance System, serving as chairman from 2003-04, and he has been a voting member of College Council. He also participates on the advisory board for the Williamsport/Lycoming chapter of Habitat for Humanity and has served as the organization's treasurer.
He was a member of the board of the Middle Atlantic College Stores and is currently the treasurer of the Super Regional Meeting and Buying Show organized by College Stores Association of New England, New York State College Stores Association and the Middle Atlantic College Stores.
Branca lives in Jersey Shore with his wife, Jennifer, and son, Spencer.