Education and Training Don't Stop After Earning the CFE Credential

MEMBER PROFILE

Joseph Agins, CFE
Director, Ethics & Compliance Investigations
Apollo Group

As the director of the Apollo Group's Ethics and Compliance Investigations department, Joseph Agins, CFE, has witnessed first-hand how the economy's decline has affected the instances of fraud in the workplace. He has seen the extreme measures to which some will go to commit fraud, only to end up with a little bit of extra money and a slew of problems. Although, as the number of fraudulent crimes rise, the education and training that Agins receives from the ACFE and other entities has helped him to remain ahead of the curve and move up in the anti-fraud field.

Describe your job function (a day in the life of):
I support and report directly to Apollo's Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer. My primary role is the day-to-day management of the investigative staff and the investigative activities within the company. I provide oversight for the design and execution of all investigations that arise throughout Apollo and our subsidiaries such as the University of Phoenix. My team also manages our Apollo Ethics Helpline and we are also responsible for the overall trending and analysis of all internal investigations and the regular reporting of such information to Apollo Senior Management and/or the Board of Directors.

What made you decide to become a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)?
About eight years ago a former colleague of mine turned me on to the ACFE and the CFE credential. This person was someone I had a great deal of respect for due to her expertise and length of time in the field. She was also very passionate about the anti-fraud profession. I knew that joining the ACFE and obtaining the CFE credential was something I seriously needed to consider if I wanted to continue advancing in the anti-fraud field. I eventually joined the ACFE, became involved in the local chapter and ultimately earned the CFE credential (although it took me a while). I could not be more pleased with my decision to join this association and earn this credential. My only regret is that I did not do it sooner.

Read the full profile, here, in the ACFE's new Career Center.