What Will Be on Your Monday Morning List?

PRESIDENT'S BLOG

James D. Ratley, CFE

ACFE President and CEO

One of the most important goals I have for ACFE conferences, seminars and events is for attendees to walk away with what I like to call a “Monday morning list.” Everybody knows that fraud is a problem and we work hard not to provide training that merely says, “Fraud is a problem.” We want attendees to leave with a variety of things that they can begin implementing the Monday morning following an event or course they have attended with the ACFE.

It is with this goal, as well as many others, that we continue to prepare for the 22nd Annual ACFE Fraud Conference and Exhibition in San Diego, June 12-17. I’m mindful of how each year brings fresh challenges to our profession. In response, as soon as one year’s conference ends, the ACFE looks for ways to make the following year’s event even more useful to attendees. 2011 is no exception, thanks to the ongoing planning and organization of our Events department.

ACFE conference attendees never cease to impress me with their willingness to share the fruits of their professional experience. They — you — come from everywhere on earth, from dozens of industries and professions: internal and external auditors, fraud investigators and examiners, CPAs, CAs and other accounting professionals, risk managers, chief compliance officers and educators, among others. Many CFEs possess more than one professional credential; all have multifaceted fraud-fighting skills.

This wealth of individual knowledge is our collective strength.

While we are a diverse group, we also are united in our work against fraud. It’s difficult to overvalue such unity and collaboration.

As we know, occupational fraud seems to sprout new varieties every week. But CFEs realize that not all such frauds are new. Our best response to them is a prudent mixture of historical awareness, experience and innovation.

This year’s conference offers you more anti-fraud tips, tools, information and resources than has ever been assembled in one gathering. Nowhere else but at the ACFE Annual Fraud Conference will you find so many renowned national and global keynote speakers and session presenters, including hands-on anti-fraud and technical experts, regulators, and other government officials and corporate leaders.

The annual conference is also an outstanding opportunity to learn about career-advancing opportunities and to network with staff and recruiters from the industry’s top firms, as well as your fellow anti-fraud professionals.

You’ll see me chatting with many of our members in the hallways at the Pre-conference, main conference and the Post-conference. I hope to meet you there.

What do you hope to take away and add to your Monday morning list? Leave your comments below.