ACFE News

New Regents join board during its semi-annual meeting

Alexandra Sagaro, CFE, and Hannibal “Mike” Ware, CFE, took their oaths of office as newly elected members of the Board of Regents during the board’s semi-annual meeting on Feb. 4.

The Regents elected Kenneth R. Dieffenbach, CFE, to be chair and Lyn Cameron, CFE, to be vice chair.

Board members reviewed pending disciplinary matters awaiting recommendations from the ACFE Board of Review. The Board of Regents also reviewed ACFE committee reports and appointed new committee members to replace outgoing members.

The Board passed an amendment to the ACFE disciplinary procedures granting the ACFE’s Board of Review the authority to make final disciplinary decisions in cases where a member has been alleged to have cheated during the CFE Exam.

ACFE Vice President of Education John Gill, J.D., CFE; and ACFE Research Director Andi McNeal, CFE, CPA, reported to the Board on the recent launch of the global CFE Exam, which became available December 2020.

Previously, the ACFE had administered two editions of the CFE Exam: a U.S. edition and an international edition. However, in 2020 the Board of Regents authorized the ACFE to develop a single global examination. Early results of the launch have been promising, with positive feedback from members. The ACFE will continue to monitor and report to the Board on any updates or developments.

Gill and McNeal also provided an update on the ACFE’s adoption of video proctoring for the CFE Exam, which began in 2020.

The Board also passed a new rule providing that CFE Exam scores will expire after five years for members who pass the exam but otherwise fail to meet the criteria to become certified.

ACFE Membership Director Ross Pry, CFE, provided an update on the ACFE’s overall membership growth. In 2020, despite the global pandemic, the ACFE still experienced positive growth.

As the ACFE continues its global expansion, the ACFE management team has focused efforts on member engagement strategies in many international regions. Initiatives and resource allocation toward programs like the ACFE Community, the 90-Day CFE Challenge, the ACFE Mentorship program, and partnership development activities have been successful at engaging existing members and accelerating member growth overseas.

Since the 2020 spring meeting of the Board of Regents, the ACFE welcomed five new chapters, including those in Fort Meyers, Florida; Sweden and Costa Rica. As of publication, the ACFE has 197 chapters in 77 countries.

The next meeting of the Board of Regents will be held on June 18, prior to the 32nd Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference, which takes place June 21-23.

Nominations open for 2022-2023 Board of Regents

Nominations will open on June 1 for three positions on the ACFE’s 2022-2023 Board of Regents.

“The CFE credential and its culture of high ethical standards, continuing education, research reports and networking opportunities have been an indispensable part of my professional journey,” says Kenneth R. Dieffenbach, CFE, and chair of the Board of Regents. “It has been an honor to give back in a small way by serving as a Regent and helping continue the long tradition of maintaining rigorous member standards.

“I encourage all CFEs to consider how they might be able to contribute to the CFE community by serving in a local chapter leadership position, becoming a formal or informal mentor, volunteering to serve on a committee or applying to be on the ballot to serve as a Regent.”

The Nominations Committee will select nine applicants to vie for three available positions in this year’s election. Beginning Nov. 1 and ending Nov. 30, certified members of the ACFE will vote for their selections for the three new board members. The new Regents, who’ll be installed in February 2022, will each serve two-year terms.

Key dates in the Regent election process:

• June 1: Nominations open
• July 31: Nominations close
• Sept. 9: Nominations Committee selects final candidates
• Nov 1: Voting opens
• Nov 30: Voting closes
• Feb. 2022: New Board of Regents sworn in

To participate in the nominations process, complete the online application.