CFE's First Job in High School Leads to Lifelong Career

MEMBER PROFILE

Wendy Hans 
Director of Fraud Loss/Control 
AMC Entertainment, Inc.  
Leawood, Kansas 

Few people can say that their current place of employment was their first; especially after a 25-year career. But, for Wendy Hans, CFE, Director of Fraud Loss/Control at AMC Entertainment, Inc. (AMC), that is exactly the case. Her first job in high school as a concessionist at a movie theatre sparked her later interest in investigating fraud. "Years ago, in an accounting class, we watched videos of convicted felons recounting their scams from the prison yard. It stuck with me that the fraudsters claimed their coworkers should have noticed their suspicious activity," Hans said. "Shortly after, a close coworker was acting strangely when some gift certificates went missing. We dug in and realized that she was stealing gift certificates and redeeming them on her own drawer to cover cash theft. It was my first bust — I was a box office cashier." Many roles later, Hans now oversees a team that conducts audits and closely monitors the transactions of nearly 18,000 AMC associates across the country.

Where were you born and raised?

I was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. I earned my undergraduate degree and MBA from a local Jesuit college – Rockhurst University.

What steps led you to your current position? 

I started with AMC 25 years ago as a concessionist – my first job. The evening and weekend shifts were a good fit during my high school and college years. I learned the business as I rose through the ranks. After working in the theatres nearly 10 years, I accepted a role in the accounting department and transferred to the corporate office. A fraud created my initial role in the fraud field. I was uniquely qualified with operations experience and an accounting degree. Over time, my responsibilities continued to increase and direct reports began to accumulate. The ACFE has been a wonderful resource to learn about all the new scams, sharpen my skills, interact with peers and understand where we should focus for the future. The ACFE's annual fraud conferences are the highlight of my year!

What is your current role and what does it entail?  

I oversee the theatre audit program and loss prevention functions. My team conducts onsite theatre audits, and identifies and investigates any possible fraud. I also advise on potential risks and mitigating controls for company initiatives and sit on our Information Security Committee. Nearly all of our 18,000 associates have access to cash — so the need for thorough transaction monitoring keeps us on our toes.

What is a memorable case or project that you have worked on? Feel free to alter details to protect confidential information. 

We regularly receive notifications of incidents that impact sales patterns. As soon as this case came in, it was clear that our knowledge of the available data and ability to discern patterns would be an asset, even though it was not a fraud case. Eager to help, we offered our assistance and got to work. Some speculated that an individual would not be foolish enough to leave an online trail, but that was ultimately what caught our suspect. I learned to never underestimate the power of data and the vast amount of information you can and will capture surrounding anything you are investigating.

What advice do you have for people looking to move up in their company and transition into a role with more responsibility? 

Look like a leader and play the role before you are cast. Become an expert (attend continuing education, become a CFE), network (learn what other companies are doing) and educate others (volunteer to host an International Fraud Awareness Week lunch and learn – there are great plug-and-play resources for this event.)

Last but not least, figure out how you can make a difference and add value to your company. Not sure how? Think about what you do better than anyone else. I have never been bored at work; there is always a problem out there to solve.

When you are not working, what types of things do you enjoy doing? 

Travel is my passion. It's a fascinating experience to go somewhere you have never been and explore. Plus, I love beautiful beaches and yummy, local food treats. I see a lot of movies too.

Read more profiles in the ACFE Career Center on ACFE.com.

Native Texan Pioneers Fight Against Dental Fraud & Embezzlement

MEMBER PROFILE

Bryant Truitt, CFE 
Founder and CEO 
Brytan & Associates, Inc.  
San Antonio, Texas 

Bryant Truitt, CFE, Founder and CEO of Brytan & Associates, Inc. found his calling in preventing health care fraud, specifically for dentists and oral surgeons, over a casual conversation with his dentist more than 15 years ago. “I was in my dentist’s office when he admitted that he’d been ripped off for $54,000. I said I’d like to look into it for him. Within a week, an oral surgeon friend told me he’d been ripped off for $120,000,” Truitt said. “I was seeing a terrible pattern — people who worked long, hard hours to help others were losing their futures. I wanted to help.” Truitt started his own firm shortly after that visit to his dentist, and now has clients all over the U.S. and Canada. He and his team have helped more than 400 practices fight back against the fraudsters who stole from them.

How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?  
I have such a high regard for the health care providers who work hard and don’t deserve to have people they trust steal from them or abuse their jobs. I am passionate because I have such a wonderful team to help me who also want to make a difference. Together, we have more than 100 years of dental and health care experience. We put a lot of effort into staying current on health care best practices, as well as the fraud research and information from the ACFE. We get a chance to work with top CPA firms, defense attorneys and practice management companies in the U.S. and Canada. And, finally, it’s easy to be passionate when I see people learn how not to be victims of fraud or embezzlement because of what I’ve said or taught them.

What do you wish someone had told you about your career when you were just starting out?  
Most of our clients come to us after the crime has been committed. I wish someone had told me when I was starting out that although people are concerned, they think that these crimes only happen to others. I also wish someone had helped me see that even those who want to make corrections in their business practices literally have no time, let alone energy. When you work straight through 32 hours a week, this only leaves eight hours to manage a practice. The fraudster or embezzler has all 40 hours to come up with and put schemes in place, set up gangs, etc. while their boss thinks they are only doing the work assigned to them. I don’t believe we will ever totally prevent fraud. But if you take action, you can slow it down or lower the losses. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to communicate to clients the real value of taking those actions and doing the investigation. To someone new to fraud, this can be hard to understand or take.

What advice do you have for those looking to open their own business or consulting practice?  

To make any business idea successful there has to be an underserved market. My best advice is to find that market using strong research practices and a realistic business plan. Then, make sure you can add true value to these customers. You must also be willing to struggle and deal with selling an intangible that, if you do it right, they won’t ever see because there will be no losses. Be available, be a great listener, and be well-organized, flexible and passionate.

Read Bryan's full profile in the ACFE's online Career Center.

Report to Members Provides Reflections on 2013

GUEST BLOGGER

Scott Patterson, CFE
ACFE Senior Public Relations Specialist

From the record-setting attendance at our 24^th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference to the impressive growth of our Corporate Alliance program, 2013 was a busy year for the ACFE. Yet none of these accomplishments would be possible without the hard work and commitment of all of our members spread across more than 150 countries. It is because of you that fraud examination is so well-regarded by business and government leaders around the globe. And, thanks to you, the ACFE is celebrating 25 years of service in the fight against fraud.

With this in mind, the new year is a great time to reflect on recent accomplishments and milestones and share them in our annual Report to Members.

First, a few numbers we highlighted in the Report:

• The ACFE grew to nearly 70,000 members
• Our Corporate Alliance added 17 new partners last year
• 38 percent of our new members reside outside the U.S.

The global growth is no accident: the ACFE has been increasingly focused on increasing our presence overseas and in 2013, we offered more training opportunities internationally, including events in Prague, Singapore, Montreal, Shanghai, Jakarta, Melbourne, Vancouver and Bahrain.

Most important, however, is our commitment to providing valuable benefits for ACFE members no matter where they call home. The Report reflects on the growth of the Career Center on ACFE.com, as well as new online resources and helpful tools (like the ACFE App) that make it easier for members to access the information they need, quickly and conveniently.

Did you know that the median total compensation for CFEs is 25 percent higher than for non-CFEs? Statistics such as that are in the 2013/2014 Compensation Guide for Anti-Fraud Professionals, and something new in the latest edition is the ACFE’s Salary Calculator. This helpful, online feature provides members the ability to create individual reports and compare their compensation to that of their peers.

I’m always drawn to our members’ own stories. The member profiles in the Report include a video interview with Grace Ghezzi, CFE, CFP, CPA, a veteran in the anti-fraud profession, who talks about how fighting fraud has changed over the years. There is also a written profile of Dr. Michael Wittenburg, CFE, the Head of Risk Quality & Fraud Risk Management for Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), one of the newest members of the Corporate Alliance.

Last but not least, I hope you enjoy a video greeting from the San Antonio Chapter tipping their cap to the ACFE in recognition of a very special milestone.

Thank you to all of our members for making 2013 a year of accomplishments and successes. Together, we can reach new goals and continue to grow fraud examination worldwide in 2014 – and over the next 25 years and beyond.

The Report to Members: 2013 in Review is available in two formats: PDF and Multi-Touch Book for the iPad®.