The ACFE Hall of Fame award was created to recognize a person whose work spans decades, and is a reminder that what we do is vital to the global fight against fraud. The award encapsulates the very definition of what it means to be an anti-fraud professional, and we can’t think of anyone more deserving than a former ACFE Regent, a Cressey Award-winner and a member of the ACFE Foundation’s Board of Directors for more than a decade.

The ACFE is honored to induct Joseph R. Dervaes, CFE, into the ACFE Hall of Fame.

The Certified Fraud Examiner of the Year Award is presented to a CFE who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fraud examination.

As a special agent for the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of the Inspector General, this year’s winner has demonstrated exemplary fraud fighting skills in a number of arenas. In addition to serving as a field training officer, his innovative investigative efforts and perseverance have led to numerous multimillion-dollar recoveries and indictments in federal court.

The Hubbard Award is named after the late ACFE Regent Emeritus and professor of accountancy at the University of Nebraska, Dr. Thomas Hubbard. The award is given for an outstanding work published in Fraud Magazine during the past year.

The winning article this year was entitled, “Best defense is a good offense: Anti-Fraud Playbook provides practical, actionable guidance” by Sophia Carlton, CFE, and James Ruotolo, CFE. Congratulations, Sophia and James!

The Outstanding Achievement in Community Outreach and Service reflects the ACFE’s strong belief that members should be active contributors to their communities and be committed to helping improve the places where they live and work. Tebogo Manakana has developed an early childhood development mentoring program in South Africa where she helps with compliance and applying for funding and sponsorships.

The James R. Baker Speaker of the Year Award is named for an ACFE faculty member who taught hundreds of classes and instructed thousands of anti-fraud professionals. The award is given annually to a speaker who demonstrates the best qualities that Baker exhibited: Dedication. Experience. Knowledge. Professionalism. Bethmara Kessler’s decades of experience leading audit, risk management, information technology and corporate investigation efforts offers her audiences unique, practical and entertaining information.

Dr. Carolyn Conn is a clinical assistant professor at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. In addition to her more than 30-year career in education, she has been published many times and has been an active member in the ACFE Austin Chapter. She demonstrated notable dedication to her students through her fraud examination course and helped secure funding for them to attend the ACFE Global Fraud Conference.

The ACFE is strong because of its more than 195 chapters in 70 countries. Chapters act as local representatives for the ACFE, providing continued support for members worldwide. They allow members to connect and collaborate with other fraud fighters in their area, and participate in local programs and events that promote awareness of the profession. Chapters help fraud fighters stay at the forefront of local anti-fraud issues and emerging trends.