Heartland Chapter - ACFE 

  

          In 1997, our founding President, Dennis Carroll, learned of his relocation to Omaha, Nebraska.  Inasmuch as he was active in the Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) where he lived, he knew he also wanted to participate in the local Chapter in his new city of residence.  However, when he contacted the ACFE headquarters in Austin, Texas he found that a chapter had not yet been formed in Omaha.  During the conversation, he obtained general information as to the requirements needed to form a Chapter and also learned that another Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE),  had also expressed interest in establishing a local ACFE chapter. 

  

          Subsequent to the conversation with the ACFE, they discussed the requirements and evaluated the likelihood of forming a successful Chapter.  Together, they decided the prospects were promising and elected to take the initial steps to begin the process.  As a result, several CFE's were contacted with a time and location arranged to meet with those individuals attracted to the idea of forming a Chapter.  At that meeting, the various components of establishing the local Chapter were discussed and those interested in supporting the creation of a chapter were presented a petition for signature.  The petition was signed by 17 CFE's and in May 1997 the ACFE was officially petitioned for the formation of a local Chapter in Omaha. Since, at the time there were no other chapters in Iowa, Nebraska or South Dakota, the petitioners voted to name the Chapter the Heartland Chapter of the Association of the Certified Fraud Examiners, Inc.  The petitioners thought this would attract CFE's residing throughout Nebraska and in neighboring states to join and participate in the Heartland Chapter, until they had an established chapter. The ACFE Board of Regents approved the petition, and officially the Heartland Chapter became ACFE Chapter 85.  Subsequently, Articles of Incorporation were drafted and recorded with the State of Nebraska Secretary's office in July 1997. 

  

          Through the efforts of elected Chapter officers and participation of the membership, the Heartland Chapter has enjoyed success from the beginning.  The Chapter has provided continuing education for the detection, deterrence and prevention of fraud through an annual Chapter training seminar, business/training meetings held every other month, and periodic conferences conducted in Omaha by representatives from ACFE headquarters.  In 2002, the Chapter received the Chapter of the Year award from the ACFE.  Chapter members are a cross-section of fraud investigation personnel that includes law enforcement individuals, private investigators, insurance investigators, and corporate or internal audit personnel.  In addition, the Chapter has also begun funding and awarding educational assistance in the form of scholarships to qualifying student applicants interested in pursuing education to detect and deter fraud.