ACAMS Today Magazine (March-May 2011) Vol. 10 No. 2 | Page 9

A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT A great way to stay connected W e are extremely proud to publish this “Special Law Enforcement Edition” of ACAMS Today. I know you will find it as valuable as I do, to focus entirely on the men and women of law enforcement, who are community’s front line against criminals throughout the world. When I joined ACAMS last February, I was committed to recognizing the important role law enforcement plays in our organization and in the global efforts to combat money laundering, financial crime and all other related efforts that have a monetary component. In the past year, we have met with state, federal and international law enforcement representatives on improving our training, and overall general awareness of the global AML community on the importance of working closely with our allies from law enforcement. You can expect to see more training from ACAMS on investigations, responding to law enforcement requests for information and how to prepare quality SARs or STRs. Law enforcement agencies are true partners of the AML professional private sector and we need to do our part to assist them. Please give us feedback on this effort and ideas for themes for future editions. ACAMS Chapters — A great way to stay connected We had a 50 percent increase in ACAMS chapters in 2010. Look for new chapters in Florida, the Midwest, North East and West Coast of the United States. Chapters will also be created in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. So, growth is continuing in 2011, and with the recommendations being developed by a Steering Committee created in December, chapters will indeed be a major way for our members to stay engaged with one another. I have been fortunate to be able to travel to a number of chapter launches and am truly impressed by the professionalism exhibited by the board members. Their commitment to encouraging feedback and participation should ensure active and connected ACAMS members for a long time to come. It is essential that our chapter boards continue to be composed of a vast array of AML professionals from the government, the consulting area and the financial industry. Keep in mind as you consider creating a chapter in your area, the more diversity in your board, the more value you will be able to provide to local ACAMS members. proud of your CAMS designation and share stories with us on how that credential has helped you in your career. Task Force activity — Another vehicle for participation ACAMS has made a strategic decision to revise all of our existing task forces and to create several new groups. We feel strongly that the expansion of task forces, chapters and other committees will create ample opportunities for members to stay involved with the ACAMS community. In some cases, ACAMS members who have long served with distinction, are no longer on several of our standing task forces, as we have added new members or individuals that have been members but never participated in an active role. This approach may seem harsh but it should not be seen that way. It is essential that our chapter boards continue to be composed of a vast array of AML professionals The CAMS Examination — An assessment of the AML professional like no other Another area of critical importance to employers in both the private and public sector is whether an AML professional candidate is truly prepared for the challenges of this industry. I have been fortunate to have been in this community for a very long time (no jokes please!) and it is clear to me that the CAMS exam is the only true testing measure of AML understanding. There is no valid competition to our process and we have just updated the examination in 2011 to reflect changes in laws, regulations and AML-related coverage. Our exam is also psychometrically reviewed and is not an “open-book” examination. We also do not “grandfather” anyone! So, the next time you are contacted by the competition, remember, there is no competition. Be For conference planning and training advice, it is important that ACAMS hear from new members of our diverse community — whether it is from MSBs, insurance, securities, casinos or others from the AML consulting community. We believe these changes will pay immediate benefits. I am convinced that the dedicated ACAMS member will find a way to stay involved and we welcome that support. To get you to start thinking about new or revital