ACAMS and the Bob Woodruff Foundation Announce U.S. Veterans Scholarship Recipients, the Next Battalion of Financial Crime Fighters

Eleven scholarships have been awarded to support U.S. military veterans transitioning into civilian life and seeking to strengthen the financial ecosystem with their diverse skills and experiences

/EIN News/ -- WASHINGTON, DC, Aug. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ACAMS, a leading global membership organization dedicated to the fight against illicit finance, in partnership with the Bob Woodruff Foundation, is pleased to announce the recipients of the U.S. Veterans Scholarship initiative which celebrates military veterans throughout the U.S. and U.S. Territories as they transition into civilian life and advance their careers within the financial crime prevention field.

Applications for the scholarship were received from the U.S. Army, U.S. Marines, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Air Force. A panel of judges from the Bob Woodruff Foundation, HSBC and ACAMS, selected 11 U.S. Military Veterans to receive scholarships. The recipients are Andrew Provost, Karl Ankersen, John Buckley, Aaron Coltharp, Jose Romero, William Lewis, John McKinney, Kyle Helseth, William Greer, Erik Tisthammer and Jose Baeza-Ruiz.

“We are honored to support this next cohort of financial crime fighters,” said Neil Sternthal, CEO of ACAMS. “Their diverse backgrounds will enrich our strategies and enhance our ability to detect and disrupt complex money laundering schemes.”

"We are proud to partner with ACAMS to support veterans transitioning to civilian careers," said Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. "Through our collaboration, we’re helping veterans build in-demand skills and acquire the CAMS certification needed to succeed in the financial crime prevention field. We know that these 11 scholarship winners will bring tremendous value to their future employers."

The CAMS certification empowers professionals with in-depth knowledge and expertise to strengthen compliance programs, safeguard institutions from criminal exploitation and meet evolving regulatory expectations. The 11 recipients will join a global community of over 110,000 AFC experts across 200+ jurisdictions, with access to exclusive online courses, webinars, and networking opportunities.

In addition to the recipient announcement, ACAMS and the Bob Woodruff Foundation, supported by HSBC hosted an in-person event, “Honoring Valor: A Celebration of U.S. Veterans Scholarship Recipients.” The event, at the HSBC U.S, Headquarters in New York City, featured a keynote address by Michael Madon, a U.S. Army Veteran, successful entrepreneur, and former senior U.S. Treasury Department official.

“HSBC is committed to assisting veterans make a successful transition to civilian life,” said Nicholas Schumann, HSBC U.S. Head of Financial Crime Framework., HSBC “We are proud to celebrate these veterans in the next phase of their serviceꟷ strengthening the integrity of the financial system.”

Details about the scholarship judges and recipients are available here.

Find out more about the ACAMS Scholarship initiative here.

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About ACAMS®                                                         

ACAMS is a leading international membership organization dedicated to providing opportunities for anti-financial crime education, best practices, and peer-to-peer networking to AFC professionals globally. With over 110,000 members across 200+ jurisdictions and territories, ACAMS is committed to the mission of ending financial crime through the provision of anti-money laundering/counterterrorism-financing and sanctions knowledge-sharing, thought leadership, risk-mitigation services, ESG initiatives, and platforms for public-private dialogue. The association’s CAMS certification is the gold-standard qualification for AFC professionals, while its CGSS and CCAS certifications are for sanctions professionals and AFC practitioners working in the crypto space, respectively. ACAMS’ 60+ Chapters globally further amplify the association’s mission through training and networking initiatives. Visit acams.org for more information.

 

About CAMS Certification 

Widely recognized as an international anti-money laundering (AML) credential, the CAMS certification is designed to equip AFC professionals with a broad array of skills and strategies to detect, track and report illicit financial activity. CAMS-certified professionals not only have the skillsets to help safeguard institutions from criminal exploitation and mitigate AML risks, but they also have the knowledge and training to meet evolving compliance challenges, whether driven by emerging illicit-finance schemes, geopolitical crises, advances in technology, or shifting regulatory priorities.

 

About Bob Woodruff Foundation 

The Bob Woodruff Foundation was founded in 2006 after reporter Bob Woodruff was wounded by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Since then, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has raised awareness about the tough challenges veterans and military families are facing, and has invested in solutions to help support them in the next chapter of their lives. To date, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has invested over $159 million to ensure that our nation’s veterans, service members, and their families — those who stood for us — have stable and successful futures. Visit the Bob Woodruff Foundation for more information.

 

About HSBC Holdings plc

HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of HSBC, is headquartered in London. HSBC serves customers worldwide from offices in 60 countries and territories. With assets of US$2,975bn at 30 June 2024, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations.

HSBC Bank USA, National Association (HSBC Bank USA, N.A.) serves customers through Wealth and Personal Banking, Commercial Banking, Private Banking, Global Banking, and Markets and Securities Services. Deposit products are offered by HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Member FDIC. It operates Wealth Centers in: California; Washington, D.C.; Florida; New Jersey; New York; Virginia; and Washington. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is the principal subsidiary of HSBC USA Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc.

For more information, visit: HSBC in the USA

Lashvinder Kaur
                    ACAMS
                    +44 7388 264478
                    lkaur@acams.org