Awards & Recognition

Cressey Award

Established in 1989, the Cressey Award is the ACFE's highest honor. It is bestowed annually for a lifetime of achievement in the detection and deterrence of fraud. The Cressey Award is named in honor of one of the country's foremost experts on fraud and a founding father of the ACFE, Dr. Donald R. Cressey (1919-1987). Cressey Award winners include:

2024: Damian Williams

2023: Michael E. Horowitz

2022: Tony Kwok

2021: Thulisile Madonsela
2020: Jules Kroll
2019: Lisa Osofsky
2018: Sir Rob Wainwright
2017: Jennifer Shasky Calvery
2016: Jed S. Rakoff
2015: Leslie R. Caldwell
2014: Martin Kenney
2013: Preet Bharara
2012: Joseph Ford
2011: John C. Coffee Jr.
2010: Ralph Q. Summerford
2009: James H. Freis Jr.
2008: Martin T. Biegelman
2007: Rosalind Wright
2006: Grant D. Ashley
2005: James D. Ratley
2004: Richard Johnston
2003: Joseph R. Dervaes
2002: Mary Jo White
2001: Henry N. Pontell
2000: John Stossel

Cliff Robertson Sentinel Award 

First awarded to Oscar-Winning actor Cliff Robertson in 2003, the ACFE's Sentinel Award carries the inscription "For Choosing Truth Over Self." This award is bestowed annually on a person who, without regard to personal or professional consequences, has publicly disclosed wrongdoing in business or government. Cliff Robertson Sentinel Award winners include:

2024: Sarah Carver and Jennifer L. Griffith

2023: Xavier Justo

2022: Pav Gill

2021: The ACORN 8
2020: Howard Wilkinson
2019: Tyler Shultz
2018: Kathe Swanson
2017: Sam Foote
2016: Anthony Menendez
2015: James Holzrichter
2014: Dinesh Thakur
2013: Shi min Fang
2012: Michael Woodford
2011: William H. McMasters
2010: Amy Lail Stroupe
2009: Pamela Davis
2008: Mark Lund
2007: William Sanjour
2006: Bunnatine Greenhouse
2005: David Graham
2004: Marta Andreasen
2003: Cliff Robertson

Certified Fraud Examiner of the Year Award

The Certified Fraud Examiner of the Year Award is presented to a CFE who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fraud examination. Nominees are evaluated based on their contributions to the ACFE, to the profession and to the community. Certified Fraud Examiner of the Year Award winners include:

2024: David P. Weber

2023: Hannibal "Mike" Ware

2022: Vincent Walden

2021: Timothy Troy Pikas
2020: Sudhir Gidwani
2019: Norm DeBoer
2018: David Cotton
2017: John Fisher Weber
2016: Muna Buchahin Abulhosn
2015: Natasha Novikov
2014: Nancy Rich
2013: Jeffrey Matthews
2012: Sidney Philip Blum
2011: Timothy R. Reddick
2010: Mark Zmigrodski
2009: Harry Markopolos
2008: Michael Mayhan
2007: Phil Levi
2006: Isabel M. Cumming
2005: Clifford J. Coutcher
2004: Jerry Spratt
2003: Robert DiPasquale
2002: Ed Madge

Outstanding Achievement in Community Service Award

The ACFE believes strongly that members should be active contributors to their communities and committed to helping improve the quality of life where they live and work. The recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in Community Service Award must demonstrate that he or she has been an active volunteer in projects that have resulted in a recognized improvement of their community. This can be demonstrated by the commitment of time or donations to a charitable cause. Outstanding Achievement in Community Service Award winners include:

2024: Erin Rene Ellebracht

2023: Maheswari Kanniah

2022: Ronald Catania

2021: Tebogo Khubane Manakana
2020: Shahid Yakub
2019: Maria Krambia-Kapardis
2018: Camillo Afele
2017: Garry Groom
2016: Yarisa Walsh
2015: Richard Belik
2014: Herbert Snyder
2013: Diane Minch
2012: Carlos José Gomes Pimenta
2011: Jay Dawdy
2010: Marie Rice
2009: Stacey Carr
2008: Ricardo Castro
2007: Joseph R. Dervaes

Baker Award 

The James R. Baker Speaker of the Year Award is presented annually to honor an individual who has demonstrated the true spirit of leadership in communication, presentation and quality instruction. In 2008, the year of its inception, James Baker, CFE was posthumously presented with his namesake award and was recognized for his contribution to the education of fellow anti-fraud professionals as a faculty member for the ACFE. Baker Award winners include:

2024: Michael S. Schidlow

2023: Mary Breslin

2022: Tom Caulfield

2021: Bethmara Kessler

2020: Michael Bret Hood
2019: Jeremy Clopton
2018: Eric Feldman
2017: Janet McHard
2016: Allen Brown
2015: Ryan C. Hubbs
2014: Tiffany Couch
2013: Alton Sizemore
2012: Cynthia Hetherington
2011: Don Rabon
2010: Dennis F. Dycus
2009: Gerard Zack
2008: James R. Baker

Educator of the Year Award

Established in 2002, the Educator of the Year Award is presented to an ACFE member who has made outstanding contributions to anti-fraud education within their college or university. Educator of the Year Award winners include:

2024: Marie M. Rice

2023: Stan Yakoff

2022: David Glodstein

2021: Carolyn Conn
2020: Lawrence Hoffman
2019: Cindy Greenman
2018: Dan Thomas Ramey
2017: Diane Matthews
2016: Thomas Buckhoff
2015: Todd DeZoort
2014: Randall LaSalle
2013: Douglas E. Ziegenfuss
2012: Richard Brody
2011: Richard Hurley
2010: Herbert Snyder
2009: Mary Jo Kranacher
2008: Richard Riley
2007: Bill Kresse
2006: Robert E. Holtfreter
2005: Jon D. McDowall
2004: Haluk Gursel
2003: Steve Albrecht
2002: Norman Gierlasinski

Guardian Award

The Guardian Award is presented annually to a journalist whose determination, perseverance and commitment to the truth has contributed significantly to the fight against fraud. Nominees are chosen based upon their contributions in exposing specific acts of fraud and white-collar crime, and/or through helping to shine a spotlight on issues central to fraud and the worldwide effort to prevent and detect it. The award inscription reads: "For Vigilance in Fraud Reporting." Guardian Award winners include:

2024: Jeff German and Lizzie Johnson 

2023: Miranda Patrucic

2022: Alex Gibney

2021: Dan McCrum

2020: Daphne Caruana Galizia
2019: Bastian Obermayer
2018: Clare Rewcastle Brown
2017: Andrew Jennings
2016: David Barboza
2015: Brian Krebs
2014: Susan Schmidt
2013: Allan Dodds Frank
2012: Diana Henriques

Hubbard Award

The ACFE annually presents the Hubbard Award to the best feature article in Fraud Magazine, as decided by the members of the ACFE Editorial Advisory Committee. The award honors the late Regent Emeritus Thomas Hubbard, Ph.D., CFE, former chair of the ACFE's Continuing Education Committee, and professor emeritus and former head of the accounting department at the University of Nebraska. Hubbard Award winners include:

2024: Mary Breslin 

2023: Patrick Westerhaus

2022: Brandi Pritchard

2021: Sophia Carlton and James Ruotolo
2020: Anastasia Nazarova
2019: Eric A. Kreuter
2018: Annette Simmons-Brown
2017: Robert Holtfreter and Adrian Harrington
2016: Frank S. Perri and Edyta M. Mieczkowska
2015: Thomas Baugher
2014: Charles Piper
2013: Ryan Hubbs
2012: Jack W. Dorminey, A. Scott Fleming, Mary-Jo Kranacher, and Richard A. Riley Jr.
2011: Cheryl B. Hyder
2010: Gilbert Geis
2009: Peter Hughes, Mary Kaidonis, and Urton Anderson
2008: Haluk Gursel
2007: Tracy L. Coenen
2006: Herbert Snyder and James Clifton
2005: Don Rabon
2004: Timothy J. Springer

Chapter of the Year Award

The ACFE annually presents the Chapter of the Year Award to the chapter that has gone above and beyond to grow and serve its membership. This award is decided by members of the Chapter Leaders Committee. Past recipients include:

2024: South Africa Chapter and Knoxville Chapter

2023: New York Chapter and Southwest Ohio Chapter

2022: South Florida Chapter

2021: Greece Chapter
2020: Central Ohio Chapter
2019: Houston Area Chapter
2018: Middle Tennessee Chapter
2017: Tampa Bay Chapter
2016: Heartland Chapter
2015: Maryland Chapter
2014: Houston Area Chapter
2013: South Africa Chapter
2012: DC Metro Area Chapter
2011: Mexico City Chapter
2010: Dallas Area Chapter

Chapter Community Service and Outreach Award