Webinar Duration: 90 minutes
RECORDED: Access recorded version only for one participant; unlimited viewing for 6 months (Access information will be emailed 24 hours after the completion of payment)
SPEAKER: Lynn Fountain
OVERVIEW:
This training program will enumerate the IIA Standards and the auditor’s responsibility to abide by the standards. The program will also look at management’s expectations of internal audit and detail skills required for internal audit management. It will provide real-world examples and challenges facing today’s internal audit.
“Becoming a Chief Audit Executive -Leading the Internal Audit Function” -This course is approved by NASBA (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy). Attendees of Live Webinar are eligible for 1.8 CPE credit up on full completion of the course.
Why should you Attend: Performing the role of a chief audit executive in today’s corporate environment can be both challenging as well as rewarding. Today’s internal audit processes is an ever-expanding role and vital to any business.
Many companies consider internal audit as a training ground for future management as it provides professionals with key strategic insight into the business. For an organization to truly build credibility within the internal audit function, the skills and organizational positioning of the chief audit executive and internal audit management is a critical success factor.
Anyone stepping into an internal audit management role must have the fortitude and ability to appropriately balance the organization’s needs with the necessity for independence and objectivity. This can be a very difficult issue for even the most experienced executive. Auditors must be prepared to understand and uphold the Institute of Internal Auditor Standards while learning how to balance the requirements of those standards with management’s expectations.
This session will cover the essentials behind leading the internal audit function. It will outline several challenges faced by internal auditors when attempting to execute their fiduciary duty while also meeting management’s expectations.
Areas Covered in the Session:
– The IIA Standards and the auditor’s responsibility to abide by the standards
– Management’s expectations of internal audit
– Critical hard and soft skills required for internal audit management and the internal auditor
– Real-world examples and challenges facing today’s internal audit
– Key concepts to ensure audit management is ready to meet the challenges they face
– Legal and ethical standards needed
– Preparing and transitioning into your new role
Who Will Benefit:
– Internal Auditors
– Internal Audit Directors
– CFOs
– CEOs
– Finance Professionals
– Professionals Considering an Internal Audit Role
SPEAKER PROFILE:
Lynn Fountain has over 35 years of experience spanning public accounting, corporate accounting and consulting. 20 years of her experience has been working in the areas of internal and external auditing. She is a subject matter expert in multiple fields including internal audit, ethics, fraud evaluations, Sarbanes-Oxley, enterprise risk management, governance, financial management and compliance.
Ms. Fountain has held two Chief Audit Executive positions for international companies. She was a member of the senior leadership team for Aquila Inc. in Kansas City, MO, until the sale of the utility in 2008. At Aquila, she was responsible for Internal Audit, Enterprise Risk Management and Sarbanes-Oxley. She was an integral member of the senior leadership team that effectively executed the sale of the utility. Upon the close of Aquila, Ms. Fountain engaged in her own consulting and training business. During this time, she worked with several organizations to establish ERM, Sarbanes-Oxley and governance frameworks. In addition, she has developed and delivered leading edge training sessions on COSO, internal audit, ERM, accounting, leadership, governance, compliance and ethics. In 2011, Ms. Fountain was the Chief Audit Executive for an international construction and engineering firm in Kansas City. In this role she was involved in the active investigation of a joint venture fraud. The investigation included work with the FBI and ultimately led to indictment of the perpetrators and recovery of $13M. In 2012, Ms. Fountain returned to her consulting and training business. Along with her risk management, internal controls and financial accounting consulting work, she delivers training for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Institute of Internal Auditors, and multiple seminar and training groups.
Ms. Fountain is the author of two separate technical books released in 2015, The first entitled “Raise the Red Flag – The Internal Auditors Guide to Fraud Evaluations” was published by the Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation and released in April 2015. Her second book “Leading The Internal Audit Function” was released in October 2015 by Auerbach Publications. This book serves as the initial launch for a series of leading practice internal audit and information technology publications. Her third book entitled “Ethics and the Internal Auditor’s Dilemma” is expected to be out in the Fall 2016. In addition, Ms. Fountain is a frequent blogger on the LinkedIn platform and has also had numerous articles published in professional and technical publications. She is currently authoring a third technical book on Corporate Ethics and the Internal Auditors Challenge.
She has performed as an adjunct instructor for the School of Business for Grantham University and developed the first internal audit curriculum for the School of Business at the University of Kansas. Ms. Fountain obtained her BSBA from Pittsburg State University and her MBA from Washburn University in Kansas. She has her CGMA, CRMA credentials and CPA certificate (non-active).
