Internal Controls - What Every Manager Needs to Know

Why Should You Attend:

The new COSO framework was released in May 2013. Original compliance date was is set as December 2014. Many companies are still working towards compliance. This will turn up the focus on how its guidance should be used by companies and auditors when evaluating processes for Sarbanes-Oxley and other control requirements. Key aspects have been added to mandate knowledge of business and regulatory changes as well as an increased focus on information technology and its controls. It is imperative that management, compliance professionals, legal professionals and audit professionals all understand the roles and responsibilities incumbent upon them when it relates to internal control. It is also imperative that management learn and accept their critical role as it relates to the management and monitoring of internal controls.

The impending release of the new COSO Framework clearly outlines the importance of understanding all aspects of internal control and ensuring those elements are properly working together in an effective manner. All individuals involved in oversight, management, monitoring and auditing processes within an organization will need to heighten their awareness of basic controls and their linkage to corporate strategies and regulatory and business requirements.

Areas Covered in the Webinar:

• The reason internal control has become a strategic focus for companies
• Overview of the impending new COSO framework release and its impact on companies
• Methods to educate management on responsibilities for control processes and understanding the term “internal control”
• Evaluating implications when management does not pay attention to internal controls
• Key monitoring methods for management to utilize when evaluating internal controls
• Review of the standardized SOX 302 and 404 sign-off processes and considerations for enhancement

Who Will Benefit:

• Board Members
• Management
• Risk and Legal Professionals
• Internal Auditors
• Compliance Professionals
• Process Improvement Professionals

Lynn Fountain
Former Chief Audit Executive, Aquila

Lynn Fountain has over 35 years of experience spanning public accounting, corporate accounting and consulting. She has 20 years of experience 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. Since 2008, she has served in positions where she was responsible for internal audit, enterprise risk management and Sarbanes-Oxley. Ms. Fountain has a private consulting and training business, and she has developed and delivered leading edge training sessions on COSO, internal audit, ERM, accounting, leadership, governance, compliance and ethics. 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 technical books that released in 2015: Raise the Red Flag – The Internal Auditors Guide to Fraud Evaluations; Leading the Internal Audit Function. 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 auditor’s 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).

Topic Background:

In today’s business world, the term, internal control, is assumed to be a well-known and understood concept. Yet, with all the regulations, attention and focus on the issue, control gaps continue to pervade processes and result in a wide array of business failures and issues. The issue has come to the forefront as the COSO Board is about to release the revised version of the COSO 1992 internal control framework. Companies who indicate they utilize the COSO framework for their evaluation processes will be expected to employ the concepts imbedded in the current draft. Prior to executing on that task, management must re-evaluate their position on internal controls and how they employ the roles and responsibilities related to internal control within their environments. This may be a significant task for many companies and will include re-evaluation of their current compliance and internal audit programs as well as the organizational alignment of these functions.

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