Wendy Hans, CFE
CFE's first job in high school leads to lifelong career
Few people can say that their current place of employment was their first, especially after a 25-year career. But for Wendy Hans, CFE, director of fraud loss/control at AMC Entertainment, Inc. (AMC), that is exactly the case. Her first job in high school was in concessions at a movie theatre, sparking her later interest in investigating fraud. "Years ago, in an accounting class, we watched videos of convicted felons recounting their scams from the prison yard. It stuck with me that the fraudsters claimed their coworkers should have noticed their suspicious activity," Hans said. "Shortly after, a close coworker was acting strangely when some gift certificates went missing. We dug in and realized that she was stealing gift certificates and redeeming them on her own drawer to cover cash theft. It was my first bust — I was a box office cashier." Many roles later, Hans now oversees a team that conducts audits and closely monitors the transactions of nearly 18,000 AMC associates across the U.S.
What steps led you to your current position?
I started with AMC 25 years ago in concessions — my first job. The evening and weekend shifts were a good fit during my high school and college years. I learned the business as I rose through the ranks. After working in the theatres nearly 10 years, I accepted a role in the accounting department and transferred to the corporate office. An instance of fraud created my initial role in the fraud field. I was uniquely qualified with operations experience and an accounting degree. Over time, my responsibilities continued to increase and direct reports began to accumulate. The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) has been a wonderful resource to learn about all the new scams, sharpen my skills, interact with peers and understand where we should focus for the future. The ACFE Global Fraud Conferences are the highlight of my year!
What is your current role and what does it entail?
I oversee the theatre audit program and loss prevention functions. My team conducts onsite theatre audits, and identifies and investigates any possible fraud. I also advise on potential risks and mitigating controls for company initiatives and sit on our Information Security Committee. Nearly all of our 18,000 associates have access to cash — so the need for thorough transaction monitoring keeps us on our toes.