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success by associationSOURCE

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Preventing ACH Fraud

3 Tips for Better Financials

Having Your Own Lawyer Defend You

Behind the Scenes of Annual Conference

SOURCEmar/apr 2016success by association

Demystifying ach & preventing frauD

Why can’t my oWn laWyer DefenD me?

3 tips to a better financial unDerstanDing

#fsae16: behinD the scenes

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For MeMbers by MeMbers

Boosting Your Presence Through PACs 20Young Professional Profile: Richard Brown 21“I Wish I Knew Then” 22AAC: $12.3 Million 24

New Members 16Member News 18Recent Events 25Foundation Investors 38

special section

Chef’s Table: Gulf Shrimp Angel Hair Pesto 30Buyer’s Guide 32Central FL Properties/Golf Properties 34

UPCOming FSAE EvEnTSMarch 16power luncheonHotel Duval, TallahasseeSponsored by Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

March roundtablesMeMbership/coMMunicationstaMpa roundtableMeeting plannersFor dates and locations visit www.fsae.org

april 12central Fl power luncheonThe plaza resort, Daytona Beach

april 20executive series luncheonHotel Duval, TallahasseeSponsored by Naples, Marco Island, Everglades

april roundtablestechnologyMeeting plannersFinance/operationsFor dates and locations visit www.fsae.org

May 12south Fl power luncheonWestin Ft. Lauderdale Beach resort

May roundtablesMeeting plannersceo roundtablecentral Fl roundtableFor dates and locations visit www.fsae.org

May 18power luncheonHotel Duval, Tallahassee

May 27 - June 3online auctionBidding opens Friday, may 27 and ends June 3 at 2 pm ESTwww.fsae.org/silentAuction

2016 annual conFerence

July 13-15Hyatt regency Coconut point

Bonita Springs

education expooctober 5, 2016

FSU Conference Center Tallahassee

www.fsae.org

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FEaTURE STORy

BY BEN GRAYBAR

Demystifying ach & preventing frauD

automated Clearing House (aCH) payments are a fast, efficient, and low-cost way to process debits and credits. However, in using the aCH network, businesses need to remain vigilant to protect against unauthorized debits.

WHAT iS An ACH?all electronic or automatic payments coming directly from your bank account are aCHs. Examples include autopay for a cell service bill, utilities payments or payroll. The problem is that an aCH can be originated by a thief (normally in a foreign country) with just the information on your check.

what’s important to know is that businesses only have a 24 hour window to alert the bank that a fraudulent activity is pending. After 24 hours, there is no guarantee stolen funds will be returned.

It’s easy to think that you’re safe or too small for this to happen to you, but you could be setting yourself up for disaster. a client in Tallahassee recently lost over $200,000 through aCH fraud and was told by authorities that they’re currently busy investigating the 7 digit losses (millions), & he was only a 6 digit loss (hundreds of thousands). It’s pretty scary when you think about what can happen!

HOW CAn YOU mOniTOR YOUR PEnDing TRAnSACTiOnS?Treasury management Services (formerly Cash management) are tools businesses can use to manage their deposit accounts. aCH positive pay, a new service

YOUR COMPLETE MEETING & GOLF DESTINATION

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through Treasury Services can help you easily monitor your transactions. This risk-mitigating service provides information about incoming aCH debit transactions and streamlines the process of approving or rejecting these payments.

most banks have a Treasury management area. Services are generally grouped in areas of account protection, payables & Disbursements, account Info, money management, Deposits & Collections. The Treasury tools available and pricing often vary from bank to bank. It’s important to find out what’s available to you and how it can help you protect your organization.

HOW ACH POSiTivE PAY WORkSEvery morning up to five approved individuals within your organization can receive a text message or email that lists aCH payments scheduled to post that day. For each debit, you will see the originator, the dollar amount and the recipient, among other information. You can add a specific company to the “approved” list, and future ACH debits from that company will be paid automatically. This capability saves time and keeps the focus on potential aCH exceptions.

Businesses have just 24 hours to return unauthorized ACH debits. aCH positive pay arms you with key information to make decisions within the timeframe.To further streamline the process, you can establish filtering rules that will allow certain payments to post without review. These rules can incorporate a range of criteria. For instance, you can decide to allow payments under $1,000 to Company aBC to proceed automatically, while requiring a review of all payments to the same company exceeding $1,000.

As a finance manager, CFO, or association head, I recommend familiarizing yourself with these tools as a preventative measure rather than learning about them after a loss.

Ben Graybar is a graduate of FSU with degrees in Economics & an MBA. He’s been married 20 years and has two sons – 9 & 15.He has a passion for getting the message of cyber security and fraud prevention after having his identity stolen, and from hearing a friend lose his life savings and his business to ACH fraud.He is a commercial banker at Hancock Bank whose role includes, among other things, sharing bank defenses to protect businesses.

ACH / FRAud CoNTINuEd ben graybar

There are many avenues in which political committees can become involved and make an impression. The collected funds can be used to support or oppose candidates for elective office in a variety of ways – from direct monetary contributions to candidate campaigns, to contributions to political parties and Legislator-associated political committees, to independent expenditures relating to a candidate’s campaign, just to name of few. Each type of expenditure is subject to regulations imposed by the Florida Election Code. additionally, all contributions to and expenditures by a political committee must be publically reported on a specified schedule.

Establishing a new political committee, or growing an existing one, takes a little time and effort. The potential rewards for association members and a Legislature that is even more familiar with the issues facing your members is well worth that time and effort. after all, there are nearly 900 political committees currently registered with the State of Florida – so something must be working!

Noreen Fenner is the President of PAC Financial Management, a Tallahassee-based campaign finance management firm, specializing in establishing, maintaining and reporting for Florida political committees of all sizes, with an emphasis on association-affiliated political committees. For additional information, please visit www.PACFM.net.

PAC PRESSENCE CoNTINuEd noreen Fenner

Rosen Shingle CreekOrlando · October 25-27, 2016

MOVING MEETINGS FORWARD

Connect Florida, hosted by Connect in partnership with FSAE, is a hosted-planner, appointment-only, reverse trade show. We’re bringing together the most active Florida association planners, suppliers and experts in the industry for three days of general sessions, workshops, pre-scheduled appointments and networking. The appointment-only trade show is the business marketplace, where RFPs are placed, dates are secured and relationships are developed for future business. The focus on education at Connect Florida allows you to brush up on your skills, learn about trending topics, get business advice from speakers and enjoy networking with other industry professionals.

Reserve your spot today!connectfloridameetings.com

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