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Thread: ABO/NCLE Response to Concerns Raised Following the Arrests of the former CEO and CFO

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    ABO/NCLE Response to Concerns Raised Following the Arrests of the former CEO and CFO

    As a result of the issues involving H. Michael Robey, former Executive Director, and Carletta T. Carter-Stewart, former Chief Financial Officer, ABO/NCLE has established new management and financial procedures and controls. The organization remains financially strong, and is capable of serving the certification needs of the optical community. For more detailed information, please visit the "Consumer and Media Information" section of the ABO/NCLE website, located at http://www.abo-ncle.org/consumerandm...pressreleases/ . Thank you. ABO/NCLE.
    Last edited by James M. Morris; 12-18-2010 at 12:46 PM.

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    On the Sunset Tour! Framebender's Avatar
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    If you don't mind me asking Mr Morris, just what are you folks doing with all the money you collect?
    Days where my gratitude exceed my expectations are very good days!

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    ATO Member HarryChiling's Avatar
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    Thank you for the timely response, I feel better knowing that the organization has put policies and procedures in place to prevent any further improprieties.
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    Quote Originally Posted by HarryChiling View Post
    Thank you for the timely response, I feel better knowing that the organization has put policies and procedures in place to prevent any further improprieties.
    It's really too bad they weren't there in the first place. Where were the annual audits of the organization, and if any were done, how was this missed? And if they were missed, will the organization be filing a lawsuit against the auding firm?

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    Eyes eastward... Uilleann's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ABO Press Release
    ..."The organization remains financially strong"...
    I'm sure they are. If they can miss more than $1,500,000 being skimmed and have no clue about it for almost a decade, they must be absolutely swimming in it.

    Ah the cash cows of "organized" opticianry - such an ugly giant black eye for any of these type of organizations. I wonder if the public at large will start actually caring any more about that ABO certificate on the walls of dispensaries across the country now. Perhaps bad publicity is just what they were after, just like Vitaly in Brooklyn. I wonder if he planted moles in the ABO? :hammer::shiner::cheers:

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    Thank you for your inquiry. I apologize for the delay in responding as it was a result of my schedule and had nothing to do with ABO/NCLE. Your question is one that is very important to ABO/NCLE. As an organization, it is striving constantly to better the industry and to reach out in ways to allow those within the industry to become aware of its extensive involvement. As an organization, ABO/NCLE works with a professional testing organization (PES) to administer appropriate, and verified, testing for appropriate certification, which constitutes a substantial, and ongoing, expense to the organization. In addition, ABO/NCLE evaluates and approves all education and continuing education opportunities throughout the country. This requires ABO/NCLE staff to work directly with over 1000 individual meetings per year. ABO/NCLE manages the continuing education for the over 38,000 certificants, constituting well over 150,000 Continuing Education Credits each and every year. ABO/NCLE also maintains extensive records as to the number of hours of Continuing Education Credits per certificant, as well as the number of meetings attended by each such certificant. The Organization has financially supported the new annual national meeting for opticianry that has taken place in Cincinnati, Ohio since 2008. This constitutes an expensive investment for opticianry that will benefit all opticians as well as all the associations that we support at the meeting. (CLSA, NAO, OAA, NFOS, etc.) As you may or may not be aware, ABO/NCLE was the only organization with the financial means to make this annual national opticianry meeting a reality, and had the leadership to envision what a meeting with all of the opticianry groups, in one setting, and at one time, would ultimately mean to the profession. ABO/NCLE provides grants to opticianry based organizations; supports educational opportunities for opticians through numerous different opticianry organizations; and, this past September, donated $150,000 back to CLSA, NAO and OAA. ABO/NCLE sponsors grants to the National Federation of Opticianry Schools annually, in order to increase the exposure of the opticianry industry to all high school guidance counselors. ABO/NCLE has also provided extensive support to CLSA to assist with the funding of the CLSA University. The management of over 38,000 certificants requires a full time office with an extensive full time staff. However, the expense has been, in our opinion, well worth the effort, given the overall betterment of our profession.
    As noted previously, ABO/NCLE has revamped its management procedures, implemented internal controls, established a lockbox for receivable, and hired a new accounting firm in response to the recent embezzlement, in order to establish more stringent safeguards against similar situations occurring in the future. I would encourage anyone with questions to contact the ABO/NCLE office and learn more about the saff and the extensive efforts undertaken on behalf of its membership as well as the profession of opticianry as a whole. ABO/NCLE looks forward to continuing to benefit the entire opticianry profession, its over 38,000 certificants, and the general public.
    Last edited by James M. Morris; 12-17-2010 at 09:38 PM.

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