Speaking

Mary Breslin, MBA, CIA, CFE

FOUNDER and MANAGING PARTNER

Mary Breslin is the Founder of Verracy and specializes in Internal Audit transformations, Operational and Financial Auditing, Fraud Auditing and Investigations, and Corporate Accounting.

Ms. Breslin’s career spans over 20 years in Internal Auditing, Management and Accounting for companies such as ConocoPhillips, Barclays Capital, Costco Wholesale, Jefferson Wells and Boart Longyear. With significant International experience, she has managed audit programs in more than 50 countries. Most recently, Ms. Breslin held the title of Vice President and Chief Audit Executive where she transformed a checklist audit function into a value-add audit department which regularly delivered measurable business results through the use of risk-based auditing, data analytics, continuous education and skill development for her leadership team and staff.

Additionally, Ms. Breslin has extensive Fraud Audit and Investigation experience and has conducted major fraud investigations on multiple continents including large scale federal cases domestically. She has developed and implemented fraud auditing programs in various industries focused on both accounting and operations.

Ms. Breslin attended Rutgers University and received her BS in accounting, and an MBA from the University of Phoenix while living and working overseas. She is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). She maintains memberships in the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), ISACA, the Society of Corporate Compliance (SCCE), and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) and is currently an instructor and conference speaker for the IIA, The ACFE and ISACA.

Bret Kobel, MBA

MANAGING PARTNER

Mr. Kobel is Managing Partner for Verracy and has more than 20 years of professional finance, accounting, audit, risk and compliance experience. Mr. Kobel specializes in internal controls, process improvement, process transformation & implementation with organizations operating under GAAP and/or IFRS Standards. He brings a diverse background to the organization from venture-backed startups to global Fortune 500 companies.

Prior to joining Empower, Mr. Kobel spent two years on assignment in Singapore as the Regional CFO and Controller for an international logistics company responsible for seven countries in the Asia Pacific region. Mr. Kobel was tasked with transforming the financial organization and redesigning the financial processes to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting.

Prior to that, Mr. Kobel spent several years with a large international drilling services company operating in over 40 countries on six continents. He was responsible for developing the company’s initial policies and procedures and implementing the baseline internal controls framework for the company as well as the initial Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program. Mr. Kobel later led global Internal Audit teams performing the first ever internal audits in the company’s 120-year history.

Earlier in Mr. Kobel’s career, he was part of a team that interpreted the newly released 1992 COSO Internal Control – Integrated Framework that worked to define a set of policies and procedures for one of the largest university systems in the nation and later led teams conducting the initial internal audits for the newly-implemented procedures.

Mr. Kobel received his BS degree from Indiana University and his MBA from The University of Texas at Austin. He is a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).

Keith Barber, CISA, ACDA, ACT

CONSULTANT, DATA ANALYTICS INSIGHT

Keith Barber is a Partner with Verracy responsible for Data Analytics Insight, where he specializes in data analytics training, data analytics program implementations, and advancing data analytics programs.

Mr. Barber has extensive experience helping clients solve complex data issues using various software tools. His professional expertise includes data analytics, IT audit, fraud detection, automated control monitoring, the use of Business Intelligence to support strategic decision making, and personnel/project management. During his tenure with the Big 4, Keith delivered a number of audit data analytics projects in support of financial audit, tax engagements, business risk and IT engagements.

As a Corporate Audit Manager of Data Analytics for a financial services company, Keith built a world class data analytics program encompassing real-time risk analysis scorecards, sophisticated continuous auditing and monitoring, automated action item tracking and automated a significant amount of the SOX testing. Additionally, Keith has trained and developed hundreds of data analysts through training courses he teaches and within the organizations he has led data teams. Over the course of his career, Keith’s technical expertise and seasoned judgment were key to satisfying client needs, delivering the right level of customization to ensure that clients received the highest value for their investment. Using data analytics Keith identified and quantified evidence of a $5 million fraud. The evidence provided the board and management with concrete evidence of the fraud and facilitated recovery of the funds.

Additionally, Keith has trained and developed hundreds of data analysts through training courses he writes and teaches. He has organically developed several data analytics from the ground up through teaching and training employees within prior organizations.

Mr. Barber received his BS in Computer Science from Madonna University. He is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), ACL Certified Data Analyst (ACDA) and an ACL Certified Trainer. He maintains memberships in the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), ISACA and The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).