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The Hill Country Podcast

Hill Country Podcast – Camp Stewart at 100

Welcome to award-winning The Hill Country Podcast. The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places on earth. In this podcast, Hill Country resident Tom Fox visits with the people and organizations that make this the most unique areas of Texas. Join Tom as he explores the people, places and their activities of the Texas Hill Country.

Join Tom Fox in this heart-warming interview with Kathy Ragsdale, the owner of Camp Stewart, in the beautiful Hill Country. Discover the magic of Camp Stewart, which has been running since 1966 under the same program developed by Kathy’s late husband, Si Ragsdale. With over 725 campers this year, the camp offers an array of sports, crafts, music, and more, with the boys assigned to cabins based on their age groups. Kathy reflects on last year’s session, which surprisingly saw an increase in interest, despite COVID-19 restrictions. Discover the creative aspect of the camp’s activities, where boys can develop their skills and imaginations. Experience the laughter of young boys, the beauty of nature, and the significance of the 100th summer of Camp Stewart in 2023 with different logos and honoring its traditions. Kathy believes that camp experiences make a real difference in shaping people’s lives- such as her son and her late husband. Listen now and learn more about the magic of Camp Stewart and its generational ties and memories!

 Key Highlights

·      Benefits of summer camp during pandemic

·      Summer camp activities and diversity

·      Camp Stewart’s Natural Charm and Upcoming 100th Summer

·      The impact of summer camp

 Notable Quotes 

“While initially, everyone thought COVID would be bad for camping, it was very good for camping because parents realized when they couldn’t go to school and they weren’t getting the socialization. How much their children had missed it.”

“Last summer, a couple of boys, 1 made a violin, a couple made guitars, And they worked. I mean, they made some amazing things.”

“Our ceramics program dates back to 1967 when Jay brought Miller, doctor Miller, was Dean of the College of Final Arts at Texas Woman University, came down and spent a month and set up our kilns and the ceramics program.”

Resources

Camp Stewart

Tom Fox

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Corruption, Crime and Compliance

Lessons Learned from Recent FCPA Enforcement Actions — Philips and Franks Int’l Settlements

Koninklijke Philips manipulated tender processes for medical imaging equipment in China, which resulted in a substantial $62 million fine. On the other hand, Frank’s International paid an $8 million settlement for its FCPA violations in Angola, involving questionable commissions to a sales agent. These two cases serve as potent reminders of the risks and challenges that global companies encounter in today’s globalized economy, especially when dealing with high-risk countries such as China and Angola. They underline the need for robust ethics and compliance programs, vigilance against bribery and corruption, and strict adherence to local and international laws. In this episode of Corruption, Crime and Compliance, Michael Volkov uncovers the details of these cases that underline the risks and challenges faced by global companies in the contemporary economy.

You’ll hear Michael talk about:

  • Koninklijke Philips, a Dutch multinational corporation, was penalized with a $62 million fine for contriving multiple schemes to manipulate tender processes for medical imaging equipment in China.
  • These schemes included strategies like the manipulation of technical specifications, creation of counterfeit bids, and direct payments to state-owned hospital officials in China to restrict competition.
  • Frank’s International, an oil and gas company, paid an $8 million settlement for FCPA violations in Angola. The company had been paying commissions to a sales agent in Angola, knowing there was a high likelihood that these funds would be used to bribe government officials.
  • Frank’s International exhibited a lack of adequate internal accounting controls during this time period. This oversight permitted corrupt practices to proceed undetected.
  • Angola requires international companies to engage with local businesses. In Frank’s case, this was used as a cover to facilitate bribery payments.
  • Frank’s International was informed by a senior Sonangola executive that a restriction against them could be lifted if Frank’s established a separate consulting company benefiting a high-ranking Sonangola official and offered 5% of the contract value to this company.
  • The cases highlight how crucial it is for companies operating in high-risk countries, such as Angola and China, to have comprehensive ethics and compliance programs in place.
  • These programs must be able to detect and prevent bribery schemes, manipulation of tender processes, and similar malpractices.
  • The financial records of these companies must accurately represent all transactions and should be reviewed regularly to detect and rectify discrepancies.
  • Companies should maintain a cooperative attitude with regulatory authorities, report potential violations, and take remedial actions for any identified issues.

 

KEY QUOTES: 

“Koninklijke Philips played a dangerous game manipulating tender processes in China. The $62 million fine they paid is a stark reminder of the consequences.” – Michael Volkov

 

“Frank’s International’s $8 million settlement is a potent example of what can happen when companies ignore the necessity of robust internal accounting controls.” – Michael Volkov 

 

“Operating in high-risk countries demands more than just good business sense. It requires stringent ethics and compliance programs to prevent disastrous legal and economic consequences.” – Michael Volkov 

 

Resources:

Michael Volkov on LinkedIn | Twitter

The Volkov Law Group

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Principled Podcast

Principled Podcast – S9 E14 – From Basic to Best in Class: Evolving Hexcel’s Compliance Program

What you’ll learn on this podcast episode

How do you move your ethics and compliance program along the journey from basic to best in class? How do you keep momentum amid a major business disruption and downturn? And how do you make progress on the holy grail of compliance objectives—a speak-up culture?  In this episode of LRN’s Principled Podcast, host Emily Miner is joined by Gail Lehman, the EVP, general counsel, and secretary at Hexcel Corporation. Listen in as Gail shares how this high-tech materials manufacturing company has evolved its compliance program over the past five years and what that’s meant for the company’s culture.

Guest: Gail Lehman

Gail Lehman – Grayscale

Gail Lehman is the executive vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary at Hexcel Corporation, having joined Hexcel in January of 2017. Hexcel is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. Gail oversees the legal and trade compliance functions for this NYSE public company, a leading global producer of advanced composites for commercial aerospace, space and defense, and various industrial markets. She is also the leader of Hexcel’s Sustainability program at a corporate level. Gail serves as a trusted strategic advisor to the board, chief executive officer, and business teams. Upon joining the company, Gail restructured the legal and trade functions to align with Hexcel’s business teams and operational objectives. She re-engineered the Code of Business Conduct program, redrafting the code and rolling out specially tailored “speak up” ethics training and messaging across all global locations. She collaborates with other senior leaders and teams to drive Hexcel’s sustainability efforts and major growth, strategic and commercial activities, including mergers and acquisitions, cyber incident readiness, and contracting with the company’s critical customers and suppliers.  

Prior to joining Hexcel, Gail served as chief administrative officer, general counsel, and corporate secretary at Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation. Prior to Noranda, Gail was vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary at both Hawker Beechcraft Corporation and Covalence Specialty Materials Corporation. Earlier she rose through the ranks of the law department at Honeywell International. She began her career at the law firm of Lowenstein, Sandler in Roseland, NJ after serving a federal judicial clerkship in the District Court in New Jersey. 

Gail has a degree in psychology from Rutgers College, a graduate degree in educational psychology from Rutgers Graduate School of Education, and a law degree with high honors from Rutgers University School of Law. She has served on several non-profit boards, including currently for the Women’s Business Development Council in Stamford, Connecticut. 

Host: Emily Miner

Episode_Card_Emily_Miner

Emily Miner is a vice president in LRN’s ethics and compliance Advisory practice. She counsels executive leadership teams on how to actively shape and manage their ethical culture through deep quantitative and qualitative understanding and engagement. A skilled facilitator, Emily emphasizes co-creative, bottom-up, and data-driven approaches to foster ethical behavior and inform program strategy. Emily has led engagements with organizations in the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, energy, professional services, and education industries. Emily co-leads LRN’s ongoing flagship research on E&C program effectiveness and is a thought leader in the areas of organizational culture, leadership, and E&C program impact.

Prior to joining LRN, Emily applied her behavioral science expertise in the environmental sustainability sector, working with non-profits and several New England municipalities; facilitated earth science research in academia; and contributed to drafting and advancing international climate policy goals. Emily has a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Florida with a degree in Anthropology.

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Sunday Book Review

Sunday Book Review: May 28, 2023 – The Memorial Day Edition

In the Sunday Book Review, I consider books that interest the compliance professional, the business executive, or anyone curious. It could be books about business, compliance, history, leadership, current events, or anything else that might interest me. In today’s edition of the Sunday Book Review, we begin a two-part look at George Orwell and his writings and review books on patriotism and Memorial Day.

  • Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley and Ron Powers
  • Citizen Soldiers by Stephen Ambrose
  • The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw
  • The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
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Kerrville Weekly News Roundup

Kerrville Weekly News Roundup: May 26, 2023

Welcome to the Kerrville Weekly News Roundup. Each week, veteran podcaster Tom Fox and his colleagues Andrew Gay and Gilbert Paiz get together to go over a couple of their favorite stories from the past week from Kerrville and the greater Hill Country. Sit back, enjoy a cup of morning coffee and listen in to get a wrap up of the Kerrville Weekly News. We each consider two of our favorite stories and talk about the upcoming weekend’s events which will enjoy or participate in this weekend.

In this episode, Tom and Andrew discuss the following stories which caught their attention over the past week.

·      Tom talks about the Kerrville Public School Foundation  and Camp Stewart celebrating its centennial this year.

·      Andrew talks about Plea in Abatement hearing the Harley Belew case and the resignation of City Manager EA Hoppe to move to Frisco.

·      Gilbert talks about school graduations and the upcoming Kerrville Business Expo.

Resources

Tom Fox on LinkedIn

Gilbert Paiz on LinkedIn

Andrew Gay on LinkedIn

Texas Hill Country Podcast Network

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Principled Podcast

Principled Podcast – S9 E13 – Is Your Hotline Running Cold? How To Get Meaningful Data from Internal Reporting.

What you’ll learn on this podcast episode

Do hotlines really work? According to the 2019 Global Business Survey conducted by the Ethics and Compliance Initiative, only 6% of E&C complaints went to hotlines, compared to 51% to direct supervisors and the remainder to higher management or human resources. So why are so many E&C programs—not to mention boards of directors—relying principally on hotline data to assess company culture and compliance? In this episode of LRN’s Principled Podcast, Susan Divers talks about reimagining hotlines with Scott Sullivan, the chief integrity and compliance officer at Newmont Corporation. Listen in as Scott shares how his team reinvented Newmont’s hotline channel and reporting process to separate the wheat from the chaff and gain meaningful information.

Guest: Scott Sullivan

Headshot_Scott_S7E18

Scott Sullivan is the Chief Integrity & Compliance Officer of Newmont Corporation, the world’s leading gold company. Newmont has approximately 15,000 employees and 15,000 contractors and has 12 operating mines and 2 non-operated JVs in 9 countries. Mr. Sullivan oversees, develops, implements, and manages Newmont’s integrity and compliance program including ethics, anti-bribery, corporate investigations, and global trade compliance. Previously, Mr. Sullivan was the Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer of a global manufacturer of fluid motion and control products with approximately 17,000 employees operating in 55 countries. Mr. Sullivan has written and contributed numerous articles on compliance programs, anti-bribery/FCPA, export controls, economic sanctions, and other ethics and compliance topics to a variety of publications. Mr. Sullivan is also a frequent local, national, and international speaker, moderator, and conference organizer on compliance, anti-bribery/FCPA, export controls, and economic sanctions.

Host: Susan Divers

Headshot_Susan_Divers_S7E18_Principled_Podcast

Susan Divers is a senior advisor with LRN Corporation. In that capacity, Ms. Divers brings her 30+ years’ accomplishments and experience in the ethics and compliance area to LRN partners and colleagues. This expertise includes building state-of-the-art compliance programs infused with values, designing user-friendly means of engaging and informing employees, fostering an embedded culture of compliance and substantial subject matter expertise in anti-corruption, export controls, sanctions, and other key areas of compliance.

Prior to joining LRN, Mrs. Divers served as AECOM’s Assistant General for Global Ethics & Compliance and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer. Under her leadership, AECOM’s ethics and compliance program garnered six external awards in recognition of its effectiveness and Mrs. Divers’ thought leadership in the ethics field. In 2011, Mrs. Divers received the AECOM CEO Award of Excellence, which recognized her work in advancing the company’s ethics and compliance program.

Mrs. Divers’ background includes more than thirty years’ experience practicing law in these areas. Before joining AECOM, she worked at SAIC and Lockheed Martin in the international compliance area. Prior to that, she was a partner with the DC office of Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal. She also spent four years in London and is qualified as a Solicitor to the High Court of England and Wales, practicing in the international arena with the law firms of Theodore Goddard & Co. and Herbert Smith & Co. She also served as an attorney in the Office of the Legal Advisor at the Department of State and was a member of the U.S. delegation to the UN working on the first anti-corruption multilateral treaty initiative.

Mrs. Divers is a member of the DC Bar and a graduate of Trinity College, Washington D.C. and of the National Law Center of George Washington University. In 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Ethisphere Magazine listed her as one the “Attorneys Who Matter” in the ethics & compliance area. She is a member of the Advisory Boards of the Rutgers University Center for Ethical Behavior and served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Institute for Practical Training from 2005-2008.

She resides in Northern Virginia and is a frequent speaker, writer and commentator on ethics and compliance topics. Mrs. Divers’ most recent publication is “Balancing Best Practices and Reality in Compliance,” published by Compliance Week in February 2015. In her spare time, she mentors veteran and university students and enjoys outdoor activities.

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The Woody Report

The Woody Report: Succession, The Final Season, Episode 9 – Church and State

Co-hosts Tom Fox and Karen Woody are back as they delve deep into the final season of Succession. From the recurring theme of personal vs. business decisions to the amazing performance from Shiv, these two bring you it all! But that’s not all – learn valuable lessons about deal-making and cultural fit, and find out why the attention to detail in the clothing and accessories of the characters is so important. And if you’re looking for a great podcast recommendation, tune in to catch their thoughts on a brand-new show – who knows, you might find your next binge-worthy obsession! Don’t miss an episode of The Woody Report, where Tom and Karen bring you all the latest in pop culture, business, and more from the final season of Succession.

Tom Fox and Karen Woody are back with another captivating episode of The Woody Report. In this episode, the hosts dive into scenes from Succession, discussing the exceptional acting and impressive visuals. They highlight Roman’s heartbreaking storyline and praise the character development of Sally. The hosts analyze the reactions to Shiv’s pregnancy announcement and speculate on Logan’s dark past. They also discuss the risky political plays involving Matsson and Mencken. The breakdown of a character at a protest and the possibility of something wrong with Kendall are also analyzed. Be sure to tune in to The Woody Report for all the details on the season finale and a glimpse into what’s to come. Don’t miss out on the excellent commentary and expert analysis from Tom Fox and Karen Woody!

Highlights Include:

  • Kendall’s confrontation with ex-wife
  • Complexities of Logan’s Women Relationships
  • Logan’s Backstory and Ewen’s Eulogy
  • Analyzing Roman’s Eulogy in Succession
  • Mencken flops on Kendall
  • Tom and Shiv
  • The Implications of Roman’s Protest Outburst
  • The WAGS

Resources

Karen on LinkedIn

Karen at Washington & Lee, School of Law

Tom

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2 Gurus Talk Compliance

2 Gurus Talk Compliance – Episode 6 – The Risk of Distributors

What happens when two top compliance commentators get together? They talk compliance, of course. Join Tom Fox and Kristy Grant-Hart in their podcast, 2 Gurus Talk Compliance, as they dive into hot compliance topics. This episode covers the potential crisis with due diligence in China, highlights from the Compliance Week 2023 National Conference, and a recent fraud case. They also discuss strategies for managing distributor risk, stakeholder management, and the need for AI regulation. With its unique insights and engaging storytelling, this podcast is a must-listen for anyone in compliance. Take advantage of the latest episode of 2 Gurus Talk Compliance, and stay ahead of the curve!

Highlights Include:

·      Philips FCPA Enforcement Action and Distributor Risk Management

·      Stakeholder Strategy for Ethical Business Practices

·      Risks of Due Diligence in China for US Companies

·      Risks of Conducting Investigations in China

·      Quantitative skills, AI regulation, and challenges

·      Tech Hearings & Messaging Compliance Reform

·      The Problems with Ephemeral Messaging and Hot Desking

·      The Myth of Informal Office Collaboration

·      IRS Scam Calls and Sanctions Compliance

 Resources 

  1. Board governance and Strategy in a Changing Economic Landscape.
  2. How to Create a Stakeholder Strategy
  3. Messaging crackdown
  4. Corporate Crime and National Security
  5. Philips pays SEC $62 million to resolve China FCPA violations
  6. U.S. Companies in China Worry Due Diligence Will End in Spy Dramas
  7. OpenAI Founder Calls for the Global Regulation of Artificial Intelligence
  8. Why Employees Hate Hot-Desking
  9. Travis County cautions of ongoing jury duty fraud calls

Connect with Kristy Grant-Hart on LinkedIn

Spark Consulting

Tom

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31 Days to More Effective Compliance Programs

One Month to a More Effective Compliance Program in Training and Communications – Compliance Training From the Movies

If there is one truism from the practices of law which translates to the practice of compliance, it is that your imagination only limits you. Marc Havener, founder, and CEO of Resonate Pictures, Inc., created a series of video shorts for a consulting company on compliance and ethics. Rather than the traditional legal approach of telling employees about the corporate policy on compliance, they wanted to tell a story about compliance through the art of movie-based storytelling that wove messaging into characters to tell a story.

I have urged compliance practitioners to bring more storytelling into their compliance messaging. If you put the employee in the shoes of the person they’re watching, they will remember it because they will see how it applies to their lives. Havener noted that the training experience would last “exponentially longer than if you just go over a written policy or show a PowerPoint.” He called it “expanding your classroom.” The next time they see George Clooney, they’re going to remember the training, the next time they watch that movie that you showed a clip from, they’re going to be reminded of the training, and so it becomes a great drift method of training.”

Three key takeaways:

  1. Storytelling is another form of communication.
  2. Movie clips in compliance training can provide useful touchstones that employees can relate to for compliance lessons.
  3. The Morgan Stanley declination gave credit for annual compliance reminders.
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Hidden Traffic Podcast

Compliance Resources and News with Gwen Hassan

It’s an indictment of this modern era that exploitation remains alarmingly prevalent. Indeed, the journey towards human trafficking and forced labor prevention is laden with complexities. In this episode of Hidden Traffic, host Gwen Hassan discusses current events and valuable resources to propel the fight against human trafficking. She emphasizes the interplay between corporate compliance, survivor advocacy, and global cooperation in the quest to eradicate human trafficking and forced labor from global supply chains.

Follow Money Fight Slavery is a not-for-profit consortium specializing in human trafficking prevention. During their third annual summit, the group unveiled valuable materials, including survivor-led sessions and a keynote address by a survivor turned advocate. These first-hand narratives are key in combating trafficking, Gwen points out..

 

Unseen UK has launched a petition to urge the UK government to fill the vacant Independent Antislavery Commissioner role. Gwen is concerned about the year-long vacancy in this crucial role, and urges listeners to sign the petition. Strong leadership is crucial in the prevention of human trafficking.

 

The Mekong Club is an organization that has partnered with CNN to raise awareness about human trafficking among students worldwide. This effort is encapsulated in the ‘Sweatshop Challenge’, an immersive educational experience providing students with a simulated understanding of forced labor conditions. Gwen lauds this creative approach: “Could you do a similar type of sweatshop challenge for your supply chain workers? For people that are out there in your corporate purchasing departments who are buying from foreign suppliers so they have a real personal understanding of what human trafficking does and how injurious it is…?”

 

The recently published white paper by the Mekong Club about modern slavery risks in shipping takes a deep dive into the often-overlooked logistics portion of supply chains, highlighting its susceptibility to human trafficking. 

 

Gwen elaborates on a recent US congressional hearing on the implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and its implications on the US supply chain. It hints towards an expansion of the act, potentially encompassing electric vehicle components and eliminating the inspection exemption for shipments worth less than $800. She warns listeners, “If your supply chain touches electric vehicle production or for that matter, batteries or battery production, this could be an early warning signal that there may be additional enforcement focus coming for your supply chain.”

 

Resources:

Follow Money Fight Slavery

Unseen UK

The Mekong Club | Modern Slavery in Shipping Supply Chains