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The PFS Program welcomes ongoing constructive dialogue with all its
counterparts; this enables us to continuously improve the design and
implementation of our programs. On this page, we share with you feedback
received from a variety of institutions throughout Central and Eastern
Europe (CEE), South East Europe (SEE) and other countries.
ALBANIA
Dear Geoffrey,
On behalf of the chairwoman of the Albanian Financial Supervisory Authority (AFSA), Mrs. Elisabeta Gjoni, and myself I would like to forward our highest appreciation to the PFS Program and USAID for supporting the organization of the Regional Workshop on Corporate Governance in Insurance Companies that took place on March 12-13, 2008 in Tirana.
The PFS Program was quick to reflect and respond to our request for organizing this workshop. We found the content and quality of presentations to be very relevant to our market needs. The speakers that you approached enabled a comparison of the Albanian insurance sector corporate governance issues with the status of development in EU newly accessed countries. Also, they provided very useful insight and views on further development. As it was shown, in developing good corporate governance practices we should take into consideration the intrinsic characteristics of our market, having best international practices as an important reference point.
We think that there is plenty of room for further cooperation on corporate governance issues in the future. Using this opportunity, we would like to thank you for providing training and other support in development of actuarial profession, gaining experience and expertise under the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) internship program and the regional workshop on internal audit of central banks and FSRAs.
We wish you success in your work and would like to see increased presence and cooperation with PFS Program in the future.
All the best,
Keler Gjika, CFA
Deputy Chair
Albanian Financial Supervisory Authority
Letter dated March 18, 2008
CZECH REPUBLIC
"It was a great pleasure to cooperate with you and Mr. David Cairns on the International Accounting Standards (IAS) Seminar held in Prague on April 9-10. 2002. I hope to conduct another seminar in the future in cooperation with the PFS Program."
Veroslav Sobotka
Head of External Affairs
Letter dated May 15, 2002
ESTONIA
"During the study tour to the United States organized by EWMI/PFS Program for Baltic Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), we talked with US judges and attorneys about their real-life experiences and how they deal with money laundering. Also, we discussed with US counterparts how to request information from the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), what special forms need to be submitted, how we should present information in response to another FIU’s request, etc. The study tour was well organized
and prepared in advance; therefore, during our meetings we were able to obtain information right away and it was all on a very practical level."
Inga Vaher
Leading Police Inspector
Debriefing with Economic Officer at US Embassy, Tallinn, Estonia
April 24, 2003
HUNGARY
"Let me express my sincere thanks to you and your colleagues for organizing the Investor Relations Seminar in Budapest on October 10, 2001. Both my colleagues and also the issuers and other attendees expressed their appreciation for the program you set up. I sincerely believe that this seminar will be followed by other events and we will continue the development of Investor Relations culture in Hungary and also the region. I am very much looking forward to working together with East-West Management Institute in the future."
Zsolt Horvath
Chief Executive Officer
LATVIA
"The absolutely superb references from the staff members of our Office are a perfect proof to the great utility of the study tour to the United States on prevention of money laundering as well as the undoubtedly perspective value of the expertise that was acquired and the contacts established, in terms of both improving the Latvian legislation and the reinforcement of inter-agency contacts."
Viesturs Burkans
Head
Office for Prevention of Laundering of Proceeds Derived from Criminal Activity
Letter dated February 5, 2003
LITHUANIA
"Dear Colleagues:
It was a pleasure to meet each of you. I would like to thank Rich Sheaffer, Suzy Furr, Geoffrey Mazullo and the Internal Audit Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia for your generosity, hospitality and professionalism during all the week we spent together. I greatly appreciate the experience and lasting knowledge acquired and I am honored to be able to establish new bonds with colleagues from various Central Banks thanks to the Regional Workshop organized by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and the PFS Program.
I look forward to staying in touch with all of you!"
Sincerely,
Ernest Visemirski
IT Internal Auditor
Internal Audit Division
. . .
On September 12, 2003 on the occasion of the Tenth Anniversary of the National Stock Exchange of Lithuania, EWMI/PFS Program received a commemorative plaque from the National Stock Exchange of Lithuania. The plaque is inscribed as follows: “Acknowledgement to the Partners for Financial Stability Program, East-West Management Institute for valuable contribution to the institutional development of the National Stock Exchange of Lithuania. "
Vilnius, Lithuania
Adorned with the seal of the National Stock Exchange of Lithuania, the plaque bears the signature of Rimantas Busila, President.
POLAND
"All of the topics and presentations were worthwhile to discuss.” “The seminar was useful for practitioners.” “The selection of speakers was very good and the presentations very interesting. "
Anonymous evaluation forms
Regional Workshop on Prevention of Money Laundering
Gdansk, Poland
May 22-23, 2003
SERBIA
Dear Geoffrey Mazullo:
Dear Suzy Furr:
Dear Rich Sheaffer:
Dear Ron Lavish:
Sincerely, I am having trouble finding the right words to thank you for the excellent Regional Workshop. I really enjoyed it! My participation was truly a unique experience. The Workshop was a good opportunity for learning, meeting people and exchanging knowledge.
Thanks so much for your hospitalities that you and staff from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia have shown. Through you I would like to extend my thanks to all the Internal Audit Department staff for all their effort and time. I really appreciate your efforts and professionalism to ensure that we all get the most out of the Workshop, both inside and outside the classroom.
Thank you again for all your efforts, I do hope that you will continue with the same energy to organize similar Workshops in the future.
You left me with lots of memories to remember.
I sincerely hope you all enjoyed yourselves.
I wish you all great success in the work and life,
Jasmina Pecenica, CISA
IS Audit Manager
Internal Audit Department
"Thank you, once more, for the very successful Investor Relations Seminar you organized in Bratislava on March 26, 2002 for our issuers. "
Barbora Lazarova
Deputy Secretary General
"Let me take this opportunity to thank you for all the effort put into organizing the Regional Workshop on Prevention of Money Laundering that took place in Portoroz on September 26-27, 2002 and which will with certainly contribute to even more effective combat with money laundering. "
Klaudijo Stroligo
Director
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
An international workshop must be particularly challenging to orchestrate but your Regional Workshop on Insurance Supervision conducted in cooperation with the CEF on October 17-18, 2007 was one of the best organized training sessions that I’ve attended. In my opinion, one of the most impressive sessions of the workshop was not conducted by a presenter. It was watching the participants network among themselves. I have found that networking with colleagues in this regulatory/investigations environment is one of the most powerful problem-solving methods that we as investigators have available to us. When my colleagues from other state fraud bureaus and I meet at workshops, we are able to discuss the problems that we are having and someone can usually help find a solution to the problem through a similar experience, etc. I am glad that the participants enjoyed listening and learning from our presentations but by allowing them to discuss problems and network with each other, you gave them an added bonus. Without your workshop, the attendees would never have had this valuable opportunity.
Cindy Schmell
Insurance Fraud Bureau Chief
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