Prestigious Global Consulting Firm to Beef up ESP Employee Ethics Code and Training
20 November 2000
Prestigious Global Consulting Firm to Beef up ESP Employee Ethics Code and Training
EAST GRANBY, Conn., Nov. 20 Environmental Systems Products
Holdings Inc. (ESP) announced today it has retained Decision Strategies
Fairfax International L.L.C. (DSFX), one of the world's most prominent firms
providing investigative consulting and security services, to analyze ESP's
operations, strengthen its ethics code and upgrade employee ethics and
contractual compliance training.
Heading the program is Frank E. Rudewicz, an attorney who served 14 years
on the Hartford Police Department before joining DSFX, where he is now
regional managing director and counsel for the New England offices. While at
DSFX he has managed compliance security reviews for a variety of companies.
In addition, Mr. Rudewicz conducted training and independent investigations
for state agencies throughout New England, including Connecticut.
Mr. Rudewicz has broad experience in corporate and public sector security
services. At the time he left the Hartford Police Department, he was
commander of the intelligence division where he was responsible for
investigations into police misconduct and public corruption. While with the
police department, he was a member of the FBI/U.S. Attorney's Organized Crime
Strike Force.
Under his management, DSFX was hired last month to assist the
Massachusetts Attorney General's office in assessing potential fraud and
corruption cases involving the massive $13.9 billion transportation project in
the Boston area that has come to be known as the "Big Dig."
"Frank and his team will talk to employees at every level, analyze the way
we do our jobs and develop an expanded program that will include a new
business ethics training program and a revamped code of ethics," said Michael
R. Chambrello, chief executive officer of ESP. "DSFX is at the top of their
field, and I promised we would do everything possible to make sure we at ESP
are performing our duties at vehicle testing stations and throughout the
company to the highest ethical and performance standards. DSFX will be taking
a fresh, independent and critical look at the way we operate."
When appointed CEO of ESP at the end of October, Mr. Chambrello set forth
a series of initiatives to improve ESP performance, including a detailed
review of operations, strengthening the employee code of conduct, and
launching a new ethics training program. He said the company is also
searching nationwide for a compliance officer to make sure all laws and
regulations are upheld in the vehicle testing process.
"We are looking to make use of every tool available to ensure our customer
service and performance are at the highest standards," Mr. Chambrello said.
"We eagerly await the impending issuance of a state-contracted audit of our
procedures and of DMV oversight of our operations. That audit is important to
us because we want to make sure we don't miss any opportunities to improve
ESP's operations."
The audit and the DSFX work will be crucial in evaluating and enhancing
our operations and service quality, Mr. Chambrello said.
"It will be our job to give all company employees the enhanced training
and business code to equip them to do what is expected of them in the best way
possible," Mr. Rudewicz said.
DSFX will conduct interviews with management and line staff to gain an
understanding of current operational protocols and assess ESP for overall
vulnerability to fraud.
"Our employees are fundamentally hard working, and want to do the right
thing when confronted with a potentially fraudulent situation. The new code
of ethics and training will be powerful tools in ensuring that all of our
employees understand how to conduct themselves operationally in day-to-day
situations," Mr. Chambrello said.
Environmental Systems Products Holdings Inc. is the leading U.S. supplier
of enhanced emissions testing equipment and services. ESP is committed to the
protection of the environment, the health and safety of the residents in the
jurisdictions it serves and the highest level of customer service. It
accomplishes that mission by efficiently ensuring that only motor vehicles
meeting strict emissions and safety standards are permitted on public
roadways.