In 2013, the ACUARP Board renamed this award the “Pat Richey Best Article of the Year Award” to honor Pat’s commitment to the ACUARP, the Internal Audit profession, and the internal audit standards through her countless article submissions to The Audit Report magazine. Over the years, Pat volunteered with the ACUARP in many capacities, including as a Board member, a Regional Director, and a Chapter Coordinator, as well as mentoring fellow auditors.
Each year the winning article is selected by the editor of the ACUIA's quarterly magazine, The Audit Report. Articles eligible for consideration include articles from both the magazine and those published on the ACUARP website. All articles from these two sources are automatically considered for this annual award. Eligibility for the award begins after the Annual Conference and ends several weeks before the subsequent conference.
The criteria used to evaluate the articles includes:
Relevance: The topic should be of current interest to the majority of credit union auditors.
Easy to read: The average/experienced internal auditor should be able to comprehend the material. Jargon and acronyms should be avoided or clearly explained, with minimum use.
Helpful: The article should be helpful to the majority of credit union auditors. The reader should be able to incorporate or use some information in their daily work or audit plan.
Application: The material is widely applicable to all credit union auditors. Differences between federal or state chartered credit unions should be defined. The award winner is announced at the Annual Conference business meeting. The winner receives a plaque and recognition in the ACUARP publications. For more information about publishing an article in The Audit Report Magazine or on the web site, contact the ACUARP office. Reprints are not eligible for Article of the Year award consideration.
| Year | Winner | Article |
| 2018 | Shauna Woody-Coussens | Business Email Compromise Schemes |
| 2017 | Todd Sherpy | Definitely Sweat The Small Stuff |
| 2016 | Barry Lucas | Tales of a Dinosaur - How One Veteran Internal Auditor Keeps His Edge |
| 2015 | Doug Wright | Some Thoughts About Leveraging Your Audit Coverage |
| 2014 | Tom Schauer | Advanced Persistent Threats |
| 2013 | Alan White | Evaluating Vendor Controls & The SSAE No 16 Report |
| 2012 | Robert Parks | Ethics - The Role You Play |
| 2011 | Nathan Cunningham | Chronicles in Employee Fraud: The Rogue IT Specialist |
| 2010 | Nathan Cunningham | |
| 2009 | Alan White | Vital Insight |
| 2008 | Sam Capuano | Rules of Engagement |
| 2007 | Laymen Grant | Security Breaches: Do You Know What to Do? |
| 2006 | Sam Capuano | Award Given in Recognition of Dedication in Submitting Multiple Articles for Publication |
| 2005 | Pat Richey | Best Practice: SOX Provisions Affecting Corporate Governance |
| 2004 | Ellen Simpson | Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003 |
| 2003 | Allen DeLeon & Michael Daigneault | Governance Matters: Credit Union Leadership in the Post-Enron Era |
| 2002 | Sangeeta Norton | OFAC Compliance |
| 2001 | Bob Parks | Internal Audit: Changes in Professional Practices Framework |
| 2000 | Jack Champlain | Computer Forensics Investigation |
| 1999 | Bruce Jolly | Catching Electronic Fraud |
