ROTARY SPEAKER, MICHAEL ADELIZZIO

    The US Secret Service was originally formed in the 1860's to combat counterfeiting.  After the assasination of President McKinley in 1901, their charter was expanded to include the protection of the president and other high ranking US officials, as well as foreign heads of state who happen to be in the United States.

The Secret Service works closely with banks and other institutions to reduce financial fraud all over the country.  They still work on money counterfeiting, as well as check fraud.  The newer bills used as currency today have come a long way to help prevent counterfeiting.  While it may seem easy enough to make color copies today because of the advances in laser copy technology, due to the seals, holograms and the paper used in making currency, it has become much harder to reproduce.

Mike has been involved with protecting the President in the George HW Bush, Clinton, George W Bush administrations, as well as during the campaign of President Obama.  He will be very involved with protecting President Obama during his visit to Buffalo this Thursday.

                                                                          By Jim Pawlicki