Citigroup executive Langford ’92 to serve as Hastings College commencement speaker

As Hastings College celebrates its 127th annual commencement ceremony, the campus community will welcome home an alumnus as its honored speaker. William Langford, a 1992 graduate of Hastings College who currently serves as Global Head of Compliance Architecture & Strategy at Citigroup, Inc., will give the commencement address on Saturday, May 18 at 10 a.m. in Lynn Farrell Arena (800 E. 12th Street). The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required. 
A Hastings, Neb.-native, Langford specializes in anti-money laundering efforts, working for the country’s most prestigious banks and in the federal government. Don’t expect a dry address, though. As a member of the Hastings College Forensics team, Langford placed in the top five at a national tournament with a wit-filled speeches. 
The 2013 Baccalaureate Speaker also graduated from Hastings College. The Reverend Katie Anderson ’04 serves as chaplain of Oncology Services for Norton Hospital and Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, Ky. She will provide the message for the service on Friday, May 17 at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings (621 N. Lincoln Ave.). Although the service, which will begin at 6 p.m., is open and free to the public, guests are asked to arrive early because seating is limited.
Bio for William Langford
After graduating summa cum laude in 1992 from Hastings College with an undergraduate degree in mathematics, William Langford pursued a legal career that began as a litigator for national law firms and grew into leadership roles within the federal government and then in the financial industry focused on compliance, including the fight against international money laundering and terrorist financing. 
In January 2013, Langford joined Citigroup as the Global Head of Compliance Architecture & Strategy, where he leads the group responsible for compliance risk analytics and assessments, as well as the development and oversight of the execution of the firm’s global compliance strategy.  Previously, the Hastings, Nebraska-native served in several leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase & Co., including the Global Head of Compliance and the Director of Global Anti-Money Laundering.  While at JPMorgan, Langford’s team developed new methodologies to utilize financial and other data to identify individuals potentially engaged in human trafficking.  These efforts were recognized in 2011 by the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists with an award given to the firm for its work to combat human trafficking in partnership with federal law enforcement.
Prior to joining JPMorgan, Langford had a distinguished career within the federal government.  He served as the Associate Director for the Regulatory Policy and Programs Division of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury that administers the Bank Secrecy Act, the nation’s anti-money laundering regulatory regime.  In this capacity, he led the regulatory, compliance, and enforcement functions for the agency.  During his tenure, Langford oversaw the imposition of significant civil enforcement actions, the issuance of implementing regulations and interpretive guidance, and the creation of a compliance oversight function within the agency.  
Before assuming his role at FinCEN, Langford served as a Senior Advisor to the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he focused largely on the implementation of the anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act, including the drafting of regulations implementing these provisions.  
Prior to joining the Treasury Department, Langford practiced law with the Washington, D.C. law firm of Williams & Connolly LLP and the Boston law firm of Choate, Hall & Stewart, specializing in commercial litigation.  He also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth, who is now the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  He is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 
Langford graduated with high honors from the University of Texas School of Law.  During law school, he served as Associate Editor of the Texas Law Review; was named a member of the Order of the Coif, the honorary academic society for law students; and was named a member of the Order of Barristers, a national honorary society for law students recognizing legal oral advocacy. 
As an undergraduate student, Langford participated on the Hastings College Forensics team, earning second and third place finishes in events at national forensics tournaments in 1992.  As a senior, he received the Bronco Award, the college’s highest non-academic student honor, in recognition of his campus leadership.
Langford is married to Barbara Hanson Langford, a 1994 Hastings College graduate.  They have three children: Mary, Sidney, and Oscar. 
Bio for the Reverend Katie Anderson
The Reverend Katie J. Anderson serves as chaplain of Oncology Services for Norton Hospital and Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, Ky.  Anderson earned a Master of Divinity degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Ill., and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Hastings College in Hastings, Neb. She is an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA).  Before attending seminary in Chicago, she served as a young adult volunteer for the PC (USA) and worked as a community organizer in Miami, Fla. 
A native of Colorado, Anderson enjoys returning home to visit her family.  She is passionate about working for justice in her community, and she loves to be outdoors – hiking, biking, and picnicking.  Anderson lives in Louisville with her partner.
Founded in 1882, Hastings College is a private, four-year liberal arts institution located in Hastings, Nebraska, that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. With 64 majors in 32 areas of study and 12 pre-professional programs, Hastings College has been named among “America’s Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report, a “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review and a “Best Buy in College Education” by Barron’s. Hastings College: Pursue Your Passion®. Visit Hastings.edu for more.