Department of Accountancy Farmer School of Business, Suite 3094 Miami University 501 E High Street Oxford, OH 45056-1846
Department of Accountancy ANNUAL REPORT 2013-2014
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The Accountancy Annual Report is an annual publication of the Department of Accountancy for our alumni and friends. Department of Accountancy Farmer School of Business, Suite 3094 Miami University Oxford, Ohio 45056 Telephone: (513) 529-6200 Fax: (513) 529-6992 www.fsb.miamioh.edu/acc Many thanks to the accountancy students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other partners for their assistance in the compilation of this report.
Miami University: Equal opportunity in education and employment. Produced by University Communications and Marketing
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Reflecting on our Past, Envisioning our Future As the calendar year comes to a close, it is both a time of reflection and visioning. This annual report contains a tribute to one of our long-time and best-known faculty members who passed away last year, Hal Jasper. As you can see from the many comments from former students, Hal was in many ways our Mr. Chips or Mr. Holland. In his own quiet, yet assertive way, he shaped the career path for many of our graduates. His impact will be felt for many years to come; as a faculty member, there is no higher professional reward than to know how much success you had in influencing the lives of your students. In this annual report we also want to introduce you to our new faculty members as well as to let you know what our other faculty members’ activities have been in the past year. I am pleased to tell you that Professors Drew Reffett and Dale Stoel were tenured and promoted to associate professor and Professor Jan Eighme was promoted to senior lecturer during the past year. In addition to telling you about the faculty, we profile a few of our students to provide you insights into how the current generation of accounting scholars are engaged with the program. As you are probably aware, at Miami we take pride in our focus on teaching and curriculum development. Recently we have begun to take a much closer look at the evolving skill sets necessary for our students to be cutting-edge, successful accounting and business professionals. In order to accomplish our goal, during the past summer Professors Brian Ballou, Dan Heitger and Dale Stoel spoke with a wide-variety of accounting professionals to ascertain their thoughts on increasing the emphasis of analytics, large data sets, critical thinking, and problem-solving
into our accounting curriculum. The entire faculty then met to discuss the team’s findings and determine how to proceed on this path of continuous curriculum improvement. We had additional discussions with our program’s Accountancy Advisory Group as well. While we are not quite ready to announce any specific curriculum changes, we may be asking for your input and feedback and we hope you will respond to our request. If you want to share any thoughts about the knowledge and skills necessary for success in accounting, please do not hesitate to share them with me. As you may be aware by now, the Farmer School of Business has announced that Professor Matthew Myers, currently an Associate Dean at the University of Tennessee, will be our next Dean. Dr. Myers is an expert in marketing and supply chain and has traveled extensively around the world as part of his business and academic careers. We look forward to having Dr. Myers join the Miami and Farmer School of Business communities. I want to take this opportunity to again thank all of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends. It is with your support that we strive for excellence in accounting education. I particularly want to thank Susan Anderson, our department’s administrative assistant, for her years of service. Susan will be venturing on to a new career in Chicago and we wish her all the best. I hope everyone has a terrific and peaceful holiday season. Please visit us in Oxford when you have the opportunity. Miami remains one of the most beautiful college campuses. Warmest regards,
Marc A. Rubin ‘75 PwC Professor and Chair
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Brian Campbell Partner, Tax KPMG LLP Beth Carlton Associate Manager Rate Revision Control Progressive Insurance Robert Craycraft Director of Internal Audit Cintas Corporation Paul Davison Partner, Assurance Services Ernst & Young LLP Donna Deye Senior VP/CFO Totes Isotoner Corporation Tony Dunn VP, Financial Planning & Analysis The Cincinnati Insurance Companies Bob Guido Partner, Assurance PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Mike Hemsath Associate Director – Accounting Policy The Procter & Gamble Company Scott Homer Partner, Audit and Enterprise Risk Services Deloitte LLP
INTRODUCING OUR 2013-2014
Accountancy Advisory Group THE FARMER SCHOOL’S ACCOUNTANCY ADVISORY GROUP (AAG) IS AN IMPORTANT LINK WITH THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY. COMPRISED OF 15-20 MEMBERS REPRESENTING PUBLIC ACCOUNTING, CORPORATE ACCOUNTING, AND ACCOUNTING-RELATED FIELDS, THE AAG PROVIDES ADVICE AND COUNSEL REGARDING THE CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF
Brad Hunkler VP Chief Accounting Officer Western & Southern Financial Group Chris Linck Partner, Audit BKD LLP Andy Meeting VP, Center Finance LimitedBrands Heather Mills Senior Manager Crowe Horwath LLP Nicholas Quil President HBR Consulting LLC Tom Ritter VP, Capital Markets Derivatives Fifth Third Bank Scott Schweinfurth Executive VP, CFO, and Treasurer Scientific Games Terry Silver Partner, Tax Skoda Minotti Kendra Smith Director Grant Thornton LLP
HIGH QUALITY ACCOUNTING PROGRAMS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
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Starting Over is the Key to Success: Robertson shines after a Fresh Start SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A SECOND CHANCE. Brandon Robertson, a Master of Accountancy student and the recipient of our distinguished C. Rollin Niswonger Fellowship, knows this from personal experience. Nearly a decade ago, Brandon enrolled as an undergraduate in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Miami University. He describes himself as “the cliché first year student who skipped class and put my coursework and studies on the back burner.” Recognizing that he was not ready for college, he made the difficult decision to leave school. Brandon worked, matured, and gained much-needed life experiences over the next several years. In fall of 2009, he applied for Miami’s Fresh Start program, this time pursuing a degree in the Farmer School of Business. Now Brandon knew who he was and what he wanted out of college. What a difference! He completed his undergraduate degree in accountancy with a 3.85 overall GPA, including a stellar 3.93 GPA in his major coursework. Brandon attributes his success, in part, to being a nontraditional student. “It allowed me to approach college from a different point of view, which I feel was extremely advantageous,” he says. “I had the opportunity to work in various jobs and gain real-world knowledge that many students do not obtain until after college.” Brandon used his experiences and passion for business to help other students succeed, volunteering as a mentor in the Accounting Mentoring Program and working as a tutor in the Office of Learning Assistance. His efforts earned him a 2012 Senior Leadership Award. “I take great pride in helping others,
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“I had the opportunity to work in various jobs and gain real-world knowledge that many students do not obtain until after college.” and the overwhelming joy of others succeeding from my assistance is next to none,” reflects Brandon. “Assisting first-year students on a number of various topics by giving them advice based on my success has been exceptionally fulfilling.” Brandon is continuing in this teaching role by serving as one of our ACC 221 Instructional Assistants this year. Outside of his studies, Brandon is a busy father of two young children. He credits parenthood with teaching him valuable life skills that he applies to his studies and his work: patience and perseverance. “Patience is a very important trait for being a tutor,” he acknowledges. “Finding effective ways to help students understand and retain material can be challenging and at times frustrating.” But “I have learned not to give up… there have been times when completing the goal at hand seemed distant and failure seemed imminent. Choosing to guarantee a bright future for my family and myself has given me the desire and drive to not give up. Possessing these traits will only ensure my future success in any accounting career I pursue as well as any life challenges I will endure.”
Brandon’s hard work, patience, and perseverance have paid off. After completing an internship with PwC in Cincinnati this summer, he accepted a full-time job offer and will join their audit practice next fall. In the meantime, we are delighted he is an active member of our MAcc program, exemplifying all of the qualities of an outstanding Miami graduate. Brandon sums it up best: Robert Frost once said, “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” My experiences throughout my life have led me to strongly agree with Frost. No matter what life throws your way, continue to work hard and keep your eye on the goal. While I still have much to learn, I feel my adventure has equipped me with valuable traits that will assist in the achievement of my future goals. Pursuing two accounting degrees at Miami has allowed me to gain the additional tools and knowledge to achieve my goals and also to represent Miami University and the profession of accounting to my maximum ability.
Reaping the rewards of teamwork and reaching new heights
Members of the MAcc class of 2014 prepare for the year ahead with the Adventure Race Challenge and the High Ropes Course
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Making the Most of Every Opportunity: Weiland excels at Miami and beyond YOU DON’T EVEN NEED TO SEE HIM. THE CHEERFUL GREETING CALLED OUT IN THE HALLWAY OR THROUGH YOUR OFFICE DOOR IMMEDIATELY BRIGHTENS YOUR DAY. His name is Logan Weiland. A graduate of Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio, he joined our Master of Accountancy Program in August 2012. It was a perfect match. Logan quickly established himself as one of the brightest and hardest-working members of a very talented MAcc class. His quick smile and easygoing nature made him a valued friend and teammate. When it came time for the faculty to select this year’s top MAcc student for the annual Federation of Schools of Accountancy Outstanding MAcc Student Award, Logan’s name, along with that of fellow high-achiever and frequent-smiler Alexa Sanders, quickly rose to the top. We are not the only ones who recognized Logan’s talent and potential. He was one of only 10 students nationwide awarded the 2012-2013 AICPA/Accountemps Student Scholarship. According to Jeannie Patton, AICPA Vice President-Students, Academics & Membership, recipients of this scholarship “serve as models for the caliber of students who will become the CPAs who are most in demand. Their hard work
and leadership ability will serve the accounting profession for years to come.” The Ohio State University offered Logan a fellowship to enroll in their MAcc program. Fortunately, Miami remained at the top of his list, and he joined our program, and the ranks of our ACC 221 Instructional Assistants, last fall. At Heidelberg, Logan was immersed in an environment that promotes a communitybased academic philosophy, built upon healthy competition and students who work collaboratively to help each other succeed. He was drawn to our MAcc program because it embraces the same philosophy – the small size of our program encourages academic excellence in a community of scholars. Logan admits he “was slightly intimated by the size difference between my undergraduate institution and Miami, but I was delightfully surprised by the intimate learning environment that the MAcc Program provides for its students.”
“There were multiple instances where I would walk into my professors’ offices to discuss course material,” he continues, “and I would end up spending 30 to 45 additional minutes discussing topics ranging from my career aspirations to activities that I was engaged in on campus. Having the Miami MAcc professors care about you as a person rather than simply a student really sets this program apart from other MAcc programs.” With all of its benefits, attending a small school like Heidelberg presented one important challenge: large accounting firms do not come to campus to recruit interns and new hires. But that didn’t stop Logan. He took the initiative to seek out opportunities on his own, and landed an internship with Ernst & Young in Cleveland, Ohio, in the summer of 2011. True to his nature, Logan volunteered to be the group leader for the community service project performed during EY Connect Day. As group leader, he was responsible for finding potential community service opportunities and communicate them
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to his team, which decided to dedicate their service hours to the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland. Logan was named an AICPA Legacy Scholar for 2012-2013. Legacy Scholars are required to perform eight hours of community service each semester. Scholars define the experience themselves, with the stipulation that the activity must relate to accounting, serve the community, and be meaningful to the student. In the fall, Logan constructed a 45-minute presentation for Heidelberg students about the recruiting process with two of the Big Four accounting firms and his internship at EY. “I thought that I could give back to my alma mater by informing students about how they could position themselves for a possible internship or full-time employment position at a Big Four accounting firm,” he notes. “At the conclusion of my presentation, I had a segment where I talked about my experiences throughout the first semester in Miami’s MAcc program. It was apparent to me that Miami’s program was something special and I wanted to share my incredible experience with the students at Heidelberg!” For his second service project, Logan wrote a memo comparing and contrasting his experiences at a Big Four firm to his experiences shadowing at a small accounting firm, HHL Group in Medina, Ohio, which services clients through preparing tax returns as well as helping small businesses excel in this economy.
“Both service projects enabled me to grow as an individual through honing my communication skills,” Logan reflects. “The Legacy Scholars Program is truly a fantastic program and I am honored the AICPA allowed me to be a part of it.” Logan is grateful for the opportunities provided by our program over the past year. “The Miami MAcc Program was truly one of the best experiences of my life,” he asserts. “It has equipped me with the skills and knowledge that will help me to achieve the goals that I have set for my career in the accounting profession. I cannot thank the Miami MAcc faculty enough for all of their help and support throughout my time at this great university. Miami will always have a special place in my heart. GO REDHAWKS!” Logan joined the assurance staff of EY’s Cleveland practice this fall, though we hope to see him on campus now and then when he visits his sister, Alexa, who is a sophomore at Miami pursuing a career in veterinary science. We were thrilled to have him in our program and are certain he will be a tremendous addition to the firm and to the accounting profession. Best of luck, Logan!
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“While most learning, at my age, is done within the classroom, I feel that opportunities outside of class are of equal or even greater importance in order to explore the business world.� 8
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Starting Off Strong: Korach hits the FSB ground running SAMUEL KORACH MAY HAVE JUST STARTED HIS THIRD YEAR AT MIAMI, BUT HE HAS ALREADY MADE HIS MARK. ADMITTED INTO BOTH THE UNIVERSITY HONORS AND THE FSB HONORS PROGRAMS, SAM WAS NAMED THE 2013-2014 ERNST & YOUNG UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLAR THIS PAST SPRING. HE HAS ALSO BEEN ADMITTED INTO THE DEPARTMENT’S COMBINED B.S./MACC DEGREE PROGRAM AND WILL BE EARNING BOTH DEGREES WITHIN FOUR YEARS. WE INVITED SAM TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF AND SHARE SOME OF HIS EXPERIENCES; HIS RESPONSE IS BELOW. My experience so far at the Farmer School of Business has been one that has pushed me to new limits, tested me to new degrees, and built me into the confident, young professional that I see myself as today. One of my most powerful experiences so far has been meeting Dean Jenkins as just a young, and admittedly intimidated, freshman. During our discussion,
I asked him what advice he had for young business students. He told me to invest my time and never spend it. He explained further how spending time can be wasteful, but investing it in meaningful relationships and experiences can shape your life into what you want it to be. I’m proud to say that so far, my time at Miami has been about investing my time in the right activities and with the right people. Academically, I have continually challenged myself because I’m confident that these challenges will help create future success. As a member of the University Honors and Farmer School of Business Honors Programs, I have engaged myself in classes that take
course material and connect them to real life experiences. Despite being an accounting major, some of my most influential classes have actually been in marketing. These classes have given me the confidence to speak in front of professionals, the motivation to pursue my own ideas, and the relentless attitude to work until I am proud of the product that I put out. Our real-life class projects have propelled me from being in FSB one day, to presenting to corporate executives at Abercrombie and Fitch and to the founders of Smooth Ambler the next. With all of the incredible experiences I have gotten out of these classes, the most beneficial was developing a strong relationship with
Sam Korach (left) with Deloitte Consulting Challenge teammate Kyle Sutter
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Professor Jan Taylor. Through my relationship with Ms. Taylor, and her opinion of me as a student, she added me to a case competition team that won Miami University first place in Deloitte Consulting’s Battle of Ohio Case Challenge. This experience confirmed my passion for business and that my investments in classes and relationships with professors had a great return. While most learning, at my age, is done within the classroom, I feel that opportunities outside of class are of equal or even greater importance in order to explore the business world. As a sophomore, I accepted two executive positions in student organizations, and I have taken an active role in the finance and accounting of these executive committees. I created the firstever annual report for Delta Sigma Pi using both financial and sustainability reporting techniques. I traveled to Panama with the MU Global Business Brigades to share my accounting knowledge with others in a mentorship role that taught me a considerable amount about our world and the global market. I continue to check in with the members of the families that I worked with to make sure that I was truly able to foster growth in a market blanketed by poverty. The relationships that I have been able to build with the people in these organizations have become some of my closest friendships. I am confident that these friends will all become strong assets to whatever organizations and businesses are lucky to hire them. Likewise,
I realize how lucky I have been to be able to surround myself with a group of extremely motivated and passionate students who have strongly contributed to my personal and professional growth. In addition to student organizations, I had the honor of being this year’s EY Undergraduate Research Scholar. Through this experience, I was able to confirm my passion for fighting fraud, but taking more of a sociological approach to these crimes. The research focused on the behavioral and “human” elements of fraud and allowed me to talk to professionals such as Bethany McClean (editor/columnist for Vanity Fair, Fortune, and Slate), Barbara Toffler (author of Final Accounting: Ambition, Greed, and the Fall of Arthur Andersen), and a personal idol of mine, Sherron Watkins (former VP of Corporate Development – and “whistleblower” – at Enron). Moving forward, Dr. Tim Eaton and I are working toward submitting our work to various conferences and journals in the spring. This position also allowed me to go to national and regional EY Leadership conferences and network with professionals in the accounting industry. At one of these conferences, I met the Center for Business Excellence co-directors, Dr. Brian Ballou and Dr. Dan Heitger. Upon my return to Miami, I became involved with the center and became part of the Student Fellowship Program. Working for the center, I have been focusing on the sponsorship initiative to find corporate and
alumni sponsors for each fellow as well as collaborating with FSB faculty to create teaching modules. Although my interest in business as a whole is strong, my passion and interest in accounting is even stronger. I took two accounting classes in high school with a former RJR Nabisco managerial accountant, James Agnew. He completely shaped my career path with his incredible passion, his ability to connect material to real life, and his investments in his students as both future professionals and people. He taught me possibly the simplest, yet most important, lesson of life: while understanding the debits and credits of accounting is certainly important, doing the right thing and always performing our jobs with a strong moral and ethical compass is more meaningful. This has been a lesson that has stuck with me throughout college and is one that I hope to one day teach young professionals. My overall attitude through school, and life for that matter, has been that I do not want to be good; I want to be great. More than rich, more than famous, and even more than happy at times, my desires lie within being great and creating that greatness in others. I know that my final two years at the Farmer School of Business will help me continue these aspirations of making a difference for others and becoming a great professional, a great mentor, and a great person. Sam will intern with Ernst & Young in Chicago, Illinois, next summer.
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By the Numbers DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTANCY:
#4
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM FOR SCHOOLS WITHOUT DOCTORAL PROGRAMS (18TH RANKED OVERALL), ACCORDING TO PUBLIC ACCOUNTING REPORT’S ANNUAL SURVEY
#5
MASTER OF ACCOUNTANCY PROGRAM FOR SCHOOLS WITHOUT DOCTORAL PROGRAMS (19TH RANKED OVERALL), ACCORDING TO PUBLIC ACCOUNTING REPORT
FARMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS:
MIAMI UNIVERSITY:
AMONG U.S. PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, ACCORDING TO BUSINESSWEEK’S ANNUAL SURVEY
FOR BEST UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING, ACCORDING TO U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
#8
#3
28.4
AVERAGE ACT SCORE FOR MATRICULANTS TO FSB FOR 2013-2014
3.78
AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOL GPA FOR MATRICULANTS TO FSB FOR 2013-2014
Area high school students engage with professionals during the annual Make It Miami Accounting summer program
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Remembering a Miami Legend: Harold W. “Hal” Jasper, 1930-2012 HAL JASPER, BELOVED PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTANCY, PASSED AWAY IN DECEMBER 2012. FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENTS OF HIS PASSING ON OUR LINKEDIN SITE AND IN OUR SPRING NEWSLETTER, REMEMBRANCES OF HAL POURED INTO THE DEPARTMENT. WE REPRODUCE SELECTIONS FROM THOSE MESSAGES IN THESE PAGES. WE MISS YOU, HAL!
Hal as a young child with his German family 12
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For those of you who did not know Hal, he was truly a legend of Miami. He was a graduate of Miami who then returned to teach accounting over four decades. Nearly every accounting major passed through one of his classes during this era. He was the most dedicated Miamian and faculty member. He personally was responsible for many Miami graduates passing the CPA exam. His service to the university included being the NCAA representative as well as serving on many other committees. He was also a very dedicated fraternity advisor. Hal kept in touch with many of his students over the years and took the time to often write them handwritten letters. His office was much like a museum of Miami history. For many years after he retired, Hal would visit regularly with the faculty and staff, usually bringing popcorn or ice cream treats as an appreciated snack. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. He will be missed by all those who were lucky enough to have part of their life touched by Hal. He was one of the real good guys. Marc Rubin Class of 1975 PwC Professor and Chair Department of Accountancy, Miami University
I was Hal’s graduate assistant in 1981-82 as I went through the MBA program. He was a great guy and I learned a lot working for him. I also had him as an undergraduate in Accounting Systems and I think he was also a big part of the CPA review class that in those days was held every Saturday of second semester in the winter and spring of 1981. In my case, I did become a CPA and was with Ernst and Young almost 10 years in the Toledo office, leaving in 1991. Lastly, a friend of mine in Toledo, Terry Schaefer ’86, who is now Chief Financial Officer at Kuhlman Corporation here in Toledo, once told me that Hal was his favorite professor and that Hal was the only professor that he recalls giving partial credit on assignments and tests. Hal was genuinely interested in a student’s learning and he rewarded effort versus simply having the right answer. I think Hal knew that in the real world there are very few black-and-white correct answers and we were all going to need to be able to think through issues to a variety of possible right answers in our careers. My daughter is a junior accounting major at Miami now and I hope she is lucky enough to have some professors like Hal. Kevin Brennan, CPCU, CPA Class of 1981 Vice President Brooks Insurance Agency
My accounting studies got off to a rocky start with eight hours of “C” in Principles of Accounting, in part due to a weak professor who did nothing to stimulate my interest in accounting. However, I persevered and Hal Jasper was my professor for Intermediate Accounting I & II. Wow! Hal showed me that accounting can be interesting and exciting, sharing stories of his business experiences outside the classroom, always talking fast and exuding energy and stimulating us to dream and work hard. I remember him telling us about working with a company on their board and telling us how the company had suspended phone lines across the Hueston Woods lake on barrels, then shot the barrels all at the same time to sink the line to the bottom – fascinating! Mr. Jasper also invited me to attend Beta Alpha Psi meetings my senior year even though my GPA was not high enough to join. After school I got my CPA, spent 13 years with Ernst & Young, and am a successful CFO with a $90 million aerospace company. I truly would not have pursued a very satisfying career in accounting had Hal Jasper not taken a personal interest in my future. Hal, may God bless you and keep you forever in his arms – and I am sure you are still teaching in Heaven. Jeffrey L. Bissell, CPA Class of 1976 Managing Director CFO Financial Technologies, Inc.
When I first attended Miami in 1962, I enrolled as a Business major and began fulfilling the common curriculum course requirements. My only work experience was office work at my father’s construction business performing various bookkeeping tasks. Although I had no idea as to my career aspirations, I originally intended to major in marketing. After taking several accounting classes, Mr. Jasper told me he thought I had talent in this area and encouraged me to consider changing my major to accounting. He took a personal interest in his students and his enthusiasm was contagious. After taking his advice, I graduated from Miami University in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree and a major in accounting. To make a long story short, I have made a career in financial management starting in public accounting and then in manufacturing cost accounting and controllership. Although past the normal retirement age, I still apply my financial management education, skills, and work experience in my current fulltime position as a Project Manager. Mr. Jasper was a friend to his students and I greatly appreciate his guidance in my career path. I know there are many other students like me who have fond memories of Mr. Jasper. Gretchen Scott Shaw Class of 1966 Project Manager/QMS Management Representative Precision, Incorporated
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I was surprised and saddened at the news of Hal Jasper’s death as reported in the Department of Accountancy Spring 2013 issue. Hal was a great mentor as well as friend to many students. He taught the only Computer & Business course at Miami back in the 1960’s when computers were only an idea. I especially enjoyed his Advanced Cost Accounting course, which has been invaluable to my career in the manufacturing industry. As a member of the 19651967 basketball team, it was always an honor to see Hal at all the home games right behind the home team bench in old Withrow Court. I know several basketball team members who were business majors and always appreciated the support he gave to athletics at Miami. I would often see Hal on my visits back to campus and we always exchanged pleasantries and shared a story or two. Hal was a great person and will be sadly missed, whether on campus or in our memories. Tom Garwood, CPA Class of 1967
I am a Miami graduate, B.S., accountancy, 1970, and MBA 1973, so I have two separate time frames from which my memories of Professor Jasper are still very clear. During my undergraduate time – culminating in graduation in 1970 with the fresh echoes, memories, and trauma of Kent State, teargas on campus, and conversations with Dr. Shriver on Slant Walk – I remember Professor Jasper in two ways. First, his very kind and understanding nature while I was a student in his Systems class during those turbulent times, where he continued to teach, yet exhibited a real appreciation of the war protests and the impact they had on his students. While certainly challenged in his classroom, I always felt cared for by Professor Jasper as he instilled in his students the desire to learn. My second distinct memory of those undergraduate years was seeing Professor Jasper attending Mass on a regular basis at the Catholic Church on High Street. His demeanor and peacefulness seemed to emanate, in part, from a deep and humble faith. For the calendar year of 1973, after completion of my (Miami) Navy ROTC commitment, I had the wonderful good fortune of returning to Miami as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Accountancy and of completing my MBA. During that period of time and before formalized CPA Exam preparation courses were organized, Professor Jasper
and other faculty members led the accountancy graduate assistants and other accountancy seniors in a very intense study/preparation for the CPA Exam – primarily on Saturday mornings. I remember to this day Professor Jasper saying, “If you focus on the Theory, it will carry you through the Practice section.” And indeed it did, as we all scored very high on the Theory section, and “carried” Practice in Professor Jasper’s prophetic fashion. While we contributed a bit of money to recognize their efforts, those of us who studied with Professor Jasper and other faculty members on those wonderful Saturday mornings owe them a great debt of gratitude for their unselfish efforts. Finally, during my graduate assistantship, I also remember the gift of hanging around the accountancy offices on a daily basis that year, sharing many conversations with faculty, and finally earning the right to call this wonderful Miamian “Hal.” Given Professor Jasper’s presence during my Miami years and the significant impact his life and spirit have had on me and so many others as we have pursued our careers, he truly was and his spirit continues to be one of the great Miamians of all time! William J. Lammers B.S. 1970, MBA 1973
Accounting can be FUN! That’s what Professor Jasper taught me. The fond memories of learning accounting during my college days are still vivid even after more than 40 years. He brought all of his enthusiasm and energy to the classroom, and shared his love of accounting with his students as he spoke rapidly in his crisp, clear voice. You had to pay rapt attention to keep up, but he was there to offer a helping hand if you fell behind. He brought true-life business examples into the classroom and taught us that accounting was the language of business, and provided many insights to the operations of a company. He supported me as President of Beta Alpha Psi, and while it was a challenge to be a business student in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, he taught us that we could help change society for the better by being part of the “establishment.” Denis J. Muskat Class of 1971 There are what turn out to be poignant moments in life, sometimes recognizable when they occur and sometimes not realized until later. Well, I had one such moment, thanks to Hal, that I recognized at the time. I was an accounting major in the late 1970’s. A pretty good student overall, I was able to secure an internship with a major accounting firm via
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a program sponsored by Miami. In those days, while the accounting degree was highly valued by the business community, internships were in short supply, as I recall maybe a dozen of us got one the year I applied (junior year). Once you got the internship, obtained in the fall, for the spring semester, the main criteria was to maintain a pretty high GPA in your accounting class. I was having a challenge with Hal’s Cost Accounting class. I don’t recall why, and ironically as it turns out cost accounting became one of my strengths. In any event, I went to Hal to explain that if I didn’t do well I would likely lose my internship. He was so very helpful and I made it. I believe that this was one of the two most critical moments in allowing me to get a good start on my career. Had Hal not gone out of his way to assist me, it’s hard to imagine I would have had the successes that I have been fortunate to have during my career. Thanks, Hal! Scott Sussman, CPA, MBA Class of 1980 Financial Executive and Entrepreneur
It was with a degree of sadness that I read of the passing of Professor Jasper. Professor Jasper was my adviser at Miami. He was a member of that great accounting triumvirate of Rollin Niswonger, Ben Yager, and Hal Jasper. I was privileged to
take classes from all three of these gentlemen and I think it was due in large part to the excellence of their teaching that I was able to pass the CPA exam on my first attempt. Their expertise was a prime reason that Miami’s accounting program was and is ranked as one of the best in the United States. From what I have seen this tradition is carried on today by the current faculty. I consider my degree from Miami as one of the great accomplishments of my life. James Jackson Class of 1961 I was saddened to read that Dr. Jasper had passed away. I can say with no reservations that Hal Jasper was THE best professor/teacher that I ever had—hands down, no comparison. As a practicing CPA and financial consultant, his use of the first five minutes of class to tell us what he was working on (Armco Steel, Beta fraternity, etc.) was invaluable. It gave me an insight into the real business world of accounting, and helped me tie the theoretical accounting I was learning to actual applications. He was so interesting that he was the only professor who kept me awake during my SAE pledge hell-week. He will be missed; too bad there aren’t many thousands of young Hal Jaspers around this country. Daniel Pierce Class of 1968
It was Sunday, September 17, 1950, when I entered Miami as a freshman. I was assigned to Reid Hall, third floor, where Hal Jasper was my hall counselor. Throughout the year I came to know Hal as a friendly, helpful, and concerned person. Never intrusive, but always there to lend a hand. After graduating in 1954, I was away from Miami, but in 1964 I had the great opportunity to join Miami’s administrative staff. I can remember driving over to the Middletown Campus in the evening to teach with Hal. Throughout my years in Oxford, Hal would notice something in the news about one of our girls and would be quick to send them a note. He was always considerate of others and quick to give people a “well done.” After retiring in 1991, I joined Hal as a member of the Miami Accountancy Department. Once again Hal was there in any way to help. His service to Miami and his interest in the Miami sports programs was unequaled. Unfortunately, after moving from Oxford in 1997, I had seen Hal only a couple of times. I will always remember him as a true gentleman. Bob Huebschman Class of 1954
After having Hal for cost accounting, he asked me to tutor some of his cost students the next semester. This was the best job on campus, paying $5 per hour per student. (At that time the university paid $1 per hour for all paid jobs.) Before the first exam of the term I had three students at the same time, making the enormous sum of $15 for one hour. The next time I saw Hal I asked him to please give more tests. He asked why and when I told him of my experience I thought he would double over laughing. He was a super instructor and a wonderful person. It was a real pleasure knowing him and learning from him. He greatly influenced my decision to become a Certified Public Accountant. Robert J. Brandenburg, CPA Class of 1966 When first assigned to Professor Jasper as my advisor, little did I know what a blessing it would turn out to be for a freshman business student majoring in accountancy. Professor Jasper was a most competent, conscientious, and alwaysavailable counselor. He is still being appreciated for being one of the most helpful and sincere faculty members I had at MU. Thank you, Professor Jasper. Sebert A. Guckian, CPA Class of 1964
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I had the pleasure of working for Hal as a graduate assistant, which I understand was a rare position to have. While everybody knows about Hal’s dedication to students passing the CPA exam and the technical aspects of accountancy, what I learned by working closely with him was the importance of leveraging relationships. Going to meetings with Hal and outside individuals gave me a unique position to see how he would play who was connected with whom and catch up on what was happening with other people connected with our guests. While I knew that Hal was genuinely personally interested in people he was connected with, what I came to realize was this was a strength that allowed him to accomplish things that others could not. As I’ve transitioned into a software and technology role, thoughts of Hal remind me that I work in a business of people, and the technology is only there to support that. Over the years, I never cease to be amazed at the number of people who ask about Hal when they find out I’m an accountancy Miamian, and it’s with pride I tell them I was lucky to work for him. Larry D. Cox B.S. 1978, MBA 1979
With no disrespect intended to my many talented professors at Miami and later at Cincinnati for graduate school, Hal Jasper was simply the BEST teacher I ever had. His enthusiasm was infectious; his ability to communicate unmatched. Prior to attending his 8:00 a.m. ACT 101 course, I had little idea what I wanted to do with my life. After Professor Jasper’s class, I knew I would pursue a career in accounting. Some people say that there are only a couple of watershed moments in one’s life – moments that change your course in life. Meeting Hal Jasper was one of my watershed moments. His compassion, quick wit, and service to others will be dearly missed by all who knew him and the Miami community at large. I am forever grateful for having known Professor Jasper. God bless and rest in peace.
Even 30 years later I remember comments Hal made in class. He was thoughtful and open to thinking about new ideas from students. He was one of a kind, a below-the-radarscreen giant, and truly loved Miami and accounting students.
Tim Sabo Class of 1984 Nelnet, Inc. Chief Audit Executive
Rich Purdue Class of 1979
Stuart Collins Class of 1984 Stuart Collins Consulting Sorry to hear about Hal Jasper’s passing. He brought his boundless enthusiasm and passion to every class and was definitely one of the most respected professors in the Business School. He also genuinely cared about each and every student and was there for one reason: to help all of us be our best. He will be remembered by many Miami students for doing what he loved.
Dr. Jasper was one of the most caring professors at Miami University. I had Dr. Jasper for ACT 321, and he went out of his way to help me. My future husband and I were in his class together, and we jokingly referred to him as “Jasper the Friendly Accountant” (after Casper the Friendly Ghost). We had the utmost respect and appreciation for him. Later, after my husband passed the CPA exam (on the first try), Dr. Jasper wrote him the most thoughtful personal letter. Mike still has the letter somewhere in his files. While it is sad to learn of his passing, it is important to reflect on how many students that he impacted. That is his legacy, and that continues to live on. Maria Novak Hydell Michael Hydell Class of 1989 To read all of the remembrances, please visit www.fsb.miamioh.edu/ fsb/hal.pdf.
I’m very sad to hear this. Professor Jasper was instrumental in teaching me the basics behind everything I do in my profession and was patient with me when I struggled. I can’t remember my Miami days or visit campus without thinking about him. Calling him a Miami Legend is absolutely the truth. Thank you for all, Professor. Rest in Peace. Nancy Gwynn, CPA Class of 1991 Partner of Bodkin, Wilson, & Kozicki
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Hal with his family: wife, B.J., and children Steve, Scott, Tammi, and Tim
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Class Notes HAVE YOU RECENTLY STARTED A NEW JOB? RETIRED FROM AN OLD JOB? GONE TO GRADUATE SCHOOL? ARE WEDDING BELLS SOON TO RING OR IS A BABY ON THE WAY? LET YOUR FELLOW ALUMNI KNOW THROUGH THE CLASS NOTES SECTION OF THE ACCOUNTANCY ANNUAL REPORT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO UPDATE YOUR FELLOW ALUMNI, PLEASE SEND AN E-MAIL WITH ALL PERTINENT INFORMATION (INCLUDING YOUR GRADUATION DATE AND MAIDEN NAME, IF APPLICABLE) TO GRETCHEN RADLER AT RADLERGB@MIAMIOH.EDU. ALTERNATIVELY, YOU MAY UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION ONLINE AT TINYURL.COM/ACCALUMNIUPDATE.
1940s
1980s
William W. Boyd (1944) passed away May 21, 2013, at the age of 91. William loved Miami University and shared many of his memories with his children. He met his future wife, Catherine Hisey Boyd, at Miami, and they were married for more than 60 years before Catherine died in 2007.
Lynn J. Good (1981), CPA, was named CEO of Duke Energy in Charlotte, North Carolina, effective July 1, 2013.
1970s Howard Klein (1975), CPA, CFE, CIRA, is self-employed and lives in Beachwood, Ohio. Steven Ulmer (1977) was promoted to adjunct associate professor of accounting at the University of Maryland University College. His primary teaching responsibilities are internal auditing and accounting information systems. He is a fulltime consultant with Resources Global Professionals in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Damian Klute (1999) was promoted in July 2013 to principal at Ernst & Young. He works in their advisory services practice in Richmond, Virginia.
James E. Gargas (MAcc 2005), CPA, CFF, CFE, was promoted in June 2013 to Director of Advisory Services with PwC in Washington, D.C.
Lori (Prato) Keating (1983), CPA, is Director of Financial Accounting, Reporting & Analysis with WellPoint, Inc., in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Jamie S. Miller (1990) was promoted in April 2013 to Chief Information Officer of GE. Prior to this promotion, she was GE’s Controller and Chief Accounting Officer.
Steven Skaggs (1986) lives in Solon, Ohio, and is Chief Credit Officer with Ohio Commerce Bank in Beachwood, Ohio.
John A. Rodgers (1999, MAcc 2000), CPA, lives in Rutherford, New Jersey. He is a partner in Ernst & Young’s London, England, office.
Sarah Buchman (2005, MAcc 2006), CPA, CISA, returned to Denver, Colorado from overseas and has moved from Global IT Manager to Global Retail Business Systems Manager with Crocs, Inc. In this role she is responsible for global implementations, standard global use of systems and processes, and identifying opportunities with systems to improve business.
1990s
2000s
Paul A. Beswick (1994) was named Chief Accountant of the Security and Exchange Commission in December 2012. Paul has been a member of the SEC staff since September 2007; his previous position was Deputy Chief Accountant.
Michael Curp (2000), CPA, was named Senior Vice President – Audit Group Manager with Huntington National Bank in Columbus, Ohio, in October 2013. Previously Michael was an Assurance Senior Manager with PwC, where she worked for 13 years.
Shane (Drury) Homan (1997), CPA, is Director of Corporate Accounting with Harley-Davidson Financial Services. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Owen Beck (MAcc 2005), CPA, is a Tax Manager with Plante Moran in Toledo, Ohio.
Wesley “Wes” Ernst (2006), CPA, was promoted to Manager of Assurance Services (primarily healthcare and notfor-profit industries) with BKD effective June 1, 2013. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, The Ohio Society of CPAs (OSCPA), and Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). Wes serves on the finance committee of the Catholic Inner-city Schools Education Fund (CISE) and is also a graduate of the United Way of Greater Cincinnati’s Board Orientation and Leadership Development program.
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Lance Helming (2006, MAcc 2007), CPA, is Manager of Strategic Planning & Analytics with National Express in Chicago, Illinois.
Financial Services Office (FSO) at EY and serves both public and private banking and insurance clients in the Cincinnati market.
Mitchell T. Manders (2006, MAcc 2007), CPA, is CFO of Weaver Fundraising, LLC, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Kathleen Vistica (2007, MAcc 2008), CPA, is Audit Manager with KPMG in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Courtney (Kaylor) Hathaway (2006, MAcc 2007), CPA, is Fund Controller with Phillips Edison & Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio. Doug St. Cyr (2006, MAcc 2007) is a Manager with Pipaya Partners, LLC, in Arlington, Virginia. Katie Mazur (2007), CPA, works as Manager of Funds Management with DDR Corp. in Cleveland, Ohio. Kamal Rathi (MAcc 2007), CPA, along with his wife, Parul, is delighted to announce the arrival of their first son, Kairav, on July 10, 2013. Kamal is an Audit Senior with Deloitte in Chicago, Illinois. Matthew Kuhl (2007, MAcc 2008), CPA, lives in New York, New York, where he is a Senior Consultant with Ernst & Young. John Flood (2007, MAcc 2008), CPA, was promoted to Audit Manager with Deloitte in August 2013. He lives and works in Chicago, Illinois. William (Bill) Quinn (2007, MAcc 2008), CPA, lives in Cleveland, Ohio, where he is a Risk Consultant with Crowe Horwath. Steven Peach (2007, MAcc 2008), CPA, was promoted in October 2013 to Audit Manager at Ernst & Young in Cincinnati, Ohio. Steven is part of the
Paul Regopoulos (2007, MAcc 2008), CISA, works for the Walt Disney Company in Los Angeles, California, as a Manager of IT Audit. He joined Walt Disney after more than four years in the IT Risk & Assurance practice of Ernst & Young. Meredith Flittner (MAcc 2008), CPA, lives in Charleston, South Carolina. She is the owner/health coach of centered1nutrition. Adam T. Van Treese (2008, MAcc 2009) was promoted to Campus Recruiting Manager with PwC in July 2012. He sits in the Columbus, Ohio, office but serves as the lead recruiter for Miami University. Cameron DeVoe (2008, MAcc 2009) is CFO of Carplex and American International Finance in Indianapolis, Indiana. Hayley Fix (2008) lives in Edina, Minnesota, where she is a Senior Accountant with C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. Noah Slabotsky (2009, MAcc 2010), CPA, is a Regional Sales Manager with Castlight Health in Kansas City, Missouri. William Stahel (2009), a doublemajor in accountancy and finance, is an Associate with M3 Capital Partners in Chicago, Illinois.
2010s Daisy Li (MAcc 2010) returned to China to join the tax staff of Ernst & Young in Beijing City in October 2012. Following graduation from the MAcc program, she spent two years working as an inventory accountant with Brooklyn Industries, LLC in New York City, New York. Matthew Brezina (2011), along with Professors Ryan Casey, Jon Grenier, and Drew Reffett, wrote an article titled “The SMU football recruiting scandal: A primer on compliance auditing and forensic investigations,” which was published in the June 2012 issue of Journal of Accounting Education. Matt is an assurance associate with PwC in Chicago, Illinois. Jennifer (King) Grimes (2010), CPA, is an International Tax Senior with Crocs, Inc., in Denver, Colorado. Ryan Patterson (MAcc 2010), CPA, is a Senior Associate with PwC in Cincinnati, Ohio. Yue (Rita) Ren (MAcc 2010) lives in Beijing, China, where she is a Tax Senior with Ernst & Young. Bo (Gloria) Lin (MAcc 2010) is a Tax Associate with Montage Services, Inc., in San Francisco, California. Seth Philip (2010, MAcc 2011) is a coauthor (with Dr. Brian Ballou and Dr. Jon Grenier) of the article, “Enhancing Perceived and Actual Audit Committee Effectiveness through Financial Expert Certification,” which was published in the December 2012 issue of Current Issues in Auditing. Nicole Turosky (2010, MAcc 2011) is an Assurance Senior in Ernst & Young’s Chicago, Illinois, office.
Eric J. Anderson (2010, MAcc 2011), CPA, lives in Columbus, Ohio, where he is a Senior Tax Associate with PwC. Mary M. Ormond (2011), CPA, is a Senior Auditor with Crowe Horwath in Chicago, Illinois. Michael T. Kopek (MAcc 2011) is a Revenue Auditor with the Illinois Department of Revenue. Andrew D. Kopek (MAcc 2011) is a Revenue Auditor with the Illinois Department of Revenue. Heidi (Behnfeldt) Bentz (2012) accepted a position as an IT Audit Associate with Magellan Health Services in St. Louis, Missouri. Ernest Cameron “Cam” Schilling (2012), a defenseman with the Washington Capitals/Hershey Bears, made his NHL debut with the Washington Capitals on March 12, 2013, after being signed as a free agent. He was assigned to the minors (AHL’s Hershey Bears) this season, but was called up for one game due to injuries. Tim Janasek (2012), CPA candidate, was promoted to Audit Senior Associate with Deloitte in Cleveland, Ohio, in August 2013. Jamie (Boeckman) Binaut (2012) is an Accounting Specialist with Municipal Accounts & Consulting in Austin, Texas. Sarah Klionsky (2012, MAcc 2013) joined McGladrey’s Chicago, Illinois, office as a Tax Associate. Christopher Becker (2011) was promoted to Risk & Assurance Senior with Ernst & Young in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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CBE Duke Energy Inter-University Case Competition Completes Inaugural Year
STUDENT TEAMS AND FACULTY AT THE COMPETITION’S KICK-OFF EVENT AT DUKE ENERGY’S ENVISION CENTER IN ERLANGER, KENTUCKY Participants from the Farmer School: Connor Dickey, junior marketing major, entrepreneurship minor Rita Ma, junior marketing major, decision sciences and analytics minor Lauren Turgeon, sophomore supply chain management and sustainability major Ben Ulman, senior accountancy major
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The Center for Business Excellence (CBE) at Miami University’s Farmer School of Business recently completed the inaugural Duke Energy/ CBE Inter-University Case Competition with a final event at Miami University’s Marcum Center on April 10–11, 2013. Student teams and faculty from Indiana University, Miami University, and University of Cincinnati participated in the event. This program is funded by a $175,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation Board, in partnership with Duke Energy executives. The case that student teams completed focused on helping customers better understand their energy usage under the National Green Button Initiative. The competition opened with a KickOff event in which the student representatives participated in a tour of Duke Energy’s Envision Center. The Center features an interactive demonstration of how the smart grid will help enhance energy efficiency during the generation and transmission of electricity, and how energyefficient homes of tomorrow will be able to better help customers manage their energy usage. The competition provided a valuable experiential learning opportunity for business and non-business students from three universities under the guidance of faculty leaders John Talbott (Department of Marketing, Indiana), Devon DelVecchio (Department of Marketing, Miami), and Ralph Brueggemann (Department of Management, Cincinnati). Student teams worked with Duke Energy managers and directors to develop viable business strategies, and Duke Energy
professionals judged the competition at several stages throughout the competition in a process similar to Duke Energy’s New Product Development Process. The April 2013 Final Event included a celebration dinner and an expert panel discussion featuring Zirger, Miami University Marketing Department Chair Bob Dahlstrom, and Ernst & Young Advisory Partner Steve Arnold. The final competition featured excellent presentations by the winning teams from each university, with the team from Indiana University winning the competition. Members of all three teams have the opportunity to interview for an internship with Duke Energy, and the winning teams received cash awards. “This competition yields two key benefits. Duke Energy receives multiple strategic alternatives and insight from many of the brightest students in the tri-state area,” CBE Co-Director Brian Ballou said. “Student participants learn how to approach complex business situations by combining their area of expertise with others. Understanding the benefit of diverse perspectives is a critical skill in an increasingly inter-connected business environment,” added CBE Co-Director Dan Heitger. “Experiential learning programs such as this case competition are fundamental to the Farmer School educational experience, and sustainability-oriented issues are important for students to understand better,” said Ray Gorman, Interim Dean for the Farmer School of Business. “We highly value our partnership with
Duke Energy and thank them for their generous support.” The interaction of students and faculty across multiple universities brings together diverse perspectives based on differing cultures associated with the three universities. “Indiana University is pleased to work with the diverse undergraduate and graduate students from other top universities in the area,” noted Kelley School of Business Marketing Department Chair, Shanker Krishnan. A number of university faculty were involved in developing the case and recruiting and leading student teams at the three universities. The case was co-developed by Ballou, Heitger, and Tom Crist, who is the Director of Miami University’s Institute for the Environment & Sustainability. The case and three final presentations from each school are being converted by Ann Mackenzie (Department of Teacher Education, Miami) into materials oriented to middle and high school science curricula suitable for institutions in the Duke Energy footprint and beyond. The plan is for students in education at one or more of the schools participating in the competition to help in this process. Karen Monday, Vice-President of Foundation and Business Management for Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky added that, “This program provides an excellent opportunity for the Duke Energy Foundation to meet several of its objectives, including seeking alternative energy solutions from some of today’s brightest college students and enhancing K-12 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.”
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Faculty News Po-Chang Chen, Assistant Professor
Timothy Eaton, Associate Professor
(chenpo@MiamiOH.edu)
(eatont@MiamiOH.edu)
Taught ACC321 Intermediate Financial Accounting; completed the New Faculty Teaching Enhancement Program at Miami University; reviewed papers for the AAA Financial Accounting and Reporting section meeting in San Diego; reviewed and discussed two papers for the AAA Annual meeting in Anaheim, California; presented a co-authored paper titled “Analyst Forecast Revision Momentum and the Post-Forecast Revision Price Drift” at University of Kentucky (currently under review at Journal of Accounting Research); ad-hoc reviewer for The International Journal of Accounting.
Serving on a national subcommittee of the AAA Pathways Commission that is focused on increasing the relevance of teaching in accounting education; multiple publications in academic and practitioner journals including publications and acceptances with two Miami undergraduates (Mike Rhodes and Andrew Kleshinski) as part of the Ernst & Young Undergraduate Scholar program (continuing in 2013); continues to serve as the PwC Challenge Faculty Advisor. Jan Eighme, Senior Lecturer
(eighmeje@MiamiOH.edu) Taught accounting information systems, governmental/not-for-profit accounting, and accounting research; served as chief departmental academic advisor and the advisor for the Miami Student Accounting Association; advised students at first-year orientation for the eighth consecutive year; served on the editorial board of the American
Journal of Business; co-authored paper “Fast Initial Response Control Charts For Accounting Activities” with Timothy Krehbiel (MGT) and Douglas Havelka (ISA) that was accepted for publication in the Journal of Business & Economics Research; promoted to Senior Lecturer as of July 2013. Anne Farrell, PwC Assistant Professor
(Anne.Farrell@MiamiOH.edu) Taught ACC333, Managerial Cost Accounting and “shadowed” FSB International Studies program in Prague and Budapest; recipient of the Institute of Management Accountants and American Accounting Association Management Accounting Section Jim Bulloch Award for Innovations in Management Accounting Education, a national teaching award; developing new courses for MAcc program and international studies programs in Guatemala and Western Europe; served as faculty advisor for the Deloitte-Miami University Case Study Competition; paper co-authored with Susan Convery, Susan Krische,
and Karen Sedatole published in the Journal of Financial Planning; recipient of the American Accounting Association Accounting, Behavior and Organizations Research Conference Outstanding Manuscript Award for research in progress with Joshua Goh and Brian White; presented co-authored research papers and served on research and/or teaching panels at Iowa State University, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, the American Accounting Association Management Accounting Section Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, the American Accounting Association Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Michigan State University Accounting Ph.D. Program Celebration in East Lansing, Michigan; appointed to the Editorial Board of the Journal of Management Accounting Research; elected as Secretary/Treasurer of the American Accounting Association Accounting, Behavior and Organizations Section; served as the Academic Representative to the AICPA Business and Industry
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Executive Committee, a Director of the Institute of Management Accountants Research Foundation, chair of the American Accounting Association Management Accounting Section’s “Impact on Managerial Accounting Practice Award” Selection Committee, and member of the American Accounting Association Management Accounting Section Nominating Committee and the Publications Committee. Jon Grenier, Assistant Professor
(jgrenier@MiamiOH.edu) Taught ACC453 Financial Statement Auditing; his co-authored article “Speak up or shut up? The moderating role of credibility on auditor remedial defense tactics” was accepted for publication in Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory; attended the AAA Annual Meeting and AAA Auditing Mid-year Conference; served as a faculty sponsor of Miami’s team that participated in Deloitte & Touche’s national case competition. Dara Marshall, Assistant Professor
(marshadm@MiamiOH.edu) Taught ACC 422 Financial Accounting Research
Christopher Metcalf, Senior Clinical/ Professionally Licensed Faculty
(metcalcc@MiamiOH.edu) Started 14th year at Miami teaching the principles of accounting series, in addition to various other business and Bachelor of Integrative Studies courses on Miami’s regional campuses; continued as an academic advisor for four-year business students on the regional campuses; continued active involvement in professional qualification activities through SCORE.
Dale Stoel, Associate Professor
(stoelmd@MiamiOH.edu) Continued to teach ACC361 Accounting Information Systems at the undergraduate level and also developed a new MAcc course ACC 661, Accounting Theory and
Research; served as a Deloitte case competition coach; published one paper in Information & Management focused on the role of trust in organizational decision making related to information technology; was promoted to associate professor and tenured.
The winners of the 2013 PwC Tax Challenge
Drew Reffett, Associate Professor
(reffeta@MiamiOH.edu) Taught ACC453 Financial Statement Auditing in the undergraduate program and ACC653 Assurance Services in the MAcc program; was promoted to associate professor and tenured. Marc Rubin, PwC Professor and Chair
(rubinma@MiamiOH.edu) Taught Financial Statement Analysis courses; developing new travel course on accounting and tax policy; co-chaired 2013 American Accounting Association (AAA) annual meeting in Anaheim; vice-president of AAA Government and Nonprofit Section; Secretary/Treasurer of AAA Accounting Program Leadership Group; chair, AAA Membership Advisory Committee member of the AAA Finance Committee.
(L-R): Lot Kwarteng (senior, political science/entrepreneurship), Robert Schill (sophomore, accountancy/finance), John Poth (sophomore, accountancy), and Alex Busam (senior, accountancy)
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Welcome to the Department! Joining our financial accounting faculty this year as a Visiting Assistant Professor is Dr. Qing Liao Burke. Qing recently earned her Ph.D. in accounting at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; she also holds an M.A. in statistics and an M.S. in accounting from Ball State University, an M.S. in accounting from Beijing University, and a B.S. in accounting and a B.A. in English language from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. At the University of Wisconsin, Qing taught courses in financial accounting for undergraduate and MBA students. She also worked as a bank simulation assistant for UW’s Graduate School of Banking. Her research centers on international accounting and financial reporting in regulated industries. She presented her research in 2012 at the Financial Management Association annual meeting and the American Accounting Association annual meeting, as well as in various forums at UW. She is currently teaching ACC 321 Intermediate Financial Accounting. Qing and her husband, Brandon, live in Oxford. We welcome Dr. Eric Marinich to our managerial accounting team. A 1999 Miami graduate, Eric returns home to Oxford after earning his M.S. in accounting at the University of Cincinnati in 2008 and his Ph.D. in accounting at Michigan State University earlier this year. “I am happy and proud to have the opportunity to return to Miami,” he says, “and to contribute to the Farmer School’s and the Department of Accountancy’s strong reputation for educating successful future business leaders.” Following graduation, Eric moved to Tempe, Arizona, to join Time America as a staff accountant. He returned to Ohio for a year as an accounting specialist with Red Capital Group in Columbus, and then headed to the West Coast as a senior accountant with Thomas Weisel Partners in San Francisco, California. In 2008, he returned to school in pursuit of a career as an academic. While a Ph.D. student at Michigan State, Eric taught Principles of Management Accounting and Cost & Managerial Accounting, receiving excellent student evaluations. He presented his paper, “Participative Budgeting, Psychological Contracts, and Honesty of Communication,” at the American Accounting Association (AAA) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., and the AAA Management Accounting Section Meeting in Houston, Texas, in 2012. The paper is currently under review at The Accounting Review. Eric’s research interests encompass various aspects of managerial accounting: management accounting, cost accounting, management control systems, budgeting, performance measurement, managerial judgment, and decision making. His research tests behavioral economics and psychology theories using laboratory experiments. Eric and his husband, Corey, live in Oxford.
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William J. (Bill) Moser, CPA, Ph.D., joins us from the University of Missouri, where he was an associate teaching professor, joining the faculty in 2005. Bill teaches in the tax area. A 1995 accountancy graduate of Miami University, Bill went on to earn an M.A.S. in taxation from Northern Illinois University, before joining Arthur Andersen LLP as a tax consultant. Working primarily with the firm’s middle market group, he was promoted to senior associate before leaving Andersen in 2001 to pursue his Ph.D. in accounting at the University of Arizona. Upon completion of his doctoral work, Bill accepted a position as an assistant professor at the University of Missouri, teaching classes in various areas of taxation at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. His success in the classroom is evidenced by the numerous teaching awards he received, including the Provost’s Outstanding Junior Faculty Teaching Award, the Williams Keepers Teaching Excellence Award (twice), and the Grant Thornton Teaching Excellence Award. He was also named Teacher of the Year by the Missouri Business School Alumni of Greater Kansas City and was recognized as the University of Missouri Favorite Business Professor in BusinessWeek magazine. Bill’s research has been published in Journal of Accounting Research, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Journal of American Taxation Association, and Review of Accounting Studies. He has presented at numerous professional conferences including the American Accounting Association annual meeting, the European Accounting Association annual meeting, and the American Tax Association mid-year meetings.
Farmer School Alumni Excel on CPA Exam In the past two years, three Farmer School accountancy alumni have received the Elijah Watt Sells Award for earning a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the Uniform CPA Exam, all passed on the first attempt. Michael Gould (B.S. 2010, MAcc 2011) won in 2011; he works for KPMG in Chicago, Illinois. Brent Schmidt and Kevin Warbis (both B.S. 2012) won in 2012. Brent works for BKD in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Kevin is with PwC in Columbus, Ohio.
Bill lives in Oxford with his wife, Amy, and their three daughters, Madeline, Isabella, and Hailey.
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How You Can Help THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTANCY WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH FRIEND WHO SUPPORTED OUR EFFORTS OVER THE PAST YEAR. WE APPRECIATE THIS SUPPORT AS IT INDICATES YOUR CONFIDENCE IN OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM DEPENDS UPON TEAMWORK; BY REACHING OUT TO OUR VARIOUS PARTNERS AND WORKING TOGETHER TO CONTINUALLY IMPROVE, WE CAN LOOK TO THE FUTURE WITH GREAT OPTIMISM.
How can you help continue the tradition of excellence? SHARE YOUR STORY. As one of our alumni or other supporters of the Department of Accountancy, you are an excellent ambassador of our programs. Encourage high school students you know to take a look at Miami University and the Farmer School of Business. OFFER YOUR EXPERTISE. You possess insights, skills, and experience that can enhance classroom instruction and benefit any number of our programs and activities. We encourage you to contact us to explore ways in which you can contribute your time and talent to make the Farmer School’s accountancy experience even better in the years to come. CONSIDER A CONTRIBUTION. Gifts and donations are an important part of the university budget and every gift counts. The Farmer School was pleased to announce a major gift from alumnus Jeffrey H. Von Deylen (B.S. in accountancy, 1986) this fall; the gift establishes a scholarship to aid accountancy students pursuing research in the area of international study. If you have questions about the Department of Accountancy’s funding priorities and initiatives, please feel free to contact Marc Rubin personally at 513-529-3381 or rubinma@MiamiOH. edu. Thank you again for your continued support.
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From the Dean The accountancy program remains one of the Farmer School of Business’ crown jewels. Supported by many stakeholders including alumni, corporate partners, and friends, the faculty delivers a world-class education. Continuing to foster the Miami tradition of close professor/student interaction, we have seen an increase in resources dedicated to academic and career advising this year. As the “old guard” of our senior professors retires, our vibrant young faculty carry the program forward. One of the challenges that lies ahead for the department is the task of evolving the curriculum to accommodate changing technologies and industry innovation at a time of unprecedented financial constraints within higher education. It is for these reasons we are so appreciative of the philanthropic support we receive. Your gifts of time, talent, and treasure make a difference. One important measure of the quality education our graduates receive can be seen in our placement results. I am pleased to share with you that once again accountancy majors led all majors in securing full-time and internship positions. As we look to the future, I encourage you to actively reconnect with your alma mater. Your involvement as a Farmer School guest speaker or through engagement in one of our experiential learning classes to tackle accounting, marketing, or other business challenges will help us provide the most up to date and relevant education to our students.
Best regards,
Raymond F. Gorman Interim Dean
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Miami’s accountancy department is recognized as one of the best in the country and its challenging curriculum allowed me to establish a tremendous foundation in accounting. ~Paul Beswick, B.S. 1994, Chief Accountant, Securities and Exchange Commission
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The Accountancy Annual Report is an annual publication of the Department of Accountancy for our alumni and friends. Department of Accountancy Farmer School of Business, Suite 3094 Miami University Oxford, Ohio 45056 Telephone: (513) 529-6200 Fax: (513) 529-6992 www.fsb.miamioh.edu/acc Many thanks to the accountancy students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other partners for their assistance in the compilation of this report.
Miami University: Equal opportunity in education and employment. Produced by University Communications and Marketing
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Department of Accountancy Farmer School of Business, Suite 3094 Miami University 501 E High Street Oxford, OH 45056-1846
Department of Accountancy ANNUAL REPORT 2013-2014
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