The Hill-Fehleison Family Rawls College and the School of Accounting Honor a Family Legacy
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We all have a farming background so a strong work ethic was always ingrained in us, but what turned out to be the biggest factor in our success was our mother’s unbreakable desire for us to get an education. - Nancy Fehleison
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Building a Legacy Leverage raw talent with determination and a strong work ethic, and you get the caliber of graduate that has become associated with the Rawls College and Texas Tech University. The Hill and Fehleison families have notably been doing their part in building this reputation for more than sixty years.
“From Here, It’s Possible.”
Pictured left to right: Rob Hill, Nancy Fehleison, Les Hill, Mac Hill, and Paul Hill Les and Bessie Lu Hill moved their family from Snyder, Texas to Lubbock in 1949 to give their five children the opportunity to attend college. Little did they know that by doing so, they were setting the stage for building one of the most extensive family legacies in the history of Texas Tech University. Nancy (Hill) Fehleison notes that the driving force behind the family’s educational achievements was her mother. “My mother was a pusher. Her lifelong dream was for her five children to have a college degree.” She lived to see all of her children graduate from Texas Tech University. Mac (BA 1953, MBA 1958), Paul (BA 1957, MBA 1958), and Rob (BA 1960) all earned degrees in accounting, while L.A. and Nancy earned degrees in engineering (1958) and education (1954), respectively. Growing up on a cotton farm, the Hill siblings learned to work hard until the job was done. This same work ethic defines the Rawls College and has come to define the Accounting Program, from which so many of them have matriculated. Not only did three of the five Hill children graduate from the Accounting Program, but also all three of Nancy’s children. Mac’s daughter, Elizabeth, earned her master’s degree in geosciences (1985) and law degree (1991) from Texas Tech. Nancy’s grandson, Ben, also earned his business degree (2012) from Texas Tech. In total, there are ten Tech grads, six of whom were accounting graduates, from one family. While the path to Texas Tech began from a West Texas cotton field, each of the accounting graduates followed a different road to professional success after graduation.
Accounting degree offers options Six members of the family have earned degrees in accounting from Texas Tech—three Hills and three Fehleisons. All have demonstrated another truism about the Accounting Program- it prepares graduates to do anything. The six Hill-Fehleison accounting graduates include a corporate president, a banker, a Big Four firm partner, a finance executive, an entrepreneur, and a history professor.
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Pictured left to right: Mac Hill, Nancy Fehleison, Paul Hill, and Rob Hill
Of the nine grandchildren of Les and Bessie Lu Hill, seven have at least a bachelor’s degree from college. To me, that’s a big deal. Education was important to our family. The legacy was left by my mother, and I hope it continues for generations to come. - Rob Hill
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One Degree. Many Career Paths. The Corporate CEO Mac Hill joined the U.S. Navy immediatly after graduation in 1953, and served for more than three years as a supply corps officer. Mac, recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of the Accounting Program in 1982, began his public accounting career with the Dallas office of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG), working in both the tax and audit practices. Four years later, he left the firm, taking a job in internal audit for Rangaire (now United States Lime & Minerals) in Cleburne, Texas. He was named president of the company in 1973, and served in that role for 16 years until his retirement in 1989.
The Banker Paul Hill joined the U.S. Army immediately after graduation. During his time with the military, Paul was an instructor in the Army’s finance school, teaching a punch card computer course. In 1962, he left the army and went to work for Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. He joined InterFirst Corporation of Dallas in 1970 (which grew to become the 20th largest commercial banking organization in the U.S.). Over his 17 years with InterFirst, he worked his way up to become Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. After leaving Interfirst, Paul served as Senior Vice President and Treasurer of Tandy Corp. (now RadioShack), before becoming Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Southeast Banking Corp. and Southeast Bank N.A.
The Entrepreneur Rob Hill joined the U.S. Navy in July 1961 and was commissioned as an ensign in November that same year. He then served three years as a supply corps officer in various parts of the world. Rob worked with a seismic company in Midland, and then transitioned to public accounting with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co., also working in both the tax and audit sectors. In 1973, Rob established his own public accounting practice, which he maintained in one form or another until his retirement.
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I’m very proud of them. What mother wouldn’t be? They were all hard workers, and I think you can see that based on what they’ve accomplished in their lives. -Nancy Fehleison
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Pictured left to right: James Fehleison, Nancy Fehleison, Jill Fehleison, and Jon Fehleison
The KPMG Partner Jon Fehleison, a 2016 Distinguished Alumnus of the Accounting Program, received his accounting degree in 1979. Following graduation, he joined Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. in Dallas, becoming a partner in the firm in 1990. During his almost 40 years with the firm, Jon has moved from Dallas to New York to Hong Kong and, in 2002, back to New York, ultimately becoming Co-Partner in Charge of the Practice Advisory/SEC Group in KPMG’s National office in New York City.
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All those years ago, sitting on a tractor in the middle of a cotton field, I certainly didn’t see myself working in Hong Kong or New York. My accounting degree prepared me for opportunities that I couldn’t imagine at the time. - Jon Fehleison
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The Finance Executive James Fehleison, also a 2016 Distinguished Alumnus of the Accounting Program, graduated with his degree in accounting in 1981. After earning a top 10 score in the state of Texas on the CPA examination, he began his career with Ernst & Whinney (now EY) and Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. Following four years in public accounting, James was an executive at several brokerage and financial services firms before joining the auto finance company AmeriCredit in Fort Worth, where he was Executive Vice President, Corporate Controller. In 2010, AmeriCredit was aquired by General Motors (GM). James led the integration and international expansion efforts before retiring from GM Financial in 2014.
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I also was intrigued by the flexibility that accounting offered me. I saw how my uncles’ careers had progressed from public accounting into other businesses. A career in accounting looked like a good opportunity. -James Fehleison
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Even though I didn’t follow an accounting career path, I still think it’s important for students to take advantage of forming relationships with other students and faculty, and to learn the fundamental skills of the industry. -Jill Fehleison
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The History Professor Jill Fehleison followed in her brothers’ and uncles’ footsteps when she decided to pursue an accounting degree from Texas Tech, which she earned in 1988. She passed all four parts of the CPA examination and spent two years with Arthur Andersen. At that point, she decided to pursue a career in academia, earning her M.A. in history from Texas Tech in 1992 and Ph.D. in history from Ohio State University in 2001. Jill currently resides as a professor and chair of the History department at Quinnipiac University, where she has also served on the Faculty Senate. Although she chose a career outside the accounting profession, Jill still finds value in her accounting degree. As chair of an academic department and a member of the Faculty Senate, she can attest that budgetary issues are never far from hand.
From Here, It’s Possible. From the family cotton farm in West Texas, the Hill-Fehleison family sent their children across the country and around the globe. They’ve succeeded in a wide range of professional activities in a variety of locations—a point of pride for the School of Accounting, the Rawls College of Business, and Texas Tech University.
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A Texas Tech legacy, the Hill-Fehleisons produced ten Texas Tech graduates from one family— six of those graduates were accounting majors.
One degree, six careers: The family’s success demonstrates the value of an accounting degree. Their success in a variety of careers shows today’s students how a degree in accounting prepares graduates to do anything. Five of the six accounting graduates worked for KPMG, and at least one member of the HillFehleison family has worked for KPMG in every decade from the 1950s to the present.
Intelligence, a work ethic second to none, and integrity are core ideals of Texas Tech University. Whether pursuing a career in accounting, finance, corporate business, or academia, an accounting education can lead to success, especially when combined with hard work and dedication. The Hill and Fehleison families are a testament to these values, and each member of the family has made a name for him or herself with notable careers that expand well beyond their agricultural roots.
“From Here, It’s Possible.”
Mac Hill receives the Distinguished Service Award in Investment Education from National Association of Investment Clubs in 1982.
Lubbock-Cooper ISD School Board President Nancy Fehleison (1973-1988) awards diplomas to graduating seniors in 1982.
Rob Hill receives his CPA certificate in 1968 from Marvin Stone, president of the AICPA.
Mac Hill, Dean Carl Stem, and Jon Fehleison
Mac Hill delivers the commencement address in 1981 for the University of Texas at Arlington Business School.
James Fehleison receives award for top 10 score on the CPA exam in 1983.
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