News

Posted 09/30/2008

What is your current position at Weatherhead?
Professor for the Practice of Accountancy

What brought you to Weatherhead?
In December 1997 Gary Previts called to tell me Scott Cowen was leaving and that Weatherhead was searching for a new dean. He asked if I was interested. I told him I wasn’t, however, if they were looking for a broken down bean counter to teach that I was reaching the mandatory partner retirement age of 65 at Ernst & Young. I was retiring at the end of September 1998 and was interested in teaching so I met with the accountancy faculty. I started teaching in January 1999. I think the last thing Scott did before he left wad approve my contract.

Talk about your previous work experience.
I earned my Ph.D. from Indiana University in 1964. I went to Arthur Young in its Chicago office. I became a partner in 1973. I was a partner for a quarter of a century. I didn’t want to come to the Cleveland office but it ended up being my favorite location.

Why do you choose to donate to Weatherhead?
I give because I am extremely impressed with our excellent students, especially our undergraduates, and want them to have the best education possible. By in large we have great students here. You always hear that the current generation isn’t as good as the previous generation. That’s mot true. This generation is as good as, if not better than, the last.

What is your favorite part of teaching?
It certainly isn’t grading papers. It’s dealing with the students both inside and outside the classroom. My social life revolves around my students. The other part I like is the gratification when a student comes back and tells me that they are using what they learned in the classroom in the real world. In a classroom, it is when someone answers a very difficult question or when they ask me a very difficult question. I also like interacting with officers of Beta Gamma Sigma and seeing them succeed.

What do you like to do in your spare time? (i.e. hobbies, interests, etc)
My two jobs are my hobby – my position with Weatherhead and the work I do for the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). My two jobs mesh together well. I get great satisfaction from both. I guess the more traditional answer would be going to Indian’s games. I believe you should do whatever you want to do in retirement.