F ALL 2005 VOLUME 6, NUMBER 2 Ben Ayers is Tull Director Steve Baginski Becomes Associate Dean It is my pleasure to write to you as the new Director of the Tull School of erry College of Business Dean Manuscript Award. In 2003, he received the Accounting. This is my tenth year as a George Benson announced two American Taxation Association’s Manuscript faculty member at the Terry College, and significant appointments in June Award for his study investigating the effects Taffecting the Tull School of of tax rate changes on security prices. He I am honored to serve Accounting. Ben Ayers was appointed as is one of only two professors to receive in this position. The Director of the Tull School, succeeding both AAA’s Competitive Manuscript Award Tull School has a long Silvia Madeo who retired as of June 30. and the American Taxation Association’s history of being one of Also, faculty member Steve Baginski was Manuscript Award. the top accounting appointed as Associate Dean for Academic Ben and his wife Marilyn have a three- programs in the coun- Programs in the Terry College. year-old daughter and are expecting their try. We have excellent Ben joined our faculty in 1996 after com- second child very soon. students who are high- pleting his PhD at the University of Texas in Commenting on the appointment, Dean BEN AYERS ly sought after by Austin. Earlier, he received BS and MTA Benson said, “Ben has been a rising star on recruiters, an outstanding faculty com- degrees from the University of Alabama. the faculty from the time he arrived here. mitted to excellence in the classroom Ben worked as a tax consultant for KPMG in We’re excited and pleased to give him the and generating nationally recognized Atlanta and Tampa for several years opportunity to apply the leadership research, and loyal alumni who care before returning to school for his he’s shown in research, teaching deeply about the success of our School. PhD program. and public service as Director of the As Director, I recognize how fortunate I He has taught introductory tax Tull School of Accounting. am to be associated with the Tull School classes to undergraduate students as “I also want to thank Silvia of Accounting and Terry College of well as a highly regarded tax Madeo for the strong leadership Business. research class for MAcc students. she’s provided,” Benson said. “The While we have every reason to be Ben has received numerous teach- Tull School was reaccredited under optimistic about the future of the Tull ing awards, including being named Baginski her watch, has continued to hire School (and we are), we do face some as Teacher of the Year by our Beta outstanding new faculty, and the challenges in the next year. During the Alpha Psi chapter five times! students who graduate from the program are past academic year, three of our faculty Ben is also very active in accounting performing exceptionally well on the CPA research, specializing in examining the tax exam and other measures.” retired (Ken Gaver, Silvia Madeo, and and accounting influences on capital markets Tim Keadle of the Tull School Board of Paul Streer), Karen Braun relocated to as well as firm organization and acquisition Advisors noted that, “Through his outstand- Cleveland, Ohio with her family, and two decisions. Recently, he was listed as the sec- ing teaching and research, Ben has been a of our faculty accepted new appoint- ond most prolific accounting researcher great faculty member for many years. I know ments within the Terry College (Steve worldwide from the PhD class of 1996. He that he will be a terrific leader for the School continued on page 4 has had twenty papers published in such and we are very fortunate to have him at the leading journals as Accounting Review, University of Georgia.” Journal of Accounting and Economics, Steve Baginski will succeed Bob Journal of Finance, Journal of the American Gatewood as Associate Dean. Bob is retiring Taxation Association, and National Tax and moving to Fort Worth, Texas, with his Journal. wife Chris Riordan who has accepted a posi- In 1997 his work on deferred tax tion at Texas Christian University. The accounting received the highly prestigious American Accounting Association Competitive continued on page 3 Tull Grad News• p. 2 Faculty Activities • p. 5 Student Awards • p. 8 J.M. TULL SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTING — TERRY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS News About Tull Graduates ow that the CPA exam is comput- Phillip Carson (MAcc, JD ’85) is Senior almost non-existent, and the Albanian peo- erized and can be taken through- Counsel – Financial Reporting, for the ple seem to love all things American. He also Nout the year, it’s harder to keep American Insurance Association in notes that there are no fast food restaurants track of successful candidates. However, Washington, DC. Phillip notes that, “I never and he’s had to do a lot of walking so weight we’ve heard that recent graduates Kosio realized there were so many accounting and is dropping off with very little effort. Sounds Doukov, Brad Gugel, Emily Kisabeth, business issues affecting the insurance indus- like a great place to be. Jennifer Lollis, Ashley Marsh, Scott try until taking my current position. The The UGA Alumni Association announced Quesnel, and Scott Turnbull passed all four controversy surrounding the use of finite that Tim Keadle (BBA ’78) has been elected parts on their first attempt. Please let us reinsurance is a unique accounting issue and to serve as a member of the Association’s know if you did the same and we’ll report I have found myself frequently called upon Executive Committee and as its Treasurer you in our next newsletter. to provide an accounting primer on this beginning in July 2005. Tim is a partner Seth Abrams (BBA’98, MAcc ’97) has product and the underlying financial report- with Porter Keadle Moore, LLP. been promoted to Manager in the Tax ing issues.” While we are only now catching up with Department at Gifford, Hillegass & Kendra Cheney (BBA ’00) was the 2005 1st the great news, Jason D. McPherson (BBA Ingwersen, LLP. Prior to joining GH&I, Quarter recipient of the Moore Colson Peak ’94) was admitted to the partnership of the Seth was a risk consultant at Deloitte. In his Award as voted on by her peers. The Moore Atlanta office of Mauldin & Jenkins in most recent role, he has played a vital part in Colson Peak Award goes to the individual who September 2004. GH&I’s efforts to convert to paperless. has made a significant contribution to the firm Lowell Mooney (BBA ’78, MAcc ’79, and Ruth Barlett (BBA ’76 – see our Alumnus by going above and beyond expectations. PhD ’89), Georgia Southern University Spotlight article in the last issue of this In March, Roger Harris (BBA ’73) testi- accounting professor, was named the 2005 newsletter) completed her term as President fied before President Bush’s Advisory Panel Accounting Educator of the Year by the of the Terry College Alumni Board in May. on Federal Tax Reform. Roger is President Education Foundation of the Georgia Brian Bodker (BBA ’79) was recently and Chief Operating Officer of Athens- Society of CPAs. Lowell joined Georgia named by Atlanta Magazine as a “Super based Padgett Business Services. He Southern as an assistant professor in 1989. Lawyer” in the state of Georgia. This was explained that, “My goal with this testimony In 2001, he was promoted to full professor determined by his being in the top 5% of a is to provide the panel with a glimpse into of accounting and director of the School of poll of lawyers in the state. Brian is with the the myriad of decisions that small business Accountancy in the College of Business firm of Bodker, Ramsey, Andrews, Winograd owners must face before they even open Bethany (Cochran) Morris (BBA and & Wildstein, PC in Atlanta. their doors. Unfortunately, the complexity MAcc ’04) married Shaun Morris, a poultry Marvin Brown (BBA ’72) is President and of those choices and the fear of penalty for science graduate of UGA, in May. Bethany CEO of Brown Valuation Group with offices making the wrong choices can have the has moved from Deloitte in Atlanta to in Athens and Atlanta. He is contributing unintended effect of stifling growth and pre- Mauldin & Jenkins in Albany. She reports editor for PDI Global, Inc.’s “Business venting people from achieving their dream that she has passed the CPA exam and will Valuation Strategies” and “Valuation and of owning their own business.” receive her certificate next year. Litigation Briefing” publications. He is also Atlanta based Cox Enterprises announced After finishing his MBA at Duke in May, a contributing author for the AICPA’s recently that Jimmy W. Hayes (BBA ’74, Billy Murphy (MAcc ’98) has joined Johnson Business Valuation/Litigation Support MAcc ’75) has been appointed Executive Vice & Johnson in New Jersey as a Senior Services section monthly e-newsletter. President and will become President and Financial Analyst. The financial organization of Turner Chief Operating Officer as of the end of Justin Owings (BBA, MAcc ’03) is now Broadcasting System, Inc. has formed a ded- 2005. Jimmy joined Cox in 1980 and contin- working in the corporate accounting depart- icated finance team to support the needs of ues as Chief Financial Officer of Cox ment of Georgia Gulf Corporation in its Strategy and Operations group. This Communications, a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Atlanta. He and new wife Sonal were mar- group includes the areas of broadcast and until year end.