footnotes ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSIT Y ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT
FALL 2023
WHEN BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS MEETS THE
PERFORMING ARTS Blurring the line between “class learning” and solving real-world challenges is the top priority for Dr. Rosie Hauck in the capstone Advanced Business Systems Analysis course (or BIS as it is commonly known). The class has advanced the work of many local nonprofit organizations over the years and offered a transformative preprofessional experience for hundreds of College of Business students. Carter Calarco ’21, a business systems analyst for Medline, is one. “The biggest takeaway from the BIS capstone course I have applied to my professional career, is learning how to ask questions. Not just any questions, but the right ones. BIS provided me the confidence I needed to challenge the status quo - to take something good, poke holes by asking the right questions, and turn it into something great.” What’s involved Calarco’s experience highlights key outcomes Hauck intends the class to achieve. “I want to help students bring together and apply all the technical, problem-solving, and communication skills they have developed through prior classes and internships. We can’t just rely on a particular technology or platform in BIS because you blink, and something new is coming out. But the foundation of quality thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving stays the same,” said Hauck. One of the first activities students complete is a self-assessment on their communication, management, facilitation, leadership, and technical skills. Hauck then uses the information to form balanced teams. “This is vital because groups have to analyze their client’s needs and use their combined expertise to deliver a viable solution that adds value to the organization in just a few weeks,” said Hauck.
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This article was written by Amy Humphreys and was first published on April 10, 2023, at:
MY REDBIRD STORY
Stephen P. Baginski | BS ’79, MS ’80
Illinois State University was an easy college choice in 1975. My only sibling, my sister Peggy, attended ISU, graduated, and got a job. Coming from an extended family that was, for the first time, sending children to college, higher education was seen as the path to gainful employment and a brighter future. My father and I learned at a high school job fair that accounting was a good career, jobs were plentiful, and that society held Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) in high regard. So, the plan was set – get an undergraduate degree, pass the CPA Exam, and get a job. I can remember the excitement when I arrived on campus. It was a new beginning, and every door was open. Watterson Towers was incredible. I lived on a floor with a bunch of great people, some of whom I knew from high school, others from Chicago suburbs, but many more from small towns I had never heard of. We had very little cash, but ISU sponsored free movies, free speakers (e.g., Truman Capote, Vincent Bugliosi), and free concerts, including Rights of Spring. We also played spades in our lounge all night long, ate gondolas from Avanti’s on Sundays, and wore our MTXE (Mental Toughness Extra Effort) buttons when we cheered for the Redbird basketball team. The wonderful memories from those years have lasted forever. I got a part-time job in the dish room of the Watterson Towers dining room. I did not realize it at the time, but the most important person in my life was just upstairs, checking IDs of the students coming in to dine. I would not meet Lynn Kovic until two years later at the end of the final semester of my senior year when she was introduced to me by a fellow accounting major. But, for the last 42 years, we have been on a wonderful journey together. Many good things came from my time at ISU. She was the best of them. I followed the plan. I got my undergraduate degree, passed the CPA exam,
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Hagge Innovation Institute Steve and Sharon Hagge, Illinois State University alums, have been longtime contributors to the University. Steve ’73 was an accounting graduate who retired as the President and CEO of Aptar Group. Sharon ’73 was a graduate in Special Education and taught for over 23 years. The Hagges established the Stephen Hagge Accounting Award in 2013 to honor faculty in the Accounting department of the College of Business. In 2019, they gifted $1 million to the University’s Redbirds Rising campaign to create the Stephen and Sharon Hagge Innovation Institute. Located on the first floor of the State Farm Hall of Business, the Institute aims to generate and foster innovation from students across all academic disciplines on campus. The Institute also allows students to gain experiential learning, hone their leadership skills, brainstorm innovative ideas, and connect with faculty, practitioners, coaches and members of other organizations within the university. We thank Steve and Sharon, for their generosity and support to Illinois State University!
MY REDBIRD STORY (continued from page 1)
and did an internship with Price Waterhouse. When they offered me a permanent job to begin in the fall of 1979, my goals were complete. Of course, when you have just turned 22, plans often change, and my plans were no exception. A couple of my friends decided to stay for a master’s degree (which was not required to be a CPA at that time), and I had just met my future wife who was one year behind me in school. My father was, of course, quite concerned about any variance from the plan, but at an accounting banquet, Dr. Max Rexroad, told him that I was doing the right thing. It would only make my career stronger and my life better. My father believed if a college professor said it was the right thing for my career, then it must be. Dr. Rexroad’s support at that moment and during the time I was preparing for and taking the CPA exam was the beginning of the influence of the ISU accounting faculty on my life. During the master’s program, I was assigned full responsibility for teaching an introductory accounting class. Dr. Gary Fish was my mentor and gave me very important guidance on teaching, especially understanding the student who was not like me. That last bit of advice served me well during my entire career. There I was with old and new friends, Steve Knous, John Takacs, Terry Cunningham, and Ceil Moran, immersed in accounting and teaching. I felt like I was on a faculty, and I was enjoying it. However, as exciting as that was, the final blow to my plan was delivered by Dr. Gene Rozanski. He taught our class on accounting research. He did it from an academic research perspective, and I was suddenly beginning to understand accounting theory and learning how accounting professors were testing those theories with empirical data, research designs, and statistics. I had been bitten by the accounting academic bug. I started my full-time job at Price Waterhouse that summer, but the pull
of academia was too strong. My wife and I decided to give up our jobs in Chicago, and I would start a Ph.D. program at the University of Illinois. (She would stand all day selling books at a local store so that we could eat; I can’t thank her enough.) My GMAT score was a little on the low side, so this move would not have been possible if it were not for strong recommendations from the ISU accounting faculty. During my program, I received great support and mentoring from Dr. Jim Hallam, who hired me to teach at ISU during my doctoral program and went out of his way to schedule my teaching around my doctoral program class schedule. I was not alone in my three-day-a-week journey from Champaign to Normal, sharing the car with future ISU faculty Tom Craig and Khalid Razaki, who were also in the Illinois doctoral program. A few years later, my wife and I were on our way, with my doctoral degree in hand, to my first post Ph.D. job at Florida State University. I had a long and successful academic career that ended one year ago when I retired from my last position at the University of Georgia, where I taught for 20 years. I had many stops along the way. I held full-time positions at Florida State (11 years) and Indiana University (6 years). But I also taught executive MBA, regular MBA, and doctoral classes at Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Zurich and St. Galen (Switzerland), INSEAD (France and Singapore), Nanyang University (Singapore), and Bocconi (Italy), and I gave other lectures in Spain, China, and the United Kingdom. I guess Max Rexroad was right about how a graduate degree would make a great difference in my life. I thank the people at ISU for all that they did for me. Although my wife and I rarely travel to Illinois, we have done so in the past. We drive and walk past all the places where our wonderful memories were made. Some of the places are gone, but the memories are not.
Bonus credential Early in the semester, BIS students also earn their certified scrum master credential at no additional cost by completing an intense weekend training led by Tom Mellor. Scrum is a popular agile project management framework designed to make the best use of time and resources. It is ideally matched to the demands of the BIS project and provides a boost to students’ future careers. Hauck said the BIS class gives students an immediate opportunity to apply the scrum tools and practices to a real-world client need. “I tell students having CMS after your name opens professional doors, because employers are curious how a new graduate earned this distinction,” said Hauck. “But being able to talk about how you have applied these tools on a client project is a way to really stand out.” Client selection Hauck said there are two reasons BIS clients are typically nonprofits. “They need the support, and teams need to learn to work within constraints. BIS students could develop a complex approach or use more advanced technology, but nonprofits usually have limited funds and staffing. The challenge is for teams to use their skills to develop a solution that makes sense for the organization and meets the client’s need for future sustainability,” explained Hauck. The request This year’s BIS client, Heartland Theatre, brought a unique request to the class. Artistic Director Rhys Lovell shared that the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee became very active in the wake of George Floyd’s death. “A lot of the plays we’d done in the past were written by and featured ‘old white guys’ and that needed to change,” said Lovell. “We committed to selecting shows that were more inclusive and then portraying the characters accurately - not just ‘come close’ in our casting.” The solution Lovell hoped the BIS students could create a multifaceted approach to helping advance the theatre’s DEI efforts. Heartland Theatre had a large patron database. Within that, some individuals with special interests like helping with sets, acting, or directing were flagged. But the information was challenging to sort and access. Also, tracking past patrons didn’t provide a way to connect with new and more diverse individuals interested in engaging with productions. After multiple meetings, research, and follow-up conversations, George Goldie-Morrison said the BIS team he was on proposed an integrated solution to Lovell. “We created a separate Heartland Theatre Facebook group for Rhys to run for actors, directors, and playwrights. Upon joining this Facebook group, you see a link to a Google survey that asks you to share more information about yourself.” By integrating the new and existing information into an easy-to-access database, Lovell was better able to advance Heartland’s DEI efforts as it mounted more inclusive productions.
BIS
“I love that Heartland Theatre now has (continued from page 1) a separate Facebook page specifically for the people I’m responsible for hiring, said Lovell. “We can use it to let people know our play selection committee is picking shows that reflect all of us and invite broad participation. I’m not hunting blindly for representation like I’ve had to do in the past.” Working with clients At the start of each semester, Hauck tells students they may encounter a partner who wants to do things a particular way or use technology that is not the ideal match for solving its problem. “I’ve seen situations where students have a good, simple solution, but the client isn’t willing to entertain the change,” said Hauck. “Each time I teach BIS, I remind students they have to think about both the relationship and the project results. That’s something which is completely transferable into their careers.” Team member Angelo Whitley said his client’s ‘ah-ha’ moment came in their second sprint review. “We got to see how important it is to lay out EXACTLY how the project will go from the beginning. Figuring out the roles of the scrum team is important, but clearly understanding what the client wants, and what you can actually create for them is vital. Goldie-Morrison felt his biggest takeaway was effective client communications. “When you are working on a project with a client you can never communicate enough. You try and get a solid picture of what the customer wants. But maybe the customer doesn’t really know what they want, they only know what they think they want!” Lovell would be the first to agree with the two students. “In that very first meeting, I was speaking in generalities which really wasn’t very helpful. I really had to do a careful assessment of my needs so I could use the students’ help in a meaningful way and get results to make Heartland Theatre function more inclusively. As we worked together, members of the team became confident enough to ask tough questions that pinned me down and really made me think.” The results “As business majors, these students are used to working with numbers, rather than abstract ideas and art,” said Lovell. “I think the nature of the project pushed them a bit outside their comfort zone. They were enthusiastic and created a really meaningful solution. Having these integrated tools to advance Heartland Theatre’s DEI commitment will make my job as artistic director so much easier.” Goldie-Morrison encouraged other students to complete BIS. “Take advantage of every last second of this class. You won’t be able to get any experience in the same ballpark as this, where you actually get to execute on what you’ve learned.” Lovell’s final thoughts on the experience were kudos for Hauck. “It was really refreshing to see the kind of relationship and dynamic Rosie and the students had,” Lovell said. “She gave them the tools and information they needed, stepped out of the way, and let them fly.”
ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT
Hosts 1st Annual High School Competition Central Illinois high school accounting students converged on Illinois State University’s State Farm Hall of Business for the High School Accounting Challenge on March 3, 2023. Event winners may soon return to campus as College of Business students. Thirty-six four-person teams from 11 area high schools participated in the competition. Seven individuals won scholarships that will be applied toward their college tuition when they enroll and declare as accounting majors at Illinois State. Normal Community High School student Akash Anbu claimed first prize in the advanced accounting competition. Though he plans to pursue a career in medicine, his performance gave him pause to reconsider his future. “I’m starting to consider accounting now as well,” Anbu said, clutching his first-place certificate. “This is a big achievement, so I’m wondering if I should maybe consider accounting or business.” After registration, breakfast, and a brief introduction, the High School Accounting Challenge started with a written exam on accounting fundamentals, including terminology, accounting cycle, journal entries, depreciation, inventory, and receivables; advanced accounting students were additionally tested on managerial accounting concepts such as break-even analysis, costing, and budgeting. While students took the test, their accounting teachers participated in a coaches clinic. “It’s fun to come back,” said business teacher Dan Pouk ’99, M.S. ’06, who brought three teams from Streator Township High School to compete. “There are math competitions and science competitions, so it’s nice to have a business competition, too.” Team-building activities and lunch followed before the awards presentation. A panel session featuring Illinois State accounting students was moved to the end of the day as all but one competing school opted for an early departure due to deteriorating weather conditions. The school that remained for the panel just happened to be the former high school of panelist Jessica Laughlin. “It was a cool experience to get to talk with them and imagine myself four years ago in their position,” said Laughlin, a Normal Community graduate. “I just wanted to guide them the way I wish someone had done for me.” Scholarship prizes totaling $7,000 were awarded at the competition, thanks to event sponsors State Farm and Forvis. The top performing teams took home trophies, so did the squad with the best team name, as determined by Illinois State
accounting student volunteers. Fun activities were sprinkled in throughout the day. They included a guessing game where student participants guessed the number of objects in jars. Students with the closest predictions took home the jars, which contained items like pennies, Jolly Ranchers, and Girl Scout cookies. A four-way tie on a jar containing the latter depleted the personal inventory of Thin Mints of Instructional Assistant Professor Ed Seipp, who sent a helper to his office to retrieve three boxes each for the winners. Seipp led the charge in organizing Illinois State’s inaugural event, along with Associate Professors Joe Johnston and Madeline Trimble, Instructional Assistant Professor Liesel Mitchell, and Chair and Professor of Accounting Deborah Seifert. Additional support was provided by College of Business student and faculty volunteers. “I did most of the communicating with the schools and they all seemed really excited about it. The comments were all, ‘We’re really looking forward to it,’ and ‘The kids have been talking about it for weeks,’” Seipp said. “For some of them, it’s just a day away from school, but some of these kids are really interested in it, and there aren’t really many events like this where accounting students can get recognized.” Seifert, the Department of Accounting chair, said the College of Business was happy to host talented accounting students for the competition. “We have a really good accounting program, a high CPA pass rate, undergraduate and master’s programs in accounting and business information systems, and award-winning students,” she said. “Our excellent faculty is from all over the world, and we like prospective students having the opportunity to meet them. We have a lot to offer here.”
Beta Alpha Psi INDUCTIONS
Beta Alpha Psi is the national honors fraternity for financial information professionals. This includes accounting, finance, and business information systems majors. Students in these majors who maintain a 3.0 grade point average and complete 30 credit hours are eligible for membership.
This article was written by Matt Wing and was first published on March 8, 2023 at:
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BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS
S W E N CLUB DR. MADELINE TRIMBLE HONORED
with Outstanding Educator Award by Illinois CPA Society Illinois State University’s Dr. Madeline Trimble has been honored with an Outstanding Educator Award from the Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS). “It’s such a privilege for us to be able to honor those who have gone above and beyond in their service to our organization and the accounting profession,” says Geoffrey Brown, CAE, ICPAS president and CEO. ICPAS is one of the largest state CPA societies in the nation. The Outstanding Educator Award honors those who have made considerable contributions to the education of accounting students through their leadership, teaching excellence, and active involvement in the accounting profession. Trimble is the director of graduate accounting programs at Illinois State and an associate professor of accounting. “Teaching accounting in this rapidly evolving environment is challenging yet rewarding,” said Trimble. “You have to keep current on the latest trends in both the business and education worlds. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many talented students at Illinois State University.” Her current research focuses on the progress of global International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and its associated financial reporting effects. She has published research in top journals, including The International Journal of Accounting and the Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, where she currently serves on the editorial board. Trimble teaches Intermediate Accounting, International Accounting, International Business, and ethics and leadership courses at Illinois State and in the associated program at QLU Panama. She serves on the Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance (AFWA) Executive Board as current national treasurer and incoming vice president. “Representation is important. Giving our leaders the opportunity to engage with projects that they feel passionate about has led to amazing outcomes,” said Trimble, who has served as faculty advisor for AFWA-ISU since it was chartered nationally in the spring of 2018. “I am extremely proud of how our AFWA chapter has grown, the quality of leaders it has produced, and its impact on and off ISU’s campus.” Trimble has been honored as a two-time Wisdom’s Torch Award recipient and voted Professor of the Year by Illinois State’s Student Accounting Society. She has won the Manahan Award for Teaching Excellence in Business, ISU Impact Award, and a university-level Outstanding Teaching Initiative Award. In 2020, she was honored with a national AFWA Women Who Count – Academic award. In 2023, she was named Student Leadership Advisory Board (SLAB) Advisor of the Year for her work with AFWAISU, and has been named as an Archer Daniels Midland Scholar. Trimble received a doctorate from the University of Mannheim in Mannheim, Germany, and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Eastern Illinois University. She shares this honor with Debbie Lindberg (2009) and Jay Rich (2014). This article was written by University staff and was first published on May 22, 2023, at
The Association for Information Systems (AIS) holds an annual conference for undergraduate students majoring in Information Systems, which is called the AIS Student Chapter Leadership Conference (AIS SCLC). The competition is based on case studies where students provide solutions. The case studies are written by partners such as Microsoft, FedEx, HP, and more. Dr. Bahae Samhan accompanied three Business Information Systems students: Andrew Cummings, Peyton Elwell, and Connor Rowe, who participated in the Cyber Security challenge. The students were given a scenario related to cybersecurity and budgeting and were asked to produce and defend their solutions. They were finalists in the competition. As finalists, they were invited to present their work in front of a panel of judges at Florida International University in Miami.
STUDENT-FACULTY SOCCER MATCH
On April 21, 2023, students and faculty got together on a partly cloudy Friday afternoon for a rousing game of soccer, or “football” as our increasingly more international faculty and students like to call it. The faculty took an early lead, but the students came back to win with a final tally of 7-6. THE MOST IMPORTANT DETAIL: DETAIL: a good time was had by all and there were no SERIOUS injuries.
YEP, THE VERY FIRST REGGIE REDBIRD WAS AN ACCOUNTING MAJOR In 1981, the mascot for Illinois State University first got the name Reggie. Bob Goldstein ’83 was a junior accounting major. Goldstein was known by his friends as being very critical of the current mascot, especially the outfit. At that time, the outfit was a chicken wire and tissue paper contraption that had to be swept up after because it “molted” each time it went onto the court. Goldstein was forced to try out by his friends, telling him to “put up or shut up.” His tryout involved a paper grocery bag over his head with a beak drawn on it and juggling a football, basketball, and baseball. Goldstein was selected as the new mascot, the first to be called “Reggie.” The catch was he was not allowed to tell anybody he was the mascot. Luckily, being an accounting major, he could tell his friends he had to go study and couldn’t go to the games. He finally got to take the head off in the final basketball game of the ’81-’82 season. Being Reggie taught Goldstein that “you have to do something to stand out from the rest.” This experience came in handy when he started the interview process. Goldstein has recently retired from a 37-year career with KPMG.
MEET THE FIRMS NIGHT 2023 L-R: Logan Wright Luke Tepen, Brandon Brown, Matt Dragolovich
We gain valuable knowledge regarding professional practice each time a practitioner visits campus. We thank the professionals listed below for coming to campus and sharing their knowledge and experience with us. This past semester the following firm representatives visited classes, met with student groups, and/or held seminars with the faculty: Kris Bajkowski ’15
Danny Lopez ’18
Gabrielle Brix ’19
Tom Mellor
Brandon Brown ’18
Sam Napolitano
Ashley Carboni ’13
Riley Phipps ’18
Carter Calarco ’21
Kami Post ’08
Nick Currier ’13
Rich Sheridan
Eddie Durham ’19
Matt Siburt ’09
Matt Dragolovich ’16
Luke Tepen, ’18
Dan Ermel ’05
Trenton Wells ’18
Michael Goodman ’18
Logan Wright, ’20
Palo Alto Networks • Denver, CO Archer Daniels Midland • Decatur, IL Caterpillar • Peoria, IL KPMG • Chicago, IL
Medline • Nashville, TN Packback • Chicago, IL Rivian • Normal, IL
KPMG • Chicago, IL
RSM • Schaumburg, IL Aon • Milwaukee, WI
Bernie Heine ’08
PwC • Chicago, IL
Mark Kazzaz ’07
Amazon Web Services • Seattle, WA
Guaranteed Rate • Chicago, IL Illinois State University • Normal, IL Country Financial • Bloomington, IL iManage • Chicago, IL Country Financial • Bloomington, IL Menlo Innovations • Ann Arbor, MI Archer Daniels Midland • Decatur, IL Byan Cave Leighton Paisner • St. Louis, MO State Farm • Bloomington, IL Miller, Cooper & Co., Ltd. • Chicago, IL
On February 23, 2023, Student Accounting Society’s Meet the Firms Night introduced 22 firms and companies to around 70 Illinois State accounting students. Participating firms included: • Adducci Vega Financial Group • CliftonLarsonAllen • Deloitte • Dunbar, Breitweiser & Company, LLP • Enterprise Holdings • FORVIS • Johnson Lambert • Keplr Vision • Martin Hood • Menard Electric Cooperative • Miller Cooper & Co. • Office of the Comptroller of the Currency • PKF Mueller • Plante Moran • PricewaterhouseCoopers • RSM • Selden Fox • Sikich • State Farm • State of California Franchise Tax Board • Tighe, Kress & Orr.
If you are interested in getting more information about future Meet the Firms events, contact Dr. Rachel Birkey at rnbirke@ilstu.edu.
THE 2023 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES In Spring 2023, in conjunction with Business Week activities, Dean Ajay Samant inducted four outstanding alumni into the College of Business Hall of Fame. Three of the Hall of Fame inductees are accounting alumni. They are listed below. MICHAEL C. FOLTZ, JD, CPA, CFP ’79
Mike Foltz is a retired principal of CI BDF LLC, a private wealth management firm in Itasca, Illinois. After graduating from ISU and passing the CPA exam in 1979, he obtained his law degree from IIT Chicago Kent College of Law in 1982 and began his professional career in the tax department of Price Waterhouse. In 1984, Mike and a Price Waterhouse colleague began their entrepreneurial career by starting a law firm in Oak Brook, Illinois and a wealth management firm in 1986. After merging their wealth management firm with another in 2001, the new, combined firm grew steadily and became part of CI Private Wealth in 2020. Mike developed extensive experience in income tax and estate planning and was a member of his firm’s Wealth Management Committee. He authored several articles including “The Best States to Retire in From a Tax Perspective,” which is used extensively by the firm today. Mike has been quoted in several national publications, including BusinessWeek, Commerce Clearing House and the Wall Street Journal. He served on the Board of Trustees of Rosalind Franklin University for thirteen years. Prior to retiring in 2021, Mike and his wife, Kim (an ISU alum), moved to Naples, Florida. Mike is grateful for Kim’s support and is most proud that his three children, Matt, Joe and Laura are current professionals of the firm.
CONSTANCE GULLY ’86
Constance Gully is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Parents as Teachers National Center, a leading parent education and early childhood professional development organization serving professionals that work annually with 200,000+ families in all 50 states, 115 tribal communities, and seven other countries. Parents as Teachers works in partnership with child and family serving organizations to improve early development, learning and health outcomes for children and families. Parents as Teachers transforms the science of home visiting, early development and family engagement into real life resources and tools for professionals that help parents, focusing on the earliest years of life because those years hold the most vulnerability and opportunity. The Parents as Teachers evidence-based model is supported by 35 plus years of evidence of effectiveness in: early detection of delays and health issues; increased child cognition, language, and executive functions; increased parenting knowledge and practice; increased school readiness and success; and reduced child maltreatment. In response to COVID-19, Parents as Teachers leads the Rapid Response Virtual Home Visiting collaborative (RR-VHV) in collaboration with the Institute for Family Support Professionals and the National Alliance of Home Visiting Models (of which PAT is a member model). RR-VHV provides best practice principles and strategies to support all home visiting professionals in maintaining meaningful connection with families during this time of increased anxiety and need. Through collaboration, the RR-VHV is leveraging the extensive resources and expertise that exists across home visiting organizations to support the development and distribution of cross model, cross system approaches and guidance. Prior to joining Parents as Teachers, Constance practiced public accounting for 10 years and later held several leadership roles over a 16-year period at Harris Stowe University in St. Louis, MO, including interim President and Executive Vice President for business and financial affairs. Constance is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a Master of Business Administration from Lindenwood University, and Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Illinois State University. A former Parents as Teachers parent herself, Constance is the proud mother of Nicholas Bowman and wife of Andre’ Gully.
ANDY WATTS ’91
Andy Watts is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Brown & Brown, Inc. Brown & Brown is a $3.1 billion diversified insurance agency offering a broad range of insurance products. The company is ranked by Business Insurance magazine as the United States’ fifth-largest independent insurance intermediary and operates throughout the United States, Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands. Andrew joined Brown & Brown in February 2014. He is responsible for all aspects of the financial organization, treasury, capital management, investor relations, supporting overall company strategy, acquisitions, and the Board of Directors. Before Brown & Brown, Andrew worked at Thomson Reuters for 12 years, he was responsible for leading a global team focused on transforming the end-to-end delivery of the customer buying experience and product fulfillment through process redesign and system implementation. Prior to this role, Andrew was CFO for the Investment and Advisory Division of Thomson Reuters Markets and was responsible for all financial functions as well as helping to set the strategic direction and operations for the division. Before Thomson Reuters, Andrew was co-founder and CFO of an internet start-up company. He started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he worked for approximately 10 years in Chicago, Milan, Italy, and Florham Park, New Jersey. In addition to his commitments, Andrew is a Board Member for the Museum of Arts and Science in Daytona Beach, Florida, a member of the Florida Institute of CFOs, has held board leadership positions with a Make-a-Wish office and a community theatre, as well as having sat on the NYSE corporate advisory board. Andy Watts’ style of high impact financial leadership at Brown & Brown has delivered a heightened focus on financial discipline, capital allocation and decision support for the business. Andy is responsible for all financial aspects of the organization, including treasury and investor relations. He also supports strategy, acquisitions and the board of directors. He currently sits on the board of directors for New Planet Energy Development, an organization focused on recycling, manufacturing of alternative renewable fuels and bio-refinery technology, as well as the advisory board for Illinois State University College of Business. Andy previously held the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University. He resides in Daytona Beach, Florida, is married with two daughters and enjoys golf, basketball, skiing and traveling.
Retirements
Den Patten
Den Patten wrapped up a 36-year career as a faculty member in Illinois State University’s Department of Accounting with his retirement in the summer of 2021. His connections with the department go even further back as he obtained both bachelor’s (1978) and master’s (1982) degrees here before getting his Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska in 1987. Den’s primary teaching responsibilities in the Department of Accounting included both undergraduate and graduate courses in managerial accounting, governmental and nonprofit accounting, and the Introduction to Accounting Research graduate course. He loved the interactions with students and won numerous teaching awards at the department, college, and university levels. Den was a prolific researcher who is known worldwide for his contributions to the field of social and environmental accounting and disclosure. He ended his career with 74 refereed publications including a number of articles in the highest-rated academic journals in accounting. His work continues to make a big impact in the research community as, through 2021, he ranked 21st out of more than 5,000 accounting academics in terms of career citations, and he was among the top ten for 2021 alone. Particularly over the second half of his career, Den worked extensively with emerging scholars from both ISU and around the world. He also delivered plenary presentations at conferences in Scotland, New Zealand, France, Portugal, and Canada and was an
ISU
invited speaker at numerous universities in the U.S. and abroad. In 2019, Den received designation as a Distinguished Professor, the highest award available to faculty at Illinois State University. According to Den, the most rewarding part of his tenure as a professor in the Department of Accounting was the opportunity to connect and grow with his students, his colleagues, and the various administrators who were so supportive of his work. Although he is now retired from ISU, Den continues to coach cross country and track at Normal Community High School with his brother Tom and sister-in-law Amy Scott. He is now in his 38th year of coaching high school athletics. He also continues to run himself, although he suggests that most people would not likely recognize it as such. On the other hand, he claims his beer-drinking is as good as ever, and he really enjoys getting to do more of that with the great group of friends he has made over his lifetime.
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Alumni support of Illinois State University is tremendously important for many reasons. Gifts received from alumni provide the “margin of excellence” in our programs. It is interesting to note that less than 10 percent of the University’s operating funds actually come from the state of Illinois as of late. Additionally, outside organizations view alumni giving as a measure of “customer satisfaction.” For example, the percentage of alumni who give to Illinois State University factors into the US News and World Report’s “Best Colleges” rankings. While the number is only a small factor in the overall ranking, Illinois State University stands well behind the institutions we strive to emulate. For these reasons, your annual gift is extremely important. Your gift, no matter the size, can make a real difference to Illinois State University students. The students, faculty, and staff of the Department of Accounting thank all those who have supported the department and the university. This significant support is testimony to the enhanced sense of mutual responsibility to ensure quality education in accounting and business information systems. Last year, the Department of Accounting had 238 individual donors and 35 corporate donors totaling $535,019. Many recent donations have been to create endowments for scholarships. This year, the department gave over $200,000 at the spring scholarship banquet.
Thank you to all of you for your support.
awards night
The following awards were presented at the 39th annual Accounting and Business Information Systems Awards Ceremony on April 20, 2023. The department is proud of the accomplishments of these students and wishes to thank the organizations that provided financial support for these awards. 41st Annual Clifton Larson Allen Award Anthony Bedolli
17th Annual COUNTRY Financial Award Joseph Appelhans Sean Collins Emma Gregory Malik Khatib Joe McLaughlin Toby Plattner
Allison Riggs Paige Sauder Jack Skaggs Pladi Tuzuemo Riley Walker
43rd Annual Dunbar, Breitweiser & Co. Award Tyrah Sexton Natalie Starkey
17th Annual Enterprise Rent-A-Car Award Jessica Dziadkowiec
22nd Annual FORVIS Award Brandon Whetsell
51st Annual Glenn Webb Education Fund, GROWMARK Foundation Award Riley Walker
22nd Annual MCK Mary Ann Webb Scholarship Cade Walder
14th Annual Miller Cooper & Company Award Colton Doll Carson Forbes
7th Annual Mike and Karen Essington BIS Scholarship Toby Plattner Pladi Tuzuemo
5th Annual Jacalyn Ferree Endowed Scholarship in Accounting Grace Johnson
12th Annual Flessner Family Endowed Scholarship Honoring Dr. Gerry McKean Justin Gibbs Malik Khatib Joe McLaughlin Anthony Miritello Connor Rowe
3rd Annual Foltz Family Scholarship Justin Huls Mary Robertson Isaac Robinson
Carson Forbes
16th Annual Kate King Wu & Horace C. Wu Scholarship Rachel Hodson Brittney Oakley Tyrah Sexton
7th Annual Zarcone Family Scholarship Ashley Heagy Aaron Heppner Monserrat Lara Anh Nguyen
Michael Sikorski Natalie Starkey
Institute of Management Accountants CMA Program Scholarship
Tyrah Sexton
34th Annual Accounting Alumni Association James A. Hallam Scholarship
20th Annual Becker Professional Education Scholarship
Jason Pike
6th Annual Jim & Jeanette Hallam CPA Candidate Scholarship
17th Annual RSM Award
Allison Riggs
2nd Annual Sikich LLP Accounting and BIS Diversity Scholarship
2nd Annual Vandermyde Family Scholarship
Victoria Chaidez Michael Fiala Iris Gobin Brandi Tate
Timothy Mayer
Brittney Oakley Joi Strickland Katie Birkland Natalie Wood Ross Lochbaum
Isaac Robinson
2nd Annual Mary Graffy Memorial Scholarship
24th Annual PricewaterhouseCoopers Award Liam Rudin
Paige Sauder Cole Stremlau Brandon Whetsell
2023 William Townes Memorial Scholarship
Mary Farmer Alyssa Hadding
6th Annual Roger’s CPA Review Scholarship
2nd Annual Douglas W. Hart Accounting Scholarship
Eli Rudin
3rd Annual Industrial Accounting Scholarship
Mary Farmer Joi Strickland
Jack Skaggs
9th Annual Lafrence Family Accounting Scholarship Anh Nguyen Alison Ogunmokum
1st Annual Dr. Thomas Secoy CPA Exam Scholarship 11th Annual Steve Michels CPA Review Course Scholarship Joi Strickland
3rd Annual Surgent CPA Review Scholarship Whitney Boone Jessica Dziadkowiec Rian Jacquat
Emma Gregory Martin Jose Jessica Laughlin
6th Annual McMullen Family First Generation Student Scholarship
16th Annual State Farm Award
4th Annual Eric Mickel Scholarship for Accounting
5th Annual Wiley CPA Excel Scholarship
6th Annual John and Kathy Rennick Accounting Scholarship
2023 Business Information Systems Alumni Outstanding Undergraduate BIS Student Award
Alexa Gonzalez Tyson Kralis Gracie O’Brian Andy Trower Aaron Wubbena
4th Annual Tighe, Kress & Orr, PC Award Ashley Heagy
7th Annual Bradley Benson Memorial ISACA-Illini Chapter BIS Scholarship Malik Khatib
Rachel Hodson
Riley Walker
Sam Kahovec Jade Schierer-Jablonski
26th Annual W. Max Rexroad Scholarship Katie Birkland Madison Mennenga Natalie Wood
3rd Annual Business Information Systems Scholarship 15th Annual James H. Schlesser Malik Khatib Endowed Scholarship Landon Cook 11th Annual Caroline Kern Craig Endowed Fund Scholarship 19th Annual Herbert C. Sieg Alyssa Hadding Endowed Scholarship Jessica Laughlin
Mary Farmer
15th Annual David Currie CPA Scholarship Ross Lochbaum Joi Strickland
Jude Rayburn
3rd Annual Brad Dawson Memorial Fund Scholarship
2nd Annual Kelley and James Smith Accounting Scholarship
Rachel Hodson Michael Sikorski
17th Annual Duane and Diana Debs Scholarship
Mary Robertson
25th Annual Nims Associates Bill Spaniol Memorial Scholarship
Colton Doll
Veronica Kiernia Angelo Whitley
4th Annual Diversity Excellence Accounting Scholarship
2nd Annual Tanyi Family Accounting Scholarship
Alison Ogunmokun
12th Annual Eovaldi Family Accounting Scholarship Adam Kirch Timothy Mayer
Caren Chumba
2nd Annual Pierre Van d’helsen Scholarship Joi Strickland
Madelynne Griffith
Brady King
2023 Marcotte Family Outstanding Undergraduate Accounting Student Award Elise Dotterer
2023 Marcotte Family Outstanding Master of Professional Accountancy Award Emme Olsen
2023 Marcotte Family Outstanding Master of Science in Accountancy Award Eli Rudin
Multi-Year Awards Gary and Helen Anetsberger Scholarship Jason Pike Natalie Wood Aaron Wubbena
William A. Fortsch Accounting Scholarship Jacob Attieku Brooke Covey
Sears Accounting Scholarship Mary Farmer
LEGACY STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Paul Kelson
Wendi Kaeb (Paul Kelson’s daughter)
When I was in high school, I was a member of the Future Teachers of America. I planned to be a high school math teacher. Duringt my senior year I was fortunate to work at an accounting service bureau on the work/study program and found that I enjoyed accounting very much. Even though I have been a CPA for more than 40 years and worked in business, the desire to teach never left me and now I am fulfilling that part of my goal with an encore career. I started college at Eastern Illinois University, but after the first two years, I found out that if I wanted to have a better chance of being a CPA, I needed to transfer to Illinois State University. I graduated in May of 1978 and sat for the exam that month. Fortunately, I passed it the first time. I have worked in public accounting, worked in and owned a part of an accounting service bureau, been a controller of a large regional construction company and owned my own public accounting firm for 28 years. I sold my firm in August of 2016 and returned to ISU to pursue my master’s degree in accounting which I obtained in August of 2017. I have taught accounting at Parkland College and Heartland Community College. I started teaching at Illinois State University in the Fall 2022 semester. My wife and I moved to Normal at the end of 2016. We are celebrating our 46th wedding anniversary this summer. We have four adult children, two of whom are accountants. We are also blessed with nine grandchildren between the ages of 5 and 18 years old.
I chose to attend Illinois State University for several reasons. The major I started out in was math education, and ISU is known for its education program. Also, Dad had graduated from ISU and had a positive experience. To seal the deal, I applied for and received the Presidential Scholarship at ISU, which was wonderful! I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Financial Accounting. After graduating from Illinois State, I worked for about a year as the Financial Officer at Citizens State Bank of Cropsey. When we were bought out by Morton Community Bank, I transferred to their accounting department and worked up to VP and Assistant Controller. One of my main duties was the regulatory reporting to the various agencies. I got married during that time to Philip Kaeb. We have two children - Kylann (7) and Brendan (5) and live in Saybrook, Illinois. After Brendan’s birth, I left the bank and took some time with the children. At the end of 2020, I started working remotely part-time for a former boss from Morton Community Bank who had started her own tax prep and financial consulting service, Palm Tree Consulting, in Olathe, Kansas. I work as an accountant for a number of her small business clients doing everything from bookkeeping, reconciliation, and financial statements, to payroll services. I also do the bookkeeping for my husband’s business, Kaeb Wood Products. I am grateful for a degree that allows me to continue my career while being at home with my children.
Caleb Kelson (Paul Kelson’s son) I chose Illinois State University because it was a great accounting school close to me. I also liked the BS/MPA program that allowed me to get a master’s and bachelor’s in 5 years. Once at ISU, finding the Business Information Systems program helped shape my career. The ability to take various accounting and business courses allowed me to realize what career path I wanted to pursue. I changed majors at the end of my junior year to align my interests with my majors. Since graduating, I have used my education to hold roles in both IT and Accounting at ADM and currently am the Global Financial System Support Controller, which uses my BIS and Accounting education.
Stefanie (Strenge) Croix My name is Stefanie Lynn Croix, but back when I was studying Financial Accounting at Illinois State University it was Stefanie Lynn Strenge. I was in the Honors Program while at ISU and was awarded the Robert G. Bone Scholarship in 1995-1996. I graduated in 1996 with an accounting major (financial sequence) and a mathematics minor and passed the CPA exam that same year. While at ISU, I interned at McGladrey & Pullen LLP, which is now part of RSM International. After graduation, I worked as an auditor for McGladrey from 1996 to 2002. Working as an auditor at what was then a mid-sized public accounting firm allowed me to experience accounting in many different industries. I audited non-profits, manufacturing companies, municipalities, and school districts. In 2002, just after I had my first child, Brian Scott Croix Jr., I took a job in the business office of one of my school district clients, Community High School District 218, as the Assistant Business Manager. The Business Manager convinced me to go back to school for my master’s degree in Education in School Business Management. After that, I worked in a few different school districts in the Assistant Business Manager role until finally settling at Lockport Township High School District 205 in 2006. I became the Director of Business Services for the District in July of 2014 and remain there today. When my son Brian was looking at colleges, I knew he would love Illinois State University. However, I had to let him discover that on his own. He has leadership characteristics that he isn’t even aware he has yet, and when he decided to switch majors and study accounting, I could not have been prouder!
ACCOUNTING STUDENT INTERNSHIPS
The Department of Accounting has a successful internship program designed to encourage closer ties among employers, students, and faculty. During the Spring 2023 semester, the department placed 42 student interns with various organizations and 68 students in Summer 2023. If you are interested in participating in the internship program, please contact the internship coordinator Dr. Ron Guidry (309)438-2968 rguidry@illinoisstate.edu
SPRING 2023:
• Isaac Adams, CliftonLarsonAllen, Peoria • Jacob Attieku, KPMG, Chicago • Dana Bays, Kemper CPA Group, Champaign • Lashunti Beal, B & J Tax Services, Oak Brook • Whitney Boone, CliftonLarsonAllen, Bloomington • Tyler Broge, Dunbar, Breitweiser & Company, LLP, Bloomington • Victoria Chaidez, AVID Business Advisors, Chicago • William Doebler, RSM, Chicago • Carson Forbes, Miller Cooper, Downers Grove • Alexa Gonzalez, RSM, Schaumburg • Kurtis Hinrichsen, Goodfield State Bank, Goodfield • Dominic Holt, CliftonLarsonAllen, Peoria • Rian Jacquat, Plante Moran, Schaumburg • Cole Kaplan, Miller Cooper, Deerfield • Ryan King, Tighe Kress & Orr, Elgin • Tyson Kralis, CliftonLarsonAllen, St. Louis, MO • Kyle Krogstad, Eder, Casella & Co., McHenry • Dylan Lambrecht, Gorenz and Associates, Ltd., Peoria • Jessica Laughlin, RSM, Chicago • Elliot Lohr, Plante Moran, Schaumburg • Austin Mayer, Striegel Knobloch & Company, LLC, Bloomington • Mitchell Mazander, Miller Cooper, Chicago • Katie McLaughlin, CNA Insurance, Chicago • John Milott, Striegel Knobloch & Company, LLC, Bloomington • Jaden Murray, Dunbar, Breitweiser & Company, LLP, Bloomington • Jayda Nicholas, Maui Jim, Peoria • Janice Nyarko, EisnerAmper, Minneapolis, MN • Toby Plattner, Nussbaum Transportation, Hudson • Paige Sauder, CliftonLarsonAllen, Bloomington • Brookelynn Smith, Vault Strategies, Bloomington • Natalie Starkey, Dunbar, Breitweiser & Company, LLP, Bloomington • Gabrielle Stoltenberg, SVA, Brookfield, WI • Brandi Tate, Miller Cooper, Chicago • Avery Taylor, DHJJ, Naperville • Jan Urbas, Grant Thornton, Chicago • Matthew Varland, Miller Cooper, Chicago • Griffin Wagers, FORVIS, Decatur • Kamryn Williams, RSM, Naples, FL • Caroline Wilson, Chortek LLP, Waukesha, WI • Cole Wright, CliftonLarsonAllen, Bloomington • Aaron Wubbena, Martin Hood LLC, Champaign • Benjamin Yeboah, Deloitte & Touche LLP, New York, NY
SUMMER 2023:
• Beatrice Oyinkansola Adelakun, Deloitte and Touche LLP, New York, NY • Nathan Allen, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Princeton • Christian Amoakoh, Deloitte and Touche LLP, New York, NY • Paige Antczak, Crowe LLP, Chicago • Jose Aquino, RSM, Chicago • Abayomi Balogun, CliftonLarsonAllen, Portland, OR • Ryan Barrett, RSM, Peoria • Adem Barrick, Legacy Professionals, Westchester • Dana Bays, KEB Wealth Advisors, Springfield • Megan Benner, Wibben Detasseling Company, Emden • Katie Birkland, Motorola Solutions, Chicago • Matthew Butscher, Baker Tilly US, LLP, Chicago • Madison Bylak, Johnson Lambert, Park Ridge • Nina Carey, Eder, Casella, & Co., McHenry
• Julian Carrillo, Ultimus Leverpoint Private Fund Solutions, Chicago • Caren Chumba, CliftonLarsonAllen, Bloomington • Sean Collins, Selden Fox, Oak Brook • Landon Cook, Growmark, Bloomington • Brooke Covey, Archer Daniels Midland, Decatur • Nathaniel Cundiff, Archer Daniels Midland, Decatur • Diane Diaz, State Farm, Bloomington • Colton Doll, RSM, Chicago • Stacy Drohan, Enterprise Holdings, Lombard • Tearra Edwards, RSM, Chicago • Jimmy Golaris, RSM, Chicago • Joseph Harrington, Plante Moran, Chicago • Jay Hendershot, CRS Hospitality LLC, Champaign • Aaron Heppner, Miller Cooper, Deerfield • Brenden Hesik, Catalano, Caboor & Co., Lombard • Lucas Hofer, Russell Leigh and Associates, LLC, Hoopeston • Sakila Akter Jahan, Keplr Vision, Bloomington • Leonard Kagbo, Deloitte and Touche LLP, Chicago • Adam Kirch, Miller Cooper, Deerfield • Aaron Kull, Caterpillar, Peoria • Nathan Kunstman, WP Global Partners, Chicago • Monserrat Lara, Plante Moran, Chicago • Tyler Lindahl, Sikich, Naperville • Ethan Logan, Illinois Tool Works, Glenview • Elliot Lohr, RSM, Chicago • Jennifer Matysek, Motorola Solutions, Chicago • Steven Maya, Village of Frankfort, Frankfort • Mitchell Mazander, KPMG, Chicago • Andrew Miller, Caterpillar, Peoria • Anthony Miritello, KPMG, Chicago • Jacob Nied, Vertex Accounting Partners, Downers Grove • Emma Norden, PwC, Chicago • Brittney Oakley, Archer Daniel Midland, Decatur • Alyssa O’Connor, Miller Cooper, Deerfield • Alison Ogunmokun, State Farm, Bloomington • Jason Pike, Johnson Lambert, Park Ridge • Caleb Poe, Kerber, Eck, & Braeckel LLP, Springfield • Lauren Rawson, First State Bank and Trust, Bloomington • Michael Roehrich, ADM Investor Services, Chicago • Paige Sauder, Gorenz and Associates, Ltd., Peoria • Libby Schmidt, Archer Daniels Midland, Decatur • Amaya Sessom, PepsiCo, Chicago • Natalie Starkey, CliftonLarsonAllen, Bloomington • Sachin Suji, Vault Strategies, Bloomington • Kamil Taiwo, Keplr Vision, Bloomington • Sarah Temko, Miller Cooper, Deerfield • Thomas Turpin, Anders CPA, St. Louis, MO • Jan Urbas, Archer Daniels Midland, Decatur • Matt Varland, Martin Hood LLC, Champaign • Cade Walder, State Farm, Bloomington • Riley Walker, CIT Trucks, Normal • Brooklyn Weller, State Farm, Bloomington • Kamryn Williams, Caterpillar, Peoria • Benjamin Yeboah, Cummins Inc, Columbus, IN
Debbie Lindberg Scholarship Update
Redbird Harlan Fuller ’77, M.S. ’79, created a scholarship for Accounting students to honor retired faculty, Debbie Lindberg, who served Illinois State University for 26 years. Your donation to help build up the new Deborah L. Lindberg Accounting Scholarship will provide financial assistance to accounting undergraduate students in need. Thanks to generous donations by Redbirds on Birds Give Back Day 2023, we have raised over $2,500 for the Lindberg Scholarship, but we ask you to consider a meaningful gift to help build up the fund to assist more students for this academic year. Thank you for your gift in support of Accounting Redbirds and in honor of Debbie!
Use this QR code to donate to the scholarship:
More about Debbie Lindberg: Lindberg, an Accounting professor at Illinois State University joined the faculty in 1997. She earned a PhD from Boston University, an MBA from Florida Atlantic University and a BA from the University of Northern Iowa. A member of numerous professional and academic organizations, including Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma, the American Accounting Association, and the Institute of Internal Auditors, she has received many honors, among them several Department of Accounting Outstanding Performance Awards for teaching, service and scholarly productivity, the Arthur H. Winakor Award for the Outstanding Accounting Faculty Member of the Year for both the 1998-99 and 2002-03 academic years, and the Outstanding Educator Award from Illinois CPA Society in 2009. Thank you for giving!
DID WE MISS SOMETHING? Alumni Updates
We are proud of the accomplishments of our alumni. If you have professional accomplishments you would like to share with us, please report them to Dr. Kristie Young at kmyou13@ilstu.edu.
d n a k c a b d e fe s n o i t s e g g su . t u p n i r ou y We value | @BusinessISU
Department of Accounting Newsletter Editors: • Kristie Young • Harlan Fuller • Brent Lao