In an effort to recognize significant contributions made to the accounting profession, each year since 1974, Beta Alpha Psi has honored worthy individuals as Accountants of the Year. Each local chapter, the National Council, and the National Advisory Forum are invited to nominate persons from the fields of public accounting, education, and industry or government. Nominees must have affected a large number of lives, contributed both locally and nationally to the profession, added to accounting knowledge as demonstrated through publications, lectures or presentations, and must be active in the profession at the time of nomination.

For 1997, Beta Alpha Psi is proud to announce the selection of the following persons for the Accountant of the Year Awards: JANE O. BURNS in Education; F. LYNN MARKEL in Industry; and JAMES J. SCHIRO in Public Accounting. Dr. Jane Burns is a member of the Beta Theta Chapter at Pennsylvania State University; Mr. Markel was nominated by the Epsilon Theta Chapter at Kansas State University; and Mr. Schiro was nominated by the Eta Mu Chapter at St. John's University.

Click on the award winner's name for a photograph.

Dr. Jane Burns
EDUCATION...Jane O. Burns is Professor of Accounting at Texas Tech University, where she holds the Frank M. Burke Chair in Taxation. She holds the B.S. and MBA degrees from the University of Louisville, and earned her Ph.D. in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University in 1976. She holds CPA certification in Kentucky and Texas. Prior to moving to Texas Tech University in 1986, she taught at Indiana University for 10 years. Professor Burns contributes significantly to the accounting profession through her outstanding teaching in the tax area, her continuing record of accomplishment in research and writing, and her active service involvement in scholarly and professional associations. She has been editor and contributor to Irwin textbooks in Individual Taxation, Federal Taxation, Estate and Gift Taxation, Corporation and Partnership Taxation, and has also published numerous scholarly and practice-oriented articles in professional journals such as the Accounting Review, the Journal of Taxation, Tax Executive Magazine, and The Tax Advisor. Throughout her career, Professor Burns has been intensively involved with both the American Accounting Association and the American Taxation Association, and served as President of the latter association during 1988-89. Her high level of professional accomplishment was recognized in 1993 when she was named Distinguished Accounting Educator of the Year by the Texas Society of CPA's. Jane finds time for community service as well, as attested to by her 1991 award as Outstanding Big Sister of the Year from the Lubbock chapter of Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Professor Burns is a fine example of the highest intellectual and service standards of the accounting profession.

Mr. Lynn Markel
INDUSTRY...Mr. F. Lynn Markel is Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration and member of the Board of Directors for Koch Industries, Inc., the second-largest privately held corporation in the United States. His job responsibilities include accounting, legal, tax, internal audit, and corporate services. Mr. Markel earned his B.S. degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University in 1962, his M.S. in Accounting from Wichita State University in 1969, and commenced his career with Koch Industries as Assistant Controller in 1976. Outside of the workplace, Lynn Markel actively contributes to the accounting profession and to the community. He is a member of the Financial Executives Institute, serves on the Program Council of the Tax Foundation, based in Washington, D.C., and he is also current Chairman of the Kansas Performance Review Board. As a successful alumnus of both Kansas State University and Wichita State University, Lynn is greatly in demand as a presenter at meetings of student associations. He is known for making a strong positive impression on current accounting students, not only because of his outstanding professional accomplishments and the time and energy he devotes to lively and informative presentations, but because he is always willing to make the time to listen to and advise students. Mr. Markel is an active member of the Board of Governors of Wichita State University, and a foundation trustee for Kansas State University. Most recently his continuing outstanding contributions to student-alumni relations have been recognized by his being named as the 1996 Alumni Fellow by the Kansas State University College of Business. Lynn Markel is an outstanding role model for the current generation of accounting students.

Mr. James Schiro
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING...Mr. James J. Schiro is Chairman and Senior Partner Elect of PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is also Vice Chairman and Managing Partner for the New York Metropolitan Region and serves as Managing Partner of the New York office. He has over two decades of experience directing audits and providing special services for large multinational clients with operations in Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Far East. Mr. Schiro is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the New York State Society of Public Accountants, and the Board of Governors of the World Economic Forum. He is Treasurer and Executive Committee member of the United States Council for International Business, and Chairperson of the Business Improvement District (BID) Task Force of the Economic Development Committee of the New York City Partnership/Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Schiro is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Regional Plan Association, the British-North American Committee, and the New York Steering Committee of the Accountants Coalition on Liability Reform. A graduate of St. John's University, Mr. Schiro serves as a member of the Board of Advisors Executive Committee for the College of Business Administration. He is a member of the Leadership Committee of the Lincoln Center Consolidated Corporate Fund and serves as Chairperson of the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees for the McCarter Theater in Princeton, New Jersey. Mr. Schiro is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor (1994), the St. John's University Alumni Pietas Medal (1992), and the Avenue of the Americas Association's Gold Key Award (1992). James Schiro has well demonstrated his outstanding commitment to the advancement of the accounting profession.

Past Recipients

1974 Dr. James Don Edwards Education 1975 Paul Garner Education 1976 Dr. Norton Bedford Education 1977 Joseph A. Silvoso Education Joseph B. Collison Industry Richard T. Baker Public Accounting 1978 Herbert E. Miller Education Thomas A. Murphy Industry John C. Biegler Public Accounting 1979 K. Fred Skousen Education A. Clarence Sampson, Jr. Government Ray J. Groves Public Accounting 1980 Harold Q. Langenderfer Education Ulysses J. LeGrange Industry Wayne J. Albers Public Accounting 1981 G. Kenneth Nelson Education William F. Spengler Industry James Leisenring Public Accounting 1982 Doyle Z. Williams Education A. L. Monroe Industry M. Paul LeBlanc Public Accounting 1983 Charles T. Zlatkovich Education Kenneth E. Tigges Industry Samuel A. Derieux Public Accounting 1984 Sidney Davidson Education Victor H. Brown Industry Arthur Wyatt Public Accounting 1985 Robert N. Anthony Education Charles Bowsher Government Thomas L. Holton Public Accounting

1986 Larzette G. Hale Education Dennis R. Beresford Public Accounting 1987 Gerhard G. Mueller Education Rhola E. Larson Public Accounting 1988 Robert T. Sprouse Education W. Val Oveson Government Albert Cohen Public Accounting 1989 Stephen Zeff Education Kathryn Forbes Industry Michael Chetkovich Public Accounting 1990 Edward N. Coffman Education Ronald L. Bell Industry Thomas J. Nessinger Public Accounting 1991 John K. Simmons Education Allen J. Krowe Industry Thomas W. Rimerman Public Accounting 1992 Belverd E. Needles, Jr. Education Kathryn J. Whitmire Government/Industry Gerald A. Polansky Public Accounting 1993 Charles T. Horngren Education Charles E. Billingsley Industry Jake Netterville Public Accounting 1994 Quiester Craig Education Gaylen N. Larson Industry Frank K. Ross Public Accounting 1995 Alvin A. Arens Education Rodney H. Brady Industry Sam DePiazza Public Accounting 1996 Andrew D. Bailey, Jr. Education Clark H. Johnson Industry Bernard J. Milano Public Accounting