Blane Ruschak, President, The PhD Project
Blane attended Rutgers College in New Jersey and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Economics in 1980. He subsequently attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he received a Masters in Accounting degree in 1982. After graduation, he began his career in the audit department of the KPMG Honolulu office where he serviced clients in the healthcare, non profit, real estate, agribusiness and hospitality industries. From 1988-1989, he participated in a 2 year rotational program in KPMG’s national training center in Montvale New Jersey where he was responsible for the development and instruction of numerous KPMG assurance courses. Upon his return to the Honolulu office, Blane assumed the responsibility of Primary Recruiter for the office in addition to servicing his assurance clients in the hospital and hospitality industries. In 1994, Blane transferred to the KPMG Long Beach office to assist with the Southern California Health care assurance and consulting practice. In 1997, Blane transferred to the Los Angeles office where he assumed the Director of College Recruiting position for the Pacific Southwest area where he was responsible for the hiring of all entry level Assurance and Tax department personnel. In 2000, Blane assumed the role of National Director of Campus Recruiting as part of the KPMG National Recruiting team in Montvale, New Jersey. In 2008, Blane assumed the role of Executive Director for Campus Recruiting and University Relations where he oversees all of the intern and entry level hiring for KPMG’s audit, tax and advisory practices including MBA as well as their University Relations Program.
Effective January 1, 2020, Blane assumed the role of the President of the KPMG US Foundation Inc and the PhD Project and is based in the Montvale, NJ office of KPMG. Effective October 1, 2021, Blane transitioned to full-time support of The PhD Project.
He served as the Beta Alpha Psi President and has previously served on the BOD as the Professional Partners Chair. He served on the Board of the Accounting Program Leadership Group (APLG), the Federation of Schools of Accounting (FSA) Board of Directors, the AICPA Pre-certification Executive Education Committee (PcEEC) and the Pathways Commission. He was recently elected to serve on the Board of Beta Gamma Sigma and continues to serve on the Board of the Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting (EFWA).
Ken Bouyer, EY Americas DEI Recruiting Leader
As EY Americas Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Recruiting Leader, Ken is responsible for developing and implementing the global EY organization’s recruiting strategy to build and attract diverse and inclusive talent pools for member firms in the Americas. Ken frequently serves as an EY industry group spokesperson on both diversity and recruiting trends at a range of events and with leading media outlets. Ken has served in a variety of roles since joining the Assurance practice of Ernst & Young LLP in 1990. Prior to his current role, Ken was a Leader in the firm’s Consulting Services practice, supporting various global internal audit clients.
Credentials and community activities
Ken is a member of the Executive Leadership Council and serves on the Board of Trustees for his alma mater, Manhattan College. He also serves on North Carolina A&T’s Dean’s Advisory Council, Howard University’s Center for Accounting Education and Arizona State University’s Accounting Advisory Board. He serves on the Audit committee for the Charter School Growth Fund. He is a lifetime member and a current Corporate Advisory Board Member of both the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) and the ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals for America) organizations and was honored with a ALPFA Lifetime Achievement Award. Ken was awarded the 2022 AACSB Influential Leader Award.
Ken is the past Chair and current member of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants’ (AICPA) National Commission on Diversity & Inclusion. Previously, Ken was a Board Member and International President of Beta Alpha Psi and a Board member and Chair of the Audit Committee for the American Accounting Association. He was awarded the NABA’s Presidential Award for his extraordinary accomplishments and leadership in the accounting profession and his commitment to and support of NABA. Ken was also the recipient of the Harlem YMCA’s Black Achiever’s in Industry award, the Michigan Society of CPA’s Diversity and Inclusion leadership award and the New Jersey State Society D&I Leadership award.
Ken has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Manhattan College in Riverdale, New York. National Association of Corporate Directors Certification and Member of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.
