by M. C. Jennings | Mar 24, 2016 | Academics, Accounting, Careers In..., COBA Faculty, Faith Infusion, MAcc, Uncategorized
What is your education background?
Ph.D., University of Florida, 1990 – major in Accounting and minor in Finance
M.S., Abilene Christian University, 1984 – major in Religious Education
B.B.A., Abilene Christian University, 1980 – major in Accounting
Dr. John Neill
What is your work background?
I began my career as a Programmer Analyst and Corporate Accountant with Pennzoil Company, working for them from 1980-1983. I spent a year as an Accounting Instructor for ACU from 1984-1985, moving from ACU to the University of Florida as a Research and Teaching Assistant from 1986-1990. I then began my work in academia, serving as an Assistant Professor at Florida State University from 1990-1997, as an Associate Professor at Chapman University from 1997-2000, and then moving to ACU where I began in 2000 as an Associate Professor. I now serve as the Chair of the Department of Accounting and Finance and am a Professor of Accounting.
What do you teach at ACU?
I teach Intermediate Accounting II and Advanced Accounting.
What committees/other duties do you have at ACU aside from teaching?
I am the Chair of the Accounting and Finance Department and the Director of the Master of Accountancy Program.
John, Natalie, and Karene Neill
What drew you to teaching? Why did you want to work with students?
In 1984 and 1985 I was working on a master’s degree in Bible at ACU. During that time, I was asked to teach one sophomore level accounting course per semester. I was surprised to learn how much I enjoyed that experience and it caused me to want to get a Ph.D. in accounting so I could continue to teach accounting at the university level.
What’s the best part of working with students?
I think the most rewarding aspect of teaching is that I get to see students grow up and mature over time.
Have you ever given up any big opportunities to keep working with students?
No, I have never considered doing anything else in the last 25 years.
Outside of teaching, what passions and hobbies do you have?
I am a graduate of the University of Florida, and I really enjoy watching Florida sporting events on TV. I also like to travel. In my younger days, I was an avid runner and I ran three marathons and a number of half marathons. I still enjoy exercising, but injuries have caused me to stop running.
Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.
I was invited to be a panelist at the Bentley University Global Business Ethics Symposium in Madrid, Spain in 2007. I also feel a sense of accomplishment every time one of my research papers is published.
Do you do any charity or non-profit work?
My wife and I deliver Meals on Wheels on Thursdays. We have had the same route for many years.
John and Karene Neill
Who is your role model and why?
I can’t think of a specific individual who I would consider my role model. However, I have great respect for anyone who takes pride in their work and lives their life with integrity.
Who was your most inspirational professor and why?
I have always had great respect for Dr. John Willis. When I was in his classes, I could tell how much he cared for his students. His mastery of the subject matter always impressed me also.
What is something that students might be surprised to find out about you?
I mentioned this earlier, but I think most of my current students would be surprised to know that I ran the Chicago (2002), Marine Corps (2003), and the New York City (2004) marathons. Sadly, age and injuries have now forced me to exercise on an elliptical while watching Netflix (I especially like BBC shows) on my iPad.
What would you really want students and alums to know about you?
I want students and alums to know how much I enjoy teaching at ACU. I believe in Christian education and in our mission in COBA.
by M. C. Jennings | Oct 15, 2015 | Academics, Accounting, COBA Faculty, Current Students, Uncategorized
What is your educational background?
PhD – Texas A&M; MBA – University of Memphis; BBA – Harding University
David Perkins
What is your work background?
While getting my MBA I had a chance to teach and loved it…I knew one day I wanted to make that my career. I worked in public accounting for three years with Arthur Young & Co. in Dallas, TX, and then returned to Harding to teach full time. One additional note: I sold books for five summers to pay my way through college.
What do you teach at ACU?
Undergraduate: Financial Accounting – the introductory accounting course for all business majors
Graduate: Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting; Financial Statement Analysis
Outside of teaching, what passions and hobbies do you have?
I enjoy writing songs and playing the guitar. I also enjoy travel and hiking. When traveling, I love to drive with the windows down (but with the A/C cranked up!). My wife, Karla, is pretty cool about that…she enjoys it, too…like I said, she’s pretty cool!
David and Karla Perkins
Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.
I think the most significant thing I’ve done in my career is to have a part in preparing students to begin their own. My intent is for them to feel competent and confident, knowing that they have as much to offer as anyone else. I hope I’ve encouraged them to be persons of character and to lean on Christ as their hope and confidence.
What is something that students might be surprised to find out about you?
Hmmm……
What would you really want students and alums to know about you?
I love what I do. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to teach.
by M. C. Jennings | Oct 13, 2015 | Academics, Accounting, COBA Faculty, Current Students, Uncategorized
At the annual COBA faculty/staff retreat, Dr. Rick Lytle announced the creation of two professorships established by Mark and April Anthony to honor two COBA faculty of significant influence, Jozell Brister and Bill Fowler. Dr. Lytle stated that, “Each of these professors have had a profound impact in the lives of students over the course of their distinguished careers at ACU. Bill and Jo are legends in COBA history and these named professorships will help establish their names in the minds of faculty and students for years to come. “
Bill Fowler and Jozell Brister
Jozell Brister was hired as a part-time instructor in the fall of 1979 and joined the business faculty full-time on January 15, 1980 having been a highly regarded business teacher at Abilene High School before that. She has served as the Assistant and Associate Dean for deans Petty and Lytle and is now an Associate Professor of Management Sciences. Of notable achievement, she worked with Dean Bill Petty, traveling from the west coast to the east coast researching business buildings and assisting in the university-wide effort to raise money for the Mabee Business Building and helped, as she puts it, “with odds and ends while the building was in the construction phase.” Jozell directed accreditation efforts for ACBSP and AACSB, was awarded the COBA Master Teacher award, and has a teaching enrichment fellowship established by Dr. Bill Petty in her name. In addition, she was the first director/advisor of COBA’s inaugural COBA Connections advising office.
Jozell Brister participates in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Mabee Business Building
When asking her about her advising role, she says that, “In the fall of 1980, I was assigned to be the academic advisor for all the business students and we had around 1,200 students. At registration time I had to approve their schedules. One semester I had a bad cold during the registration period. I had such a long line of students waiting for me to approve their schedules, that I didn’t even have time to blow my nose between students. Needless to say, I was not very good at that job. I don’t remember how many semesters I served as academic advisor to the business students. Dr. Faubus had been doing the advising in addition to teaching 4 or 5 classes each semester. After maybe two or three semesters, Bill Petty re-assigned the advising, and I began serving in the Dean’s Suite.”
Dr. Monty Lynn stated that “Jozell has been a constant friend and capable economics teacher for thousands of students passing through ACU, shepherding students through what is a challenging subject for many. She often meets with students in her office as a guide and friend and would win the college’s ‘Best Organized’ award if we ever minted one. She served as an administrator during the college’s formative years and many of her accomplishments – including the advising center and coordinating accreditation efforts – continue as COBA distinctives today. Several years ago, economist Alan Blinder published a book title, Hard Heads, Soft Hearts. That title describes Jozell well as she can do econometric calculations and graphing with the best, and she has dep convictions about economic fairness and justice. While I was still in graduate school, Jozell agreed to join me on a research project on labor union recruiting. Since that publication, she has co-authored research with several COBA faculty members on downsizing, teaching and learning, lifetime giving, non-profit management, and other topics. Jozell is an exceptional colleague, loved teacher, frontier Texan, and occasional humorist – and she has blessed this college through a lifetime of leadership.”
Jozell Brister visiting with incoming freshmen during Wildcat Week
When asked what having a professorship named after her means, she said, “It means a great deal to me. I am deeply touched and honored to have this professorship named for me.” Brister said that, “I would like to be remembered as a teacher who loved her students and who also delighted in being on the faculty at ACU. I would also like to be remembered as someone who had a sense of humor and who loved to make people laugh.”
Bill Fowler came to ACU with an accomplished resume having been a Senior Accountant at Deloitte from 1975-1977 and then Vice President for Finance at Rochester College from 1978-1983. He began working at ACU in January, 1984 as the Assistant Vice President for Finance. In that job, he was responsible for University Financial Reporting, Budgeting, Administrative Computing, Campus Stores and Auxiliary Services, and Physical Plant. In the fall of 1984, he began teaching one section of Accounting Principles and in the fall of 1987, began teaching one section of Auditing. Fowler began his full-time role as a COBA faculty member in the fall of 1991 and was the chair of the Department of Accounting and Finance from 1992-2014.
Bill Fowler in the early days of his ACU career
In his previous administrative role with ACU, Bill was on the building project team for the Mabee Business Building and recounts the many great stories about the construction of the building and the people involved with that project. He stated, “During my tenure as department chair, we added the degree in Financial Management and created the Master of Accountancy degree. The number of students increased from about 135 in 1991 to approximately 250 today. I am proud to have led in the hiring process of 7 of our current Accounting and Finance faculty members. I am especially proud of the role I was able to play in enhancing our relationship with many accounting firms to increase employment and internship opportunities for our students. Since 1991, we have more than tripled the number of firms that come to campus to recruit our students.”
Fowler says that having a professorship named after him is, “Humbling and rewarding. We have so many great professors at ACU. I am honored to represent them and I am grateful for the generosity of the Anthony’s in making this gift.” When asked what he would like his legacy in COBA to be, Bill stated, “I am not sure I am comfortable with the idea of legacy, but I can tell you what is important to me as a professor.
- I always try to be the best professor I can be. I stay current in my discipline, I connect with our profession, and I work on improving my teaching skills. I learned a long time ago that there was a difference in being a good teacher as compared to just being somebody who talked about what they knew.
- I always expect the best from my students.
- I enjoy being in the classroom and try to have some fun along the way.
- The relationships I have made with students are the best part of my work. They have enriched my life.
- It is important that we learn that no matter what we do, whether we are accountants or not, that our mission in life is to use our talents in ways that serve others and give glory to God.”
Bill and Carol Fowler
I think Dr. David Perkins summed up Bill Fowler well when he said, “Bill is the kind of leader who watches out for the best interest of those he represents, both students and faculty.”
These funds will be used by the respective departments, in honor of Bill and Jozell, to reward, nourish, and enhance faculty excellence in COBA through salary stipends and faculty research and development dollars. The dean and a select group of faculty will establish objectives, processes, and timelines for the selection and awarding of these professorships in this academic year. Dr. Rick Lytle says, “We are delighted to have these professorships in our college. Indeed, it is a privilege to be able to use these dollars to reward notable faculty for their accomplishments among us and to enhance their teaching, scholarship, and learning into the future. Jozell Brister and Bill Fowler are the ACU difference! They are individuals who share a great passion for students and their intellectual and spiritual development. They both are great talents in the classroom – among the best in COBA. For decades they have been faithful keepers of the ACU mission in business and share a common faith in God which helps them clearly and logically define right from wrong. As I begin my 25th year in COBA, I thankfully reflect on the blessing they have both been to me in this place we call the College of Business Administration. It has been my privilege to serve alongside two awesome colleagues: Jozell Brister and Bill Fowler.”
by Neely Borger | Feb 4, 2015 | Academics, Accounting, Careers In..., Current Students, Placement stories, Uncategorized
COBA is proud to announce that three of our Accounting students, including David Legler, Amy Morris, and Courtney Richardson, received scholarships from the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA). The Accounting Education Foundation of TSCPA has established a program to provide scholarship assistance to accounting students who plan to become Texas Certified Public Accountants and enter the accounting profession. In order to be considered for these scholarships, students must attend a university which participates in Accounting Education Foundation programs and be nominated by the chairperson of the accounting department, have completed 110 semester credit hours of college-level courses by August 31, have a GPA of 3.6 or higher, and have completed 21 semester credit hours with a B or higher in accounting courses required for accounting majors.
The scholarship recipients are currently in the MAcc program, and each student has accepted job positions with one of the “Big 4” public accounting firms and will start after graduation in May. David Legler is originally from Austin, TX and will start with KPMG in Fort Worth. Amy Morris is from Richmond, TX and will work with PwC in Oklahoma. Courtney Richardson will complete her MAcc degree in May and then will go on to work with EY in Fort Worth, TX. Dr. John Neill is extremely proud of these students, stating that they have consistently practiced excellence inside and out of the classroom. Congratulations to David, Amy, and Courtney on their well-deserved scholarships. COBA wishes you the best with your future career paths!
Courtney Richardson
David Legler
Amy Morris
by Neely Borger | Dec 4, 2014 | Academics, Accounting, COBA Faculty
“The student professor relationship in COBA is unique and unlike any other university at which I have taught. The faculty and staff are outstanding Christian people that I enjoy working with every single day,” says Accounting professor, Dr. John Neill.
This year marks the 15th year Accounting professor Dr. John Neill has been with COBA. Dr. Neill grew up in Abilene, graduating from Cooper High School before coming to ACU. He graduated from ACU earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree and then went on to the University of Florida, where he earned his Ph.D. Before coming back to ACU to teach, Dr. Neill taught at Florida State University and Chapman in Orange County, California.
Dr. Neill says that one of his favorite memories in COBA is the senior blessing retreat held a couple of years ago. At the blessing, he enjoyed all of the faculty and staff gathering together to send off the seniors. He feels incredibly blessed to be part of such an encouraging community, knowing he has made a difference in students’ lives. Dr. Neill describes COBA as cooperative, student-focused, and professional, seeking to serve God and meet students’ needs above all else. Compared to other state universities, he feels that students feel comfortable in COBA, striving to learn and gain insight from experienced professors.
Dr. Neill’s favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:37-39, which says, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Dr. Neill’s life is a clear reflection of how he lives this verse out every day, serving those around him and pushing students to reach their potential and live out their God-given talents. COBA has been extremely blessed to have Dr. Neill in our community. Thank you Dr. Neill for your Christian example and servant leadership over the past 15 years!
by Neely Borger | Nov 6, 2014 | Academics, Accounting, Careers In..., COBA Faculty, Current Students, Placement stories
COBA Interns at the EY Orlando Conference
COBA encourages and assists students in providing opportunities to pursue internships to gain real-world experience and learn hands-on applications from some of the most prestigious companies in the world. Tim Savage, a student in COBA’s Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program, interned with EY this past summer. Tim worked in the tax division and prepared multiple Texas franchise tax forms for large asset management companies. A large, global firm like EY offers many possibilities, allowing interns to tailor their career path based on their best interests.
EY also provided an all-expense paid trip to attend a firm conference in Orlando with about 3,000 other interns. At the conference, interns participated in workshops and team-building exercises, listening to executive speakers and learning from the top firm leaders. The interns were also given opportunities to have some fun! They went on excursions in Orlando and were able to spend some time at Disney World.
Throughout the internship, Tim learned how important it is to have a positive outlook and open mindset. By approaching his work with optimism, he believes he was able to build character and work diligently to be successful. After he graduates in May, Tim plans to take his CPA exams and start working full time with EY in July or August. He is thankful for COBA and the mindset it instills into their students, preparing them for Christian leadership and development in the marketplace.
“COBA’s accounting department is top quality. Not only are the professors well-qualified and excellent at teaching, they invest in their students and help them grow them into being top-performers in the workplace. I feel like the specialized knowledge taught by the experienced faculty equipped me well to take on the challenging aspects of my internship,” says Tim Savage, a MAcc student.
