Accounting Departmental News

Ketz Co-authors New Book

A new book co-authored by a Smeal College of Business professor explains a recent statement by the Financial Accounting Standards Board regarding fair value measurements and clarifies how to use fair values in financial reporting.

Accounting Department Newsletter, Fall 2007

Dean's Message, Advisory Board News, Grants/Awards, Research Corner, Faculty News, Ph.D. Program News (.pdf 919Kb) *Acrobat

Dirsmith Receives National Award

Mark Dirsmith receives the American Accounting Association’s ABO Section Notable Contribution Award in Behavioral Accounting Literature.  The award will be presented at the ABO Research Conference on October 19 in Philadelphia.  The award is a lifetime contribution award and is given to exceptional individuals who have made significant contributions in the behavioral accounting literature.

Barron and Louis Receive Promotions and Tenure

Orie Barron to Professor of Accounting and Henock Louis to Associate Professor of Accounting.

Charles H. Smith Named Accounting Alumnus of the Year

Charles H. Smith was named the 2007 Penn State Outstanding Accounting Alumnus of the Year on April 19, 2007 at the Robert W. Koehler Beta Alpha Psi Banquet.

Robert W. Koehler Deceased

Robert W. Koehler "Bear" drowned in a swimming accident on January 3, 2007, while vacationing in Florida. A memorial service was held February 2, 2007.  Memorial donations may be made to the Robert W. Koehler Academic Excellence in Accounting Scholarship. 

Steven Huddart Named KPMG Professor

Steven J. Huddart was named the KPMG Professor of Accounting.  Dr. Huddart is an internationally renowned scholar in the field of financial information and managerial incentives.

Charles H. Smith Retires

Charles (Charlie) H. Smith KPMG Professor of Accounting, retired June 30, 2006 from Penn State University. Charlie joined the faculty of the Department of Accounting at the Smeal College of Business in 1987, serving as the Department’s Chair until 2000. A retirement celebration dinner was held October 28, 2006 to honor Charlie.

The Charles H. Smith Professorship is being established to honor Charlie’s many contributions to the profession. For donations and more information about the Professorship, please contact Emily Flatt of the Smeal College Development Office at eaf13@psu.edu or 814-863-5945, or any of the committee members: Noah Barsky, Villanova University; Mark Callihan, KPMG; Bob Denove, Deloitte & Touche; Pat Durbin, PricewaterhouseCoopers; Al Kesler, Deloitte & Touche; Larry Kuhns, Penn State University; James Matheny, Retired, Seven Springs; Jim McKeown, Penn State University; Dave Otteni, KPMG; John Tierney, Ernst & Young; and Andy Weidman, Reinsel, Kuntz, Lesher LLP.

Mark W. Dirsmith Honored for Schreyer Honors Advising

Mark Dirsmith, the Deloitte & Touche Professor of Accounting at Penn State's Smeal College of Business, was named this year’s winner of the Schreyer Honors College Excellence in Advising Award. Mark has been a member of the Smeal faculty since 1975, has taught six different sections of honors courses in accounting and business administration since 2000, and has served as Director of Smeal’s Schreyer Honors Program since 2002.

Accounting Department Newsletter for Alumni and Friends, Spring 2005

Dean's Message, Advisory Board News, Grants/Awards, Research Corner, Faculty News, Ph.D. Program News (.pdf 919Kb) *Acrobat 

John Surma Honored as Outstanding Accounting Alumnus of the Year

John P. Surma, Jr. was named the Outstanding Accounting Alumnus of the Year for 2005. He was honored at the annual Beta Alpha Psi Spring banquet on April 20th and was also presented with a Beta Alpha Psi Honorary Membership. Mr. Surma graduated from Penn State in 1976 with a bachelor's of science degree in accounting.

Smith to Receive Accounting Education Award

Charles H. Smith, the KPMG Professor of Accounting at Penn State's Smeal College of Business, received the 2005 Distinguished Achievement in Accounting Education Award from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

Three Honored for Teaching & Advising Excellence

Karl Muller, Rose Mary Witham, and Kaan Kuzu have received 2004-2005 Dillwyn P. Paiste, III and Fred Brand, Jr. Awards from Penn State's Smeal College of Business. The awards, which recognize excellence in teaching and advising at the college, were presented April 5th during a ceremony at the Nittany Lion Inn.

Fischer, Huddart Paper Receives Ethics Award

Paul Fischer and Steven J. Huddart, faculty members in the Department of Accounting at Penn State's Smeal College of Business, received the Glen McLaughlin Award for Research in Accounting Ethics for their paper entitled, "Optimal Contracting with Endogenous Reporting Norms."