Accounting Hall of Fame 1998 induction

Accounting Historians Journal, The, Jun 1999 by Wyatt, Arthur Ramer

Remarks, Citation, and Response

ARTHUR RAMER WYATT

REMARKS

I have had many fortuitous events in my life. But one of the most fortuitous was the day I walked into Professor Arthur Wyatt's graduate accounting theory class. It was September 1958 (almost 40 years ago), and it was my second day on the campus at the University of Illinois.

I'll never forget Art's first words to me. When he came to my name, as he called the class role, I was surprised to hear, "Mr. Kieso, I'll take West Aurora and 7 points." Although Art and I were complete strangers, I shortly learned that we were from the same home town, Aurora, Illinois, albiet from competing high schools. I also learned that we both caddied at the same country club; that I had played fast-pitch softball for nearly a decade with his younger brother; and that my motherin-law was his mother's childhood friend and neighbor, both graduating together from East Aurora, my high school. But, up until that wager, which Art won on Thanksgiving Day when West High beat East High, we had never met or known of each other.

It was Art who persuaded me to apply for a teaching assistantship upon entering the graduate program. He even split his honors class of James Scholars with me so that I had someone to teach. Between my masters and doctoral programs, Art persuaded me to apply for a research associate position in New York with the AICPA where I was promptly assigned to work on Art's business combination research study project. During my doctoral program, Art served as my dissertation adviser, and two years after finishing my Ph.D. program, we coauthored a book on mergers and acquisitions, which was my introduction to book writing. He has supported me throughout my career as a role model, mentor, and friend-as he has done for numerous others-including some in this audience.

Art's service to the profession is well recognized and his articles and editorials have been widely read. I wish, however, to salute him for excelling as a master teacher and as an identifier and mentor of promising students. I have always felt that his transition from academe to public accounting, though smooth and extremely successful, was premature. He had cloned himself hundreds of times in the too few years he was a professor. Not to diminish what he accomplished in public accounting, but had he remained in academe, he would have enhanced the profession with thousands of additional Wyatt disciples.

I am thankful for the opportunity to have studied under and worked my entire career with a person of such intellect and sound judgment, such devotion to his students and his profession, and such extraordinary integrity.

We have played many games of golf, but I have never beat or tied him. I cannot resist concluding: "Mr. Wyatt, I'll take my home course and 18 strokes."

REMARKS

I have known Art for close to 35 years. I have read most of his written work, be it articles or textbooks. I have listened to a number of his speeches, served on committees with him at the AAA and the AICPA, and socialized with him on many occasions at conventions, conferences, dinners, my home, and, of course, the golf course. Like Don Kieso, I am one of Art's many students. He has been my mentor, and everything that Don said about Art goes double for me.

I believe we would all agree that Art is a remarkable individual. He is a leader; he has vision; he has character; he is persuasive; he is intelligent; he is articulate; he is good-humored; and, as a result, he is just great to be around. My wife calls him the Renaissance man because he can discuss intelligently so many different subjects. As they would say in the sports world, which Art knows quite well, Art is a superstar. And his record of professional accomplishments shows that: numerous articles, presentations, textbooks, superb classroom teacher, leader of Arthur Andersen's accounting principles group, chair of AcSEC, chair of IASC, president of the AAA, and board member of the FASB. And that, in my view, is why he belongs in the Accounting Hall of Fame.

But Art is better than a superstar in my book. He possesses a unique set of qualities: a sense of commitment, a sense of responsibility, a sense of caring about the institutions he serves and the people involved in these institutions. Art participates, Art gets involved, Art makes things happen.

For example, he loves the University of Illinois. If there is a more loyal alumnus of the U. of I. and the Department of Accountancy, it would be a shock to me. What a wonderful goodwill ambassador for the University. He supports it generously with his time, expertise, and financial resources. His recent efforts to help secure the funding for the new Arthur Andersen building on campus is a wonderful illustration of his dedication to the University.

Art views his responsibilities as a teacher to go beyond just presenting content. Art cares about his students. He tries to help them. Don is a case in point, and I am another. One of the luckiest days of my life was when I walked into his auditing class at the University of Illinois in the fall of 1963. It did not take long before Art had helped me secure a teaching assistantship which started me on the path of a masters degree. And then Art discussed the Ph.D. program, and here I am today. Heaven only knows where I would be without his advice and help.