FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: August 12, 2013
Contact: Cortney Sanders Phone: 919-244-9934
BETA ALPHA PSI RECOGNIZES BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS WITH AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTIONS IN ACADEMIA, BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT
Durham, N.C. – Beta Alpha Psi awarded three professionals the Business Information Professional of the Year award sponsored by the Institute of Management Accountants, Inc. (IMA) at the Beta Alpha Psi Annual Meeting in Anaheim, CA. The award, created in 1974 is presented annually to individuals who make significant contributions to the business information professions in the areas of academia, business and government. Candidates are nominated by a Beta Alpha Psi chapter and chosen by the Beta Alpha Psi board of directors. The award recipients nominating chapter receives a $2,000 scholarship from IMA. “As the leading global organization representing management accounting and business and industry professionals, IMA is proud to sponsor the Beta Alpha Psi Business Information Professional of the Year award. This year's winners, Ralph de la Vega, President & CEO, AT&T Mobility; Michael Hamilton , Ernst & Young, Partner & Chief Learning & Development Officer - Americas; and Katherine Schipper, Keller Professor of Business Administration, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, were an impressive group and provide great inspiration to the students and faculty!” stated Jodi Ryan, IMA director of educational/corporate partnerships The individuals listed below are the 2013 award winners. Ralph de la Vega (Northern Illinois University), was appointed chief operating officer in 2004 for Cingular Wireless and became responsible for leading the merger of Cingular with AT&T Wireless in 2005, at that time the largest corporate merger in U.S. history. Since 2008, Mr. de la Vega has served as President and CEO-AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets with responsibility for all of AT&T’s wired and wireless businesses. Mr. de la Vega authored an uplifting and educational book that bridges his compelling personal story and his outstanding success in business entitled, Obstacles Welcome: How to Turn Adversity into Advantage in Business and in Life. In 2011, he was presented with the NIU College of Business Outstanding Alumnus Award and Beta Gamma Sigma presented him with their national Professional of the Year Award. Michael Hamilton, (Murray State University), currently serves as Partner and Director of Learning & Development – Americas and works to provide world-class learning and personal growth opportunities to people through classroom sessions, continuing professional education, and executive development and feedback programs. He has also been actively involved at E&Y in the Diversity Task Force, the Gender Equity Committee, the NAS People Advisory Committee, and the NAS Women’s Advisory Committee. Mr. Hamilton has written and spoken
extensively on several topics in the industry. Mr. Hamilton has served as editor for three publications: The Impact of Managed Care on U.S. Markets, Guide to U.S. Hospital Performance, and The Medicare Prospective Payment System and Outpatient Payment Reform. Finally, he is a member of the AICPA, a certified public accountant in California and Kentucky, a fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners, and was selected as Who’s Who in Health Care in Los Angeles and Who’s Who Among Young Business Leaders.
Katherine Schipper (University of Dayton), is an endowed professor and coordinator of the accounting program at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. She previously served on the faculty at the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business and at CarnegieMellon University. She has been a visiting professor at several well-known universities in Europe and the Far East. From 2001 to 2006, Katherine served as the academic member of the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Katherine’s teaching awards include the American Accounting Association Outstanding Educator and Illinois CPA Society Outstanding Educator honors. She has also served as the American Accounting Association Presidential Lecturer and the Association’s Distinguished visiting Lecturer. For 15 years, Katherine served as co-editor of the Journal of Accounting Research. Presently, she is an editor for Contemporary Accounting Research and the Review of Accounting Studies and serves on the editorial board of The Accounting Review and the Journal of Business, Finance and Accounting.
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About Beta Alpha Psi
Founded in 1919, Beta Alpha Psi is an honor organization for financial information students and professionals. The primary objective of Beta Alpha Psi is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field. This includes promoting the study and practice of accounting, finance and information systems; providing opportunities for self-development, service and association among members and practicing professionals, and encouraging a sense of ethical, social and public responsibility. Headquartered in Durham, NC, Beta Alpha Psi has over 300 chapters on college and university campuses with over 300,000 members initiated since Beta Alpha Psi's formation.
