FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The Sam M. Walton College of Business accounting department at the University of Arkansas will honor its outstanding alumni and students at the 31^st annual Accounting Recognition Banquet tonight at the Radisson Hotel.

The event also represents the 53^rd anniversary of the founding of the Alpha Iota chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting honorary society, on the University of Arkansas campus.

The accounting department will recognize its 2004 outstanding alumni in the areas of:

• Industry and Government - J. Kirk Thompson, president and CEO, J. B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., Lowell, Ark.;
• Public Accounting - Sam F. Fiser, Fiser & Company, Springdale, Ark.; and
• Education - Lloyd Seaton, Jr., former dean, Sam M. Walton College of Business, Fayetteville, Ark.

Karen V. Pincus, holder of the S. Robson Walton Chair in Accounting and chair of the Accounting Department, said: "The things taught in college are not the end of learning, but the preparation for a lifetime of learning. Since 1977, the department has annually recognized the accomplishments of some of our outstanding alumni who, after completing their UA education, have continued to grow and learn. These alumni provide excellent role models and exemplify the very essence of what we are trying to teach our students."

Accounting Alumni Awards

Thompson began working for J.B. Hunt in 1973 at the age of 19, while he was attending the Walton College. He joined the company full time after getting his degree, learning all aspects of the business from the ground up. In 1979, he was named vice president of finance and chief financial officer of what was then a fledgling $20 million trucking company. He was elected president and chief operating officer in January 1986, and the following year named chief executive officer. He has served on the board of directors since 1985. Thompson is a member of the college Dean's Executive Advisory Board and the UA 2010 Commission. He also serves on the Campaign for the 21st Century steering committee. Thompson currently serves on the American Trucking Associations’Audit and Executive Committee.

Fiser graduated from the Walton College with a BSBA in 1971. He was a member of Beta Alpha Psi. He then joined Russell Brown & Company, Little Rock, where he made partner. Fiser and his twenty-two partners endowed the Russell Brown & Company Managing Partner's Scholarship in the college in 1980. Fiser joined Arthur Young & Company as a partner in January 1981, following its merger with Russell Brown. He served as a partner in charge of Arthur Young's Northwest Arkansas office. In 1985, Fiser left Arthur Young to establish his own firm, Fiser & Company, in Springdale. Currently, he serves on the board of directors of ARVEST Bank, Springdale, and the board of trustees at Lyon College.

Seaton served as dean of the Walton College from 1983 to 1989 and retired from the accounting faculty in 1991. He has held other teaching positions at San Jose State University, University of New Mexico, University of Nebraska, California State University at Bakersfield, and Arkansas Tech University. He also taught at the International Graduate Management Center, Budapest. He received a BA in 1957 and a MS in 1960 from San Jose State and a PhD in accounting in 1967 from the Walton College. He completed additional work at the University of Michigan, University of Hawaii and Harvard where he participated in the visiting scholars program in 1977-1978. He served on the board of First National Bank of Fayetteville and successor banks from 1987 to 1994.

Outstanding Accounting Student Awards

The accounting department will recognize Laura Breeding, Elizabeth Johnson and Sarah Jones as the 2004 outstanding accounting students. Breeding is the daughter of Pamela and Mark Trover of Little Rock and wife of Jeff Breeding. She was the outstanding junior in accounting and is a Walton Honors Program Scholar. She has received Walton Fellows Scholarship, Chancellor’s Scholarship and the James Modisette Scholarship. Breeding is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, and her career interests include business education.

Johnson is the daughter of Beth and Steve Johnson of Little Rock. She was on the

Chancellor’s List from fall 2000 - fall 2003. She has received a Chancellor’s Scholarship, the Robert C. Byrd Academic Scholarship, and the NWA Accounting Scholarship. She is a member of Beta Sigma Gamma, Beta Alpha Psi accounting fraternity, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Pi Beta Phi fraternity. She also participated in S.A.K.E., the student-run business. She is entering the Walton College master of accountancy program in the fall.

Jones is the daughter of Carol and Met Jones of Pine Bluff. She is a member of Pi Beta Phi fraternity, Beta Alpha Psi accounting fraternity, Beta Gamma Sigma, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Golden Key Honor Society. She has received the University Scholarship, Citgo Co-op Scholarship, and Henry D. and Virginia Powell Scholarship in Accounting. She is also entering the Walton College master of accountancy program in the fall.

The 2004 outstanding master of accountancy student is Signa Smith. She is the daughter of Sheila and Michael Smith of Morrilton. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BSBA from the Walton College in May 2003, when she was a UA First Ranked Senior Scholar and the outstanding senior in accounting. She was president of programs for Beta Alpha Psi. Upon graduation, she will begin work in September in the audit department at KPMG in Tulsa.

In addition, the department will honor scholarship donors and recipients for the coming year. Student leaders from Beta Alpha Psi and National Association of Black Accountants will be recognized as well.

Pincus said: "This awards ceremony also provides recent graduates and friends of the department an opportunity to visit with our faculty and students and learn of some of our accomplishments for the past year. We appreciate the chance to express our appreciation to the individuals and firms providing financial support to the department and its students."