Jan R. Williams, dean and professor emeritus of the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee, who earned a doctorate. in 1970 from the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, is one of two recipients of the 2018 Outstanding Accounting Educator Award from the American Accounting Association.

The award was presented Aug. 7 at the association's annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

"Jan is a great example of the importance and impact of Walton doctoral programs," said Gary Peters, chair of the Department of Accounting at the Walton College and the S. Robson Walton Endowed Chair in Accounting. "On a personal note, Jan has also directly impacted our accounting programs by providing faculty mentorship and helping us establish our Accounting Advisory Board."

Williams, also an executive-in-residence at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, earned degrees from Peabody College and Baylor University before receiving his Ph.D. from the Walton College. 

He holds an active certified public accountant license in Tennessee. He is co-author of three books and has published more than 125 articles, books, research monographs and other publications on corporate financial reporting and accounting and business education. 

Williams has served as president of the American Accounting Association, chair of the board of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International and national president of Beta Alpha Psi. He was a member of the Pathways Commission and the Accounting Accreditation Task Force of AACSB. He has participated in education-related activities with the American Institute of CPAs and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.

The Outstanding Accounting Educator Award is presented to individuals whose career contributions include educational innovation, excellence in teaching, publications, research guidance to graduate students and significant involvement in professional and academic societies and activities. For 2018, the American Accounting Association and the PricewaterhouseCoopers Foundation gave the award to Williams and Mahendra R. Gujarathi, the Rae D. Anderson Professor of Accountancy and coordinator of financial reporting curriculum at Bentley University.

Karen Pincus of the Walton College accounting faculty received the award in 2017.