Michael H. Granof, Hamilton alumnus and chair of the accounting department at University of Texas in Austin, presented "Andersen, Enron and Beyond" last week. As this semester's final Levitt Center speaker, Granof not only addressed the Enron scandal but also issues related to the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Granof said his reference to Andersen and Enron was merely a shorthand to refer to all the recent corporate scandals that have transpired over the last year including WorldCom and Tyco. He concluded his remarks by emphasizing the need for visionary corporate leadership and a strengthened SEC. His opinions have appeared with frequency in both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Granof, one of Professor Sidney Wertimer's former students, returned to Wertimer's class to deliver his presentation. Referring to his gradebooks from that era, Wertimer recounted that Granof had the second highest grade in his class. Despite his #2 ranking, Granof recently dedicated an accounting book to his former professor.
Granof offered these words in reflecting on his experience in Wertimer's classroom, "Frequently students can't remember professors from the last semester. Because of Professor Wertimer, I decided on a career in teaching. I have felt his influence on me daily in my own classroom. I have even adopted some of his mannerisms. He has been a major influence in my professional life."
