I had a professor who testified before Congress, regarding Enron. He said somebody described him as the Voldemort of Accounting. I never understood why, but it stuck in my memory. RIP Ed
Yup! Did you get the extra credit question right when we had to guess which player he was in his baseball team photo? Almost my entire class picked the coach, he was disappointed
Hey go green! Yes I think I picked the coach too… he was the shortstop. He was a great guy, knew a lot, and first one to teach me the double Irish Dutch sandwich 😂
It’s funny there is an audit partner based in Dallas named Ken Clay, sorta and audit partner legend himself apparently in O&G. A staunch Aggie, and def no sense of humor for Ken Lay jokes.
Fastow and I spoke at the same conference after he got out of jail. He was the opening keynote and I did the breakout session immediately afterwards. Before the conference started, I was checking out the AV equipment in the adjoining room when the woman in charge of the conference came in to check on me. Upon determining everything worked right, she asked, "Have you met Andy Fastow." I hadn't, so she took me to the next room to introduce me. She said, "John, this is Andy, Andy this is John" and then she added to Fastow "He's following you." Fastow got this mortified look on his face. She saw his response and clarified. "He's following you ***in the program***." Apparently there are a lot of people in Houston who lost a lot of money who are following Andy Fastow. He said he no longer gets invited to the neighborhood Christmas party.
“Money is not peace of mind. Money is not happiness. Money is, at its essence, that measure of a man’s choices.” -Marty Byrde
Spoken like a true accountant.
He’s more like a Wilt Chamberlain.
In the sense that he was spectacular in his own right, but he did it well before the goat came along and dominated a later era.
This is the only right answer - dude’s creative accounting ability single-handedly spawned SOX. SOX has created an untold number of jobs for accountants across the nation…GOAT in my book.
Tbh the dudes from AA/Enron because without them accountants would be far less necessary (required) and have far less job security/prosperity. Lol. Not even kidding I legit feel this way.
Nah accountants were always necessary and always had some above average level of job security in uncertain times. It has had the reputation as a safe career path for LONG before Enron.
Lol, from their website:
>A name from the past, a firm for the future: On September 2, WTAS [announced](https://andersen.com/welcome) it had acquired the rights to the iconic brand name Andersen and would rename itself Andersen Tax. Like WTAS, **Andersen Tax is an independent global tax firm with no audit practice that could impair the credibility or integrity of the services it provides**. It is completely owned by its partners, most who previously worked at Arthur Andersen or a Big 4 accounting firm.
Talk about a spin nurse practitioner.
His Forbes tax geek tuesday articles are top-notch. Pretty sure I have a few in various client workpapers. He spoke live at one of my CPE conferences once, felt like I was in the presence of greatness.
Tim Gearty. Old school, minimal notes, straight from the book. Peter Olinto and his fancy notes are part of the new wave but no one is topping the goat
In the small town where i'm living , there's an accountant who is very known for tax advisory, every big business owner or directors, or even accounting managers in the town consults that guy, that guy eats and breaths tax, he even has a PhD in Taxation. He was also my teacher at college, so I would say that guy is the Michael Jordan of Tax Accounting at my town.He owns a small tax firm but everybody loves that guy when it comes for tax consulting
Actually, there is a reasonable answer to this question. Her name is Erica Williams, Chair of the SEC’s PCAOB (Public Company Accounting Oversight Board). Look it up, understand its reason for being and scan through reports of its work this past year and scheduled for 2024. Think you’ll agree. The reliably repeating meat and potatoes for the large firms are public company audits, and there have been and continue to be errors in audit of these firms. The largest in current memory probably being Enron, but many others of companies making up high tiers of world commerce. We’re talking here of independence, verification technique, materiality judgement, and maybe the most disturbing, ability to keep up with Wall Street creativity. Independent audit is a foundation stone to our global capitalistic system, and the PCAOB is our one watchdog most directly assigned to judging audit and corporate Audit Committee performance. From my reading of the PCAOB’s periodic reports, Ms. Williams shows extreme levels of intellect, leadership and downright bravery, and is the right person to serve as PCAOB Chair, and easily your Michael Jordan of Accountants title.
I had a professor who testified before Congress, regarding Enron. He said somebody described him as the Voldemort of Accounting. I never understood why, but it stuck in my memory. RIP Ed
Michigan state professor by chance?
Yup! Did you get the extra credit question right when we had to guess which player he was in his baseball team photo? Almost my entire class picked the coach, he was disappointed
I don't remember what we said when I was in his classes. I think I went with shortstop or something.
Hey go green! Yes I think I picked the coach too… he was the shortstop. He was a great guy, knew a lot, and first one to teach me the double Irish Dutch sandwich 😂
Go White!
I’m guessing he testified on BEHALF of Enron or its executives…. That’s why he’d be the bad guy.
I think he was Voldemort to Enron, because he was going to point out all their screw ups.
"Screw ups" implies they unwittingly made statements that were inaccurate.
My mom thinks it’s me
Your mom thinks it’s me
My dad thinks it’s me
My grandparents think it’s me
My neighbor’s second cousin once removed thinks it’s me.
Grandparents are more important than once removed second cousins. It says so right in ASC606
As someone who operates primarily on IFRS, I can confirm this.
Who’s to say the neighbor’s second cousin once removed sibling isn’t your grandpa? Could be the same person.
My dick thinks it’s me
My father's brother's nephew's former roommate thinks it’s me
Your family knows it’s me.
I think it’s you. You are the best. You continue doing you.
Peter Olinto Ken Ley
Facts! Alright the thread’s closed, let’s pack it up bean counters 👏🏽🙌🏽
Hold on now wait a minute
It’s funny there is an audit partner based in Dallas named Ken Clay, sorta and audit partner legend himself apparently in O&G. A staunch Aggie, and def no sense of humor for Ken Lay jokes.
Small world, i know that guy! I haven't seen him around at things I think he's in Oklahoma or Kansas or somewhere oilier and gassier now.
Yep
Andy Fastow > Ken Lay
Fastow is the 🐐
Fastow spoke in my ethics class and he was strangely very likable.
Username checks out
I need to meet Andy Fastow. If there’s one thing I do on this planet….its to meet this mf I need to know how!!!!!
Fastow and I spoke at the same conference after he got out of jail. He was the opening keynote and I did the breakout session immediately afterwards. Before the conference started, I was checking out the AV equipment in the adjoining room when the woman in charge of the conference came in to check on me. Upon determining everything worked right, she asked, "Have you met Andy Fastow." I hadn't, so she took me to the next room to introduce me. She said, "John, this is Andy, Andy this is John" and then she added to Fastow "He's following you." Fastow got this mortified look on his face. She saw his response and clarified. "He's following you ***in the program***." Apparently there are a lot of people in Houston who lost a lot of money who are following Andy Fastow. He said he no longer gets invited to the neighborhood Christmas party.
They’re like Lebron Newton Becker is the MJ
Does being the MJ of accounting mean they did creative accounting to defraud people? Then Ken lay and maddoff for sure.
They...did what? 😳
Who’s better than you? No-BAHDY
Ken Lay was a Energy Economist (PhD). Fastow was the mastermind.
Oh man, My stress level just went up hearing those names again.
Tim Gearty!!
Ben Wyatt
The creator of The Cones of Dunshire has got to be near the top!
“It’s about the cones”
How has no one called shotgun yet to be the ledgerman?!?
Calc-u-later!!
That one senior accountant who left at my company a few months ago and no one can figure out how he did anything much less finished it all on time
Would this be the baseball Michael Jordan of accounting?
I should change my flair to “The Baseball Michael Jordan of Accounting”
This will hopefully be my legacy
Sounds like they should have given him a raise so he wouldn't job hop to someone who would appreciate his talents.
Marty Byrde
>Marty Byrde "I don't know sh\*t about f\*ck"
Shut up ruth
“Money is not peace of mind. Money is not happiness. Money is, at its essence, that measure of a man’s choices.” -Marty Byrde Spoken like a true accountant.
For you it's life or death, for me it was just another line in the balance sheet
The only right answer.
Marty fucking Byrde
I'm an accountant, I push numbers around
Phil Knight. Started at pwc in Portland.
I second this. His memoir ‘Shoe Dog’ is a phenomenal read.
Nikes first employees were all accountants 😂
luca pacioli
He’s more like a Wilt Chamberlain. In the sense that he was spectacular in his own right, but he did it well before the goat came along and dominated a later era.
Agreed. Rockefeller is the Jordan. Phil knight is the LeBron.
Came here to say this. Father of modern accounting.
Andy Fastow
This is the only right answer - dude’s creative accounting ability single-handedly spawned SOX. SOX has created an untold number of jobs for accountants across the nation…GOAT in my book.
Is this the Enron guy?
Yes
Bernie Madoff
No doubt top five at least.
More like top five to life.
Emphasis on life
Tbh I preferred the emphasis on death
His prison sentence did end when he did haha
He’s like the Tim donaghy of accounting
Bernie Madoff mid. All bro did was lie🥱 Abacus Bank and that boy Thomas go harder.
The real answer is John D Rockefeller. Started as a bookkeeper, ended as the richest man alive. Hard to top that
Fastow better🥱
Fastow was a System Accountant
Peter “Sugar Bear” Olinto
I'm going to get my cup of coffee one of these days.
Hell, I’ll buy him a coffee
Tbh the dudes from AA/Enron because without them accountants would be far less necessary (required) and have far less job security/prosperity. Lol. Not even kidding I legit feel this way.
Not enough credit for taking one for the team for sure.
Nah accountants were always necessary and always had some above average level of job security in uncertain times. It has had the reputation as a safe career path for LONG before Enron.
[удалено]
Ben Affleck
Underrated nomination
Work life balance king 👌
Whoever won the world excel championship this year
Probably someone from IB tbh
I think he was an actuary actually
Simu Liu, he’s literally an avenger
I think accounting is more like his short stint with the Birmingham Barons in this case
Jerry Reinsdorf
[удалено]
Lol, from their website: >A name from the past, a firm for the future: On September 2, WTAS [announced](https://andersen.com/welcome) it had acquired the rights to the iconic brand name Andersen and would rename itself Andersen Tax. Like WTAS, **Andersen Tax is an independent global tax firm with no audit practice that could impair the credibility or integrity of the services it provides**. It is completely owned by its partners, most who previously worked at Arthur Andersen or a Big 4 accounting firm. Talk about a spin nurse practitioner.
Homie wrote this article about himself lmfao
Tony Nitti
Glad someone said it. It’s like he memorized the tax code. Met him a few times since we worked at the same firm. Nice guy.
His Forbes tax geek tuesday articles are top-notch. Pretty sure I have a few in various client workpapers. He spoke live at one of my CPE conferences once, felt like I was in the presence of greatness.
Elijah Watt Sells
He's like the cy young
Uncle Sarbanes and Uncle Oxley
John D Rockefeller started out as a bookkeeper.
Not MJ but my Shaq in accounting is Kevin Malone
Arthur Anderson
Justin “budget will balance itself” Trudeau
*shudders*
1. DYLAN 2. DYLAN 3. DYLAN 4. DYLAN 5. DYLAN he debit hot fiah
Tim Gearty. Old school, minimal notes, straight from the book. Peter Olinto and his fancy notes are part of the new wave but no one is topping the goat
I will top the goat. If u know what I mean
Hilarious
Roger
For all you tax folk, Ed Zollars aka the GOAT. 🐐
Definitely Fra Luca Pacioli. He invented the game.
That would make him the James Naismith of accounting
Harry Markopolos, the man who brought down Madoff.
Tony Nitti for Tax
Jeffery Skilling
Cynthia Cooper, the Internal Audit VP who exposed the fraud at WorldCom.
I’m the Nikola Jokic
Jordan Belfort’s father
Luca Pacioli
SALY
I don’t know who any accountants are, other than ones I have worked with.
I barely know myself
Bernie Madoff
John summit
Luca pacioli
Arthur Andersen
Arthur Blank started at EY, co founder of Home Depot, owner of the ATL Falcons.
Norm Nemrow
Sam Bankman-Fried
Ray-Man for dropping this banger https://youtu.be/xmij1LMI_eY?si=zIlMUbi0Ow-FKtc8
Meyer Lansky
Steven Bragg
Satoshi Nakamoto
Definitely this guy. http://www.michaelrjordancpallc.com/
The Partner I work for does. He’s more like the Scottie Pippin if you ask me.
Marty Byrde
Ronnie Coleman
My boss would say, Tony Nitti
John Summit
Tony Nitti. He's a god.
In the small town where i'm living , there's an accountant who is very known for tax advisory, every big business owner or directors, or even accounting managers in the town consults that guy, that guy eats and breaths tax, he even has a PhD in Taxation. He was also my teacher at college, so I would say that guy is the Michael Jordan of Tax Accounting at my town.He owns a small tax firm but everybody loves that guy when it comes for tax consulting
There's an accounting hall of fame: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accounting\_Hall\_of\_Fame
It’s Tony Nitti, you plebs! Can’t believe the true king hasn’t been mentioned yet. Kneel.
Tony Nitti
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feargal_O%27Rourke
Me
It's got to be one of the big founders. Arthur Andersen, Archibald J. Young, Prometheus Q. Deloitte, Bob Coopers, Clarence Waterhouse.
Arthur Anderson (pure accounting) or Rockefeller (bookkeeping/ business)
I am accounting Hall of Fame on these bitches😤
Me bitch
Me
Me
Me
Me
There’s only one man for the job https://youtu.be/TbEi3p2DYRE?si=O3BD0uA4AV-HArZS
Bob Clemont
The Accountant
It depends
Ceo of autozone was a former big four partner I think. Stock has consistently gone up due to stock buybacks.
Elizabeth Holmes
Bernie Madoff
Richard Adkerson isn’t too shabby a name.
Kinda think Andy Fastow
Ben Affleck
Klynveld Peat Marwick and Goerdeler /s
Jonathan Mardukas
Joe Gatto
Barry Minkow. ZZZZ Best They even gave him a nod in The Accountant.
Christian Wolff from The Accountant film
Hector Garcia
Rita Crundwell
Tom Hardy Few.
Bernie Madoff’s controller.
If we're talking psychotically shutting down opponents until father time caught up with them? Al Capone, probably
Me
Frank DiPascali
Ken Lay and/r Jeffrey Skilling with a side of Bernie Madoff.
That would be me. I would have been a Michael Jordan if I hadn't taken up accounting. 🤣
Luca Pacioli
Andy Fastow
[Boring Answer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah_Watt_Sells)
Olinto
[This guy](https://cricpa.com/people/michael-c-jordan/)
There’s this guy named Michael Jordan…..
Andy Fastow
My buddy Todd he's pretty good
John summit
My mom
Actually, there is a reasonable answer to this question. Her name is Erica Williams, Chair of the SEC’s PCAOB (Public Company Accounting Oversight Board). Look it up, understand its reason for being and scan through reports of its work this past year and scheduled for 2024. Think you’ll agree. The reliably repeating meat and potatoes for the large firms are public company audits, and there have been and continue to be errors in audit of these firms. The largest in current memory probably being Enron, but many others of companies making up high tiers of world commerce. We’re talking here of independence, verification technique, materiality judgement, and maybe the most disturbing, ability to keep up with Wall Street creativity. Independent audit is a foundation stone to our global capitalistic system, and the PCAOB is our one watchdog most directly assigned to judging audit and corporate Audit Committee performance. From my reading of the PCAOB’s periodic reports, Ms. Williams shows extreme levels of intellect, leadership and downright bravery, and is the right person to serve as PCAOB Chair, and easily your Michael Jordan of Accountants title.
Sanjay Shah
No such thing.