IMA^® (Institute of Management Accountants) participated as a sponsor at the recent American Accounting Association (AAA) Virtual Annual Meeting. The meeting – conducted via live remote and recorded sessions for the first time in AAA history – took place on August 10-13, 2020.

Originally slated to be held in Atlanta, the meeting focused on the theme of “Stronger Together.” The four-day virtual event attracted more than 1,300 registered attendees and more than 500 presenters. Attendees hailed from a variety of educational institutions from across the globe. More information, including slides and video presentations, can be found on the AAA website.

The morning of August 12, IMA conducted a special breakout session for AAA annual meeting attendees. Held via Zoom, it featured a presentation titled “Pivot to Virtual: Turn-Key Content for Your Classroom,” which discussed turn-key content available from IMA to help supplement courses and keep students engaged and in touch with the profession.

In addition, IMA sponsored and announced two academic awards at the AAA meeting:

• The winner of the Management Accounting Section Dissertation Award was Victor Van Pelt (currently at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management). His dissertation title was “Asymmetric Adjustment of Control” (university: Tilburg University; dissertation chairs: Bart Dierynck and Eddy Cardinaels). The runner-up for this award was Hyun Hwang (currently at University of Texas-Austin). His dissertation title was “Organizational Structure, Voluntary Disclosure, and Investment Efficiency” (university: Carnegie Mellon University; dissertation chairs: Carlos Corona and Pierre Liang).
• The winners of the Jim Bulloch Award for Innovations in Management Accounting Education were Wendy Tietz, Kent State University; Jennifer Cainas, University of South Florida; and Tracie Miller-Nobles, Austin Community College.

Also during the AAA meeting, two long-time and dedicated IMA members were honored with one of the profession’s most prestigious teaching awards: the 2020 AAA/J. Michael and Mary Ann Cook/Deloitte Foundation Prize.

Brigette W. Muehlmann, CMA, CFM, a professor and research scholar at Babson College, was the recipient of the graduate award; and Wendy M. Tietz, Ph.D., CMA, CPA, CSCA, professor in the Department of Accounting in the College of Business Administration at Kent State University, was the recipient of the undergraduate award. Both educators teach at institutions that are endorsed under the IMA Higher Education Endorsement Program. (A third prize, for an educator at a two-year college, was awarded to Connie Belden, professor at Butler Community College.) Each awardee received a solid silver medal and a monetary prize of $27,500, and these were presented at a virtual awards ceremony on August 10.

The AAA/J. Michael and Mary Anne Cook/Deloitte Foundation Prize is the foremost recognition of an individual who consistently demonstrates the attributes of a superior teacher in the discipline of accounting. The prize serves to recognize, inspire, and motivate members to achieve the status of a superior teacher.