Governor appoints accountancy professor to state board

KALAMAZOO—Gov. Rick Snyder has named Dr. Ola Smith, associate professor of accountancy, to the State Board of Accountancy.

The nine-member board oversees licensure and certification requirements for certified public accountants and public accounting firms. She will represent certified public accountants and educators on the board.

Dr. Ola Smith

Smith has been on the WMU faculty for 13 years. Her research and teaching focuses on managerial accounting, performance measurement and accounting for government and nonprofit organizations. Previously, she worked for Ameritech Corp., Deloitte, Barrow, Aldridge & Co. and the Internal Revenue Service. Smith is also the 2013 recipient of a service award from the Diversity Section of the American Accounting Association.

She has previously been honored with the Platinum Award from the Division of Multicultural Affairs and the WMU Research Development Award.

Smith holds a bachelor's of business administration in accounting from the University of Detroit, a master's of business administration in finance from Mercy College of Detroit and a doctoral degree in accounting from Michigan State University as well as a CPA license.