Inaugural inductee into FEI's Hall of Fame.

Dennis R. Beresford

Age: 67

Residendce: Athens, Ga.

Current: Ernst & Young Executive Professor of Accounting, J.M. Tull School of Accounting, Terry College of Business, The University of Georgia College: University of Southern California, B.S., Accounting; CPA 

Boards: Currently a member of the board and chairman of the audit committee of Fannie Mae, Kimberly-Clark Corp. and Legg Mason Inc. Until January 2006, he also served as a member of the board and audit committee chairman of MCI Inc. (formerly WorldCom Inc.)

As a professor of accounting, it is said that Dennis R. Beresford opens each semester by telling his MBA and Masters of Accountancy students, "I love accounting and am still very enthusiastic about the career I chose 40 years ago and continue to pursue."

Beresford spent 25 years (1961-86) with Ernst & Young LLP, including 10 years as a senior partner and national director of accounting. He also wrote frequent articles for Financial Executive. From 1987-97, he served two consecutive terms as chairman of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), the U.S.-designated organization in the private sector for establishing standards of financial accounting and reporting.

He was awarded the Gold Medal for Distinguished Service by the American Institute of CPAs in 2004; was inducted into the Accounting Hall of Fame at Ohio State University in 2004; awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 by the California Society of CPAs and an Honorary Doctorate in 1995 from DePaul University.

Since 1997, he has served as an Advisory Member for the Committee on Corporate Reporting (CCR) for Financial Executives International and as a Member of the Financial Reporting Committee for the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA).

He was nominated to FEI's Hall of Fame by Philip D. Ameen, VP and Comptroller of General Electric Co. Ameen says of Beresford: "His integrity and respect for others is shown in that he is always willing and ready to understand others' views, and always treats those views with respect." One measure of Beresford's spotless reputation, says Ameen, is his being appointed to the WorldCom board of directors "as a statement by that board refuting previous accounting conduct."

Beresford's individual and organizational performance is highlighted by his stint at FASB, where, under his leadership, the organization issued about one-quarter of its total output on a broad range of important and complex topics about which constituents and the board were often deeply divided. Yet, he never permitted the FASB to rest on its laurels, but continued to challenge whether each solution was as good as it could and should be.

He was responsible for leading FASB during some of its most difficult challenges dealing with income taxes, earnings per share, comprehensive income, segment reporting, stock compensation and early securitizations pronouncements.

Beresford is known to seek solutions that meet the needs of all parties. He's also known for his "great attitude" and for being approachable. Indeed, says Ameen of Beresford: "He knows when to laugh at himself and his profession, but knows when to bring gravitas to bear to reach his objective."

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On being inducted into FEI's Hall of Fame, Beresford reacted with "shock and awe." He credits Ray Groves, the former CEO of Ernst & Young, as the person most critical to his personal development. Groves, he says, "challenged me to exceed what I thought were my limitations in 1971, and continues, to this date, to be a great source of advice and inspiration."

Beresford's advice to others moving up in the profession is simply: "Get a Golden Retriever. No matter how lousy things are, the Golden will love and energize you."

Frank J. Borelli

Age: 71

Residence: New City, N.Y.

Positions and Boards: Senior advisor to Stone Point Capital. Director: Genworth Financial, Express Scripts, Interpublic Group, Signal Holdings; nonprofit: Rockland Paramedics, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Nyack Hospital (chairman emeritus)

FEI Positions: President, NYC Chapter; Member of the Office of the Chair, National Chair, 1996-97; winner, Distinguished Service Award

College: Baruch College, City University of New York, Bachelor of Business Administration 

For Frank J. Borelli, what might be retirement years are busy ones. He's serving on four company boards, and is the audit committee chair at several, as well as being involved with several local nonprofits in Rockland County, N.Y.

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But service is clearly a key refrain in Borelli's career. A former FEI chair (1996-97) and director, the retired CFO of Marsh & McLennan Cos. has had an outsized role in the area of audit and, in particular, audit committees. Borelli was part of a blue-ribbon committee on Improving the Effectiveness of Corporate Audit Committees, which published its report in 1999. He is or was the chair of five audit committees at separate public companies, and also served on a blue-ribbon national commission on board leadership, which issued its report in November 2004.

Moreover, Borelli was a vice chairman of the Private Sector Council and was appointed by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker to the interim Advisory Committee to improve the internal procedures of auditing firms.

Like many FEI members, Borelli got his start in public accounting. He was with Deloitte, Haskins & Sells for 24 years, becoming a partner in 1968 and a managing director of the firm's Northern New Jersey operations. He left in 1980 for Airco Inc., a maker of industrial gases, welding, carbon graphite and medical products, joining as senior vice president-finance and administration and a member of the company's board. He joined Marsh as CFO in 1984, later joining the board in 1988 and retiring as CFO in 2001. He also served on Financial Executive's Editorial Advisory Board for several years until 2005.

In his public accounting service, Borelli specialized in mergers and acquisitions and wrote the firm's first publication on audit committees. He won CFO magazine's 1999 CFO Excellence Award in the mergers and acquisitions category.

On Being Named to the Hall of Fame: Borelli said he was "very pleased to be one of the inaugural nominees and overwhelmed by being voted into the Hall with such broad support from the Nominating Committee."

On Key Career Events: "I believe it was my career at Haskins & Sells that prepared me for the position of a senior financial and administrative officer of a large company. In public accounting, you are exposed to many different outstanding people, with numerous skills, and it was through this exposure that I was able to master three skills in particular: organization, communications and discipline."

On Life Lessons: "There is nothing wrong with retiring as the number two person, particularly as the CFO or controller or treasurer. These are all significant and highly respected positions. If that is where you think you can do best for your company and yourself in the long run, stick with it and be world-class in that position."

Nominator's Comments: Philip Livingston, former FEI President and CEO, wrote that "Frank is a mentor to many financial professionals around the world. Frank has tremendous respect within FEI and formed important compromise coalitions at times of restructuring within the association." He adds that Borelli launched the Office of the Chair in 1996.

F. Gorham Brigham, Jr.

Age: 91

Residence: West Newton, Mass.

FEI Service: Active member for over 40 years. He's held several leadership positions with the Boston Chapter, including President, and he's recruited a majority of the chapter's past presidents. He was first to win FEI's Distinguished Service Award.

College: AB and MBA, Harvard

Understanding why F. Gorham Brigham--at age 91--is a celebrated financial executive is clear when reading his response to the question, "Who has influenced your career in finance?"

To this question, he replied, "Being hired by Larry Fish (CEO of Citizens Financial Group), when I was 78 years old was critical to my development as an exemplary financial executive over the last 12+ years of my career."

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And, on learning of his nomination, Brigham expressed being "surprised and overwhelmed that my many friends, primarily from the Boston Chapter, had recommended me for this honor."

Brigham can trace his Massachusetts forebears straight back to the landing of the Mayflower. His distinguished career--all in the Boston area--began in 1937 and 1938 as a summer intern with Scudder, Stevens & Clark. Upon graduation, with his MBA from Harvard, he joined Coopers & Lybrand in Boston (1939-40), and when called to active military duty a year later, he served under the leadership of Gen. George C. Marshall until 1946. He was decorated personally by Gen. Marshall with the Legion of Merit, and remained in the Army Reserve until he retired in 1967 with the rank of Colonel, Finance Corps.

Brigham's career in finance began at Saco Lowell Shops (1946-60) as assistant to the treasurer, treasurer and secretary; Epsco Inc. (1960-62), as vice president, finance and director; and Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Co. (1962-83), as controller and then vice president. In February 1983, he was elected Vice President of Boston Five Cent Savings Bank (which was acquired by Citizen's Bank of Massachusetts in 1993); he then worked at Citizen's Bank (vice president, then elected senior vice president in 1998) until his retirement in 2005. He worked 60 to 80 hours a week, usually arriving at his office by 5:00 am.

Besides his exceptional service for FEI, Brigham is a widely-praised community activist for business, charitable and patriotic organizations, His seven decades of providing mentoring are legendary in Boston, where every major newspaper, trade or business publication has done pieces on him, and he's the recipient of dozens of prestigious awards for his volunteerism. Among his notable nonprofit endeavors: founding the Treasurer's Club of Boston and co-founding The Carroll School for children with dyslexia. He's remained affiliated with his alma mater, Harvard, and has also served in trustee and/or board positions.

Nominator Comments: "The mentor of leaders," says Michael Simons, current president of FEI's Boston Chapter. "Brigham is a Boston Brahmin who consistently seeks to advance the personal and professional life of everyone he meets, including minorities and females."

Charles R. Fitzpatrick, a former Boston Chapter president says, "Part of the secret to his success is his compassion and sensitivity to what is going on in the lives of people around his and his untiring willingness to be of assistance to others. His humanitarian side is one of his greatest strengths."

Joseph G. DiLorenzo, also a Boston Chapter past-president, says he considers Brigham his own "life mentor," adding that Brigham has provided mentoring to peers and co-workers and advice to many of the current Chapter members. "He always wants to help and never expects anything in return."

Indeed, as Alan Faber says, "What many have become is due to the personal and professional standards set by Gorham Brigham."

Robert W. Moore

Age: 82

Residence: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Boards: Director, Pennsylvania State University Smeal College of Business (since 1976); World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, Secretary/Treasurer since 1995.

FEI Service: President and CEO, 1978-89; executive committee and board of directors; member, Pittsburgh Chapter since 1968: president, 1977-78.

College: Pennsylvania State University, BA

Any accounting of Robert W. Moore's career might start with his service to FEI, but it certainly wouldn't end there. And that's impressive enough: He was the association's second staff president, presiding over its move from New York City to New Jersey and doing much to create new programs and initiatives that, as noted by nominator Richard Howie, Controller, PinnOak Resources LLC, "established FEI in the center of national debates on private-sector rule-making, fraudulent financial reporting and emerging global financial reporting standards."

Moore's resume shows a long list of service, and leadership, to organizations in finance and accounting and to his local community. He was president and then chairman of the International Association of Financial Executives Institutes (IAFEI) during his FEI presidency, in 1982-84. He was a member of the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council (FASAC), as well as a member of several university councils and advisory boards.

Moore started his finance career at Price Water-house, where he spent 14 years, leaving in 1962. While there, his clients included a major oil company, steel companies, a university, the U.S. Senate Committee on Postal Office and Civil Service.

He then joined Consolidated Natural Gas Co. in Pittsburgh, where he was controller and chief accounting officer. While at Consolidated, he chaired its Financial and Accounting Planning Committee and was chair of the American Gas Association Accounting Advisory Council.

Moore's service in the local community is, to say the least, extensive. He has been a board member on a several organizations, from the Central Blood Bank of Pittsburgh to the University Club of Pittsburgh, his country club and church.

But it is for Penn State, his alma mater, where Moore's service is most notable. He has served on the university's executive board and Alumni Fund Committee, as well as various fund-raising campaigns. And at the Smeal School of Business, he's been on various boards since 1976 and served stints as secretary/treasurer, president-elect and president in the late 1970s and early '80s. He was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1986.

On Being Inducted: "I am extremely pleased and thrilled to be selected by my peers and those from FEI with whom I have worked for many years."

On FEI: "During my 11-plus years as president and CEO of FEI, I served with 12 volunteer chairs. Each was a well-known financial leader, and each had special skills that added significantly to the well-being of FEI. I learned from each chair and attempted to use that aggregated knowledge in leading FEI."

Nominator's Comments: From Richard Howie: "Bob Moore's visionary leadership at FEI effectively positioned the organization for a global marketplace, well ahead of its time. He was a strong and consistent advocate for harmonizing international financial reporting standards and laid the foundation for FEI's own international redefinition through his work with the IAFEI board of directors and the Consultative Group to the International Accounting Standards Committee.

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"His was also a servant leadership--actively surveying and identifying the needs of FEI's members, recognizing their own service, and tailoring programs that strengthened their professional competence and stature."

Charles H. Noski

Age: 54

Residence: Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

Boards: Microsoft Corp. (Audit Committee Chair), Air Products & Chemicals Inc. and Morgan Stanley (Audit Committee Chair)

FEI Service: Los Angeles Chapter, since 1991

College: California State University, Northridge; BS, Business Administration; MS, Accountancy; CPA

When informed that he was selected as an inductee in the inaugural FEI Hall of Fame, Charles H. Noski said he was "quite surprised and very honored." And, when learning the names of the other honorees, he felt "quite humbled to be included among such outstanding professionals."

Noski's distinguished career began in auditing, then in the preparer arena, and he now serves on several boards of directors.

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He began with Deloitte & Touche (then Haskins & Sells) in Los Angeles in 1973. As a partner, he was appointed National Industry Director for the aerospace and defense industry. He moved on to Hughes Electronics Corp. in 1990, working in the defense and automotive electronics, satellite and wireless communications industries, with growing responsibilities, rising to corporate senior vice president and CFO and director and vice chairman. He then worked at United Technologies Corp., as executive vice president and CFO, before returning to Hughes in 1997 as president and COO.

In 1999, he began his tenure with AT & T Corp., as senior executive vice president and CFO, eventually moving up to director and vice chairman of the board. He retired from AT & T upon completion of its restructuring in November 2002. In 2003-5, he was a director and corporate vice president and CFO for Northrop Grumman Corp.

He told Financial Executive magazine that an exciting time in his career was his years at AT & T, "building and working with a first-class financial team through some extraordinarily turbulent times in the telecommunications industry."

Noski says two people were critical to him early in his career as a corporate financial executive. "As CFO of Hughes, Mike Smith taught me that it was essential for senior financial executives to 'be at the table' for every key decision affecting a business."

The second person, Mike Armstrong--the CEO of Hughes and, later, CEO of AT & T--taught him, among other things, "the importance of listening to others, gathering facts and opinions, and engaging key leaders and contributors in the formulation of important business decisions."

Noski is a member of Financial Executives International and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and he's a past member of the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council (FASAC).

Nominator's Comments (Nick S. Cyprus, Immediate Past VP and Controller, The Interpublic Group of Cos.): "I had the opportunity to work for Chuck during a unique and challenging time at AT & T (Cyprus was then controller.). During his almost three-year tenure as CFO with AT & T, he led the finance organization as the company sold the broadband unit to Comcast and restructured the corporation into three publicly held businesses, while significantly reducing the level of debt that had plagued the company when he joined. He managed a formidable task for that piece of AT & T history, and led his staff through a time of uncertainty."

Also, "It is evident in reviewing his career, and in working with him personally, that Chuck values the opinions of others. He is a pleasure to work with; asks questions in a way that helps an individual learn. He is focused on good governance and has the highest degree of integrity."

Additionally, Noski has "always stayed plugged into what was going on and took a leadership position on key issues," and encouraged his staff to do the same.