Dennis Beresford, a Terry College executive-in-residence and former Ernst & Young Executive Professor of Accounting, was named one of two inaugural winners of the Distinguished Member Award from the Institute of Management Accountants.
Beresford and Gary Cokins received the awards for their “exceptional achievements, dedication and professionalism,” which “bring honor to the organization, the profession and themselves consistent with IMA’s mission and core values.”
A 2004 Accounting Hall of Fame inductee, Beresford has had a prominent career of service to the accounting profession. In addition to his role at Terry, he served as the chair of the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the national director of accounting standards for Ernst & Young.
Among his numerous honors, Beresford was named by the Journal of Accountancy as one of the “125 People of Impact in Accounting” in 2012. A graduate of the University of Southern California, he served on the boards of National Service Industries, Inc., WorldCom (MCI) Inc., Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Fannie Mae and Legg Mason Inc. In 1995, Denny was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from DePaul University.
An IMA member for more than 50 years, Beresford has served as IMA chapter president, national director, national vice president and program chair for two annual conferences. Since 1997, he has been an active member of IMA’s financial reporting committee.
IMA is one of the largest associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession. Globally, it supports the profession through research, the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) program, continuing education, networking and advocacy of the highest ethical business practices.