Richmond accounting professor appointed academic fellow in D.C.

For only the second time in 27 years, accounting professor Marshall Geiger did not prepare for the coming school year at University of Richmond.

Geiger will not be teaching at Richmond this year, but instead will work for the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Office of the Chief Accountant in Washington, D.C. Geiger was selected to be an academic fellow, a position that allows him to conduct research and provide an academic perspective that can help in the standard-setting process for the SEC. Geiger was one of the only professors across the country selected to fill this position, considered to be a rare and prestigious honor within the academic community.

"Professor Geiger will have the opportunity to work with policy makers in D.C.," said Nancy Bagranoff, dean of the Robins School of Business. "This is highly important for an academic, as he will get to see first hand how important decisions requiring the monitoring of the very best scholars of our financial markets are made."

Geiger is not only a terrific and respected colleague, but also the perfect teacher-scholar, Bagranoff said. Geiger is well known for his extensive research in auditor rotation over the last two decades, which the SEC undoubtedly respects as well, she said.

Geiger has spent more than 25 years of working, teaching and researching all over the world.

Geiger is most proud of his interests and productivity in research over a long period of time, he said.

Geiger is also proud that his research is being frequently cited by organizations and publications, including "Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory."

Paul Clikeman, an accounting professor at Richmond, described Geiger as conscientious, and said the most valuable asset he brought to his position in the SEC and to the University of Richmond was his "dedication to high-quality research," Clikeman said.

He will be missed by his colleagues and students during the year. Many have a lot of respect for what he is doing, and he is thankful for their relentless support, he said.

"This is an act of public service on his part," Clikeman said. "He's going to Washington working for a very important government agency in the business field, and sure, it's an honor for him, but really it's community service for a year."

Geiger said that the SEC was very in tune in looking toward the academic community for research to inform them in a different way than organizations. He was excited and happy to receive this honor because the SEC does very important work that affects a lot of people. Geiger is constantly reminded of this on his every day walk to work.

"I can walk to the office from where I live," Geiger said. "On the way I pass the Capitol building, and I know I am in the heart of where they make important decisions."

Contact reporter Lauren Shute at lauren.shute@richmond.com