Illinois CPA Society honors associate professor David Gray with Outstanding Educator Award

The Illinois CPA Society has honored North Central College associate professor of accounting David Gray with its 2015 Outstanding Educator Award.

The award recognizes an Illinois educator at a community college, college or university who excels in leadership and teaching and who makes continuous and outstanding contributions to accounting education in the state. Gray accepted the award June 10.

Gray is associate professor of accounting and chair of the accounting department at North Central College. He arrived at North Central College in 2007 with more than 15 years of public accounting and consulting experience. As chair he works closely with CPA firms and other organizations to create and enhance internships and employment opportunities for North Central’s students. Gray has been active in developing pedagogical tools and using technology to enhance students’ critical thinking abilities and communication skills in the classroom and beyond.

Gray participates in numerous committees and other campus leadership and citizenship activities. He is coauthor of multiple case studies and has edited CPA examination review material for Delaney/Wiley CPA Examination Review. He also has edited and researched chapter material for Wiley GAAP Guide.

During Gray’s early career he served as a member of the audit staff in Grant Thornton’s Chicagoland practice. He held several positions with McGladrey where he advanced to a role of director of financial and performance improvement consulting. Throughout his consulting career, Gray worked primarily with middle-market manufacturing companies where he delivered cost accounting, financial modeling and due diligence assistance.

In addition to his roles at North Central, Gray is a doctoral candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and operates his own consulting practice. Gray holds a bachelor’s of science from Millikin University and a master’s of accounting science from Northern Illinois University. He is a licensed CPA in Illinois and is a certified management accountant. His faculty profile may be viewed here.

Accounting and actuarial science are among more than 55 majors and minors offered at North Central College. The accounting major offers tracks leading to careers as a certified management accountant, a certified public accountant and as a corporate accountant.

The Illinois CPA Society, with more than 23,000 members, is one of the largest state CPA societies in the nation. For more than a century the society has advanced the highest ethical and financial standards of the profession and remains a leader in educating the public on financial issues. The society focuses on four key initiatives in serving its members and the public: advocacy, information, education and connections.