Professor Bill Kinney has led the development of research on auditing and related accounting phenomena for almost 50 years. During this time, he’s educated students and inspired colleagues with his passion for the accounting profession. In 1988, Bill Kinney joined the University of Texas at Austin faculty as the Charles and Elizabeth Prothro Regents Chair in Business and PwC Fellow in Auditing, appointments he holds today. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 30 years, and now that Bill is retiring, it’s even harder to say goodbye.
Bill has held teaching positions at Oklahoma State, the University of Iowa and the University of Michigan in addition to his tenure at the University of Texas at Austin. He has authored or co-authored nine books and monographs and more than 100 articles in scholarly and professional
journals. His research, mostly in the field of auditing, has appeared in highly regarded publications such as the Journal of Accounting Research, The Accounting Review, and The Journal of Accounting and Economics. He’s also served on the editorial boards for Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, The Accounting Review, Accounting Horizons and the Journal of Accounting Research (a position he held for twenty-five years). And in a position perfectly suited for him, Bill was the Director of Research (1985-1987) for the American Accounting Association (AAA).
His research stands apart, influencing multiple generations of students. From a landmark 1976 paper on capital markets that became a classic in finance to a 2004 Journal of Accounting Research paper, “Auditor Independence, Non-Audit Services, and Restatements” that substantially influenced SEC policy on audit firm independence, he has set the bar high for those who follow in his footsteps.
As Jeanmarie Lord, one of the doctoral students Bill advises, notes, “His contribution to the accounting profession extends beyond his research to all of the students he has advised and to the countless number of students and Professors he has influenced throughout his career. While he is retiring, I know his legacy will live on for years to come through his many students. He is, in my view, the true definition of a Professor – relentless in his pursuit of research and tireless in his commitment to mentor and guide future generations.”
He served a term on the AICPA’s Auditing Standards Board (1981-1984) and two terms as a non-practicing member of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (2007-2012). Bill was also on the AICPA on the Special Committee on Assurance Services (1994-1996), task forces on Securities Laws and Regulations (1995-1997) and Contingencies and Uncertainties (1981-1983). A member of the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB) Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council and founding member of the Advisory Council of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), he has proven himself an auditing standards setter.
In 2014, Bill Kinney was inaugurated into The Accounting Hall of Fame at the American Accounting Association (AAA) annual meeting, an honor that highlighted his career and contributions to the accounting profession. Bill Kinney is truly an accounting legend and as we celebrate both his tenure at The University of Texas and his retirement, we will miss not only an amazing faculty member, but also a researcher who has brought so much to the accounting field.