Students choose accounting lecturer as 2014 Alumni Master Teacher

CLEMSON – Clemson University students chose accounting senior lecturer J. Russell Madray as this year’s Alumni Master Teacher for outstanding undergraduate classroom instruction.

The annual award is presented to a faculty member nominated by the student body and selected by the Student Alumni Council.

In addition to teaching intermediate accounting, Madray is president of The Madray Group Inc., which he founded in 1996. The Madray Group, based in Greenville, helps businesses, accounting firms and other organizations understand and implement technical accounting and auditing issues. It specializes in providing technical reviews, inspection services and technical assistance to small- and medium-sized accounting firms throughout the U.S.

Madray also is Scholar-in-Residence at Elliott Davis in Greenville, one of the largest accounting, tax and consulting firms in the Southeast.

He received his Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Clemson University in 1986 and his Master in Professional Accountancy degree from Clemson University in 1988.

“Thirty-two years ago, I stepped onto this campus as a freshman,” he said. “Twenty-one years ago… I stepped into the classroom to teach accounting. During that time, I’ve always tried to remember two things. First, I was once a student and I’m sure I did some things, or failed to do some things, like homework, that did not please my professors. Second, times change and people change, so we don’t always have to do things the same as we did five or 10 or 20 years ago.”

Madray has written several bestselling books on accounting, authors many of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ publications and frequently contributes to the Journal of Accountancy. He also speaks to hundreds of groups each year on accounting and auditing topics and has made presentations in more than 40 states.

He lives in Greenville with his wife, Beth, and two children.