Bio of William Ferrara

Search People

	William Ferrara
	Professor Emeritus of Accounting Department: Accounting Office: 315 Business Building Phone: 814-865-0374 Fax: E-mail: wlf3@psu.edu Member of Faculty Since: 1962

Introduction

William L. Ferrara served on the Penn State Accounting Faculty for 27 years, 1962-1989, followed by ten years at Stetson University. He received the Distinguished Achievement Award for Alumni from DePaul University; the Beta Alpha Psi Outstanding Alumnus Award from Michigan State University; the Fred Brand Jr. Outstanding Adviser Award, the Spicher Faculty Humanitarian Award and six MBA Excellence in Teaching Awards from Penn State; the Golden Apple Award and the Perfect Five Award from Stetson University; R.L. Brummet Distinguished Service Award for Educators from the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and seven "merit awards" plus a "bronze medal" for manuscripts published by IMA in Management Accounting.

Ten different published papers of his have been reprinted in one or more of sixteen different "Books of Selected Readings" in managerial accounting and finance. His two studies on Lease Purchase Decisions were cited in 1980 as the top two best sellers of all monographs published by the IMA.

Dr. Ferrara has served IMA as a member of its National Executive Committee, as a National Vice President, as Chair of its National Committees on Education and Public Relations plus as a member of its Board of Regents; the American Accounting Association (AAA) as a member of Council, President of its Management Accounting Section, editor of The Journal of Management Accounting Research and Chair of its Advisory Committee to the Director of Education and Committee on CPA Examinations; and the American Institute of CPA's as a member of its Educator Advisory Committee and its Board of Examiners. In 1996 he served as AAA's Distinguished International Visiting Lecturer and spoke to and visited students, faculty and practitioners at universities throughout South Africa.

Expertise

Management Accounting
Cost Accounting

Editorship

Journal of Management Accounting Research - Editor 1987 - 1991
Journal of Management Accounting Research - Consulting Editor 1992 -1994
Journal of Management Accoubting Research - Editorial Board 1995-1998
The Accounting Review - ad hoc reviewer
Issues in Accounting Education - ad hoc reviewer
ABACUS - member of the Editorial Panel

Education

Ph.D., Business Administration, Michigan State University,  1959 
M.A., Accounting and Economics, Michigan State University,  1954 
B.S.C., Accounting, DePaul University,  1952