1999 AWSCPA ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Educator of the Year

Linda M. Nichols PhD
The Educator of the Year Award recognizes excellence in teaching in the accounting field by a woman faculty member of a two- or four-year college. Linda M. Nichols, nominated by the Lubbock affiliate, won the 1999 award.

An Associate Professor of Accounting with Tenure, Linda has been teaching accounting at Texas Tech University since 1989. Prior to joining Texas Tech University, she was a graduate teaching assistant in the accounting department of Louisiana State University and had been Financial Planning Supervisor with Columbia Gas Development Corporation. She started her career as a staff auditor with Arthur Andersen and attained her CPA license in 1982.

Currently active in the Texas Tech College of Business, Linda serves as chairperson of the Doctoral Programs in Business Committee and is on the International Business Programs Committee and the Steering Committee for Managerial Communications. She also serves as Director of Doctoral Programs in Accounting, is on the Financial Accounting Curriculum Revision Committee and the Accounting Undergraduate Curriculum Review Committee and has served on numerous other department committees during the past 10 years.

Linda has published numerous articles in such publications as "The CPA Journal," "Oil, Gas and Energy Quarterly," "Petroleum Accounting and Financial Management Journal," and the "Central Business Review." She co-authored an accounting textbook, "Fundamentals of Oil and Gas Accounting," has published reviews of books on the oil and gas industry, and has given presentations to several accounting organizations.

In addition to the AWSCPA, Linda is a member of the AICPA, the Texas Society of CPAs, the American Accounting Association and the Academy of Accounting Historians. Her participation in these organizations includes being on numerous boards and committees and holding offices such as President of the Lubbock affiliate of AWSCPA in 1994-95. Her other honors include:

• Texas Tech Mortar Board Recognition for Outstanding Teaching, 1990, 1991 and 1996.
• Texas Hall of Fame Member, 1996 & 1997
• Who's Who in Industry and Finance, 1996-2000, Who's Who Among American Women, 1999 and Who's Who in the World, 1999
• Texas Society of CPAs Award for Outstanding Contribution to a Committee, 1993-94
• Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, Beta Alpha Psi National Accounting Honor Society, and Beta Gamma Sigma National Business Honor Society

Public Service Award

Mary F. Cheaney CPA
The Public Service Award recognizes an AWSCPA member who provides a significant contribution of time and talent to public service outside the accounting profession. Mary F. Cheaney, the 1999 award winner, was nominated by the AWSCPA of South Florida affiliate.

Mary worked for the IRS upon graduation from college and, in 1981, moved into public accounting. She opened her own accounting firm in 1990. Mary is a member of the AWSCPA, the AICPA and the Florida Institute of CPAs and has been active in those organizations as 1995-96 President of the Broward affiliate of AWSCPA (now AWSCPA of South Florida) and currently Vice-President for Public Relations of the Education Foundation for Women in Accounting. Her leadership in AWSCPA of South Florida influenced many changes that increased their membership by 28% (and still growing!).

Her public service outside the accounting profession began with I. M. Thumbuddy, a foundation formed in the early 1980s to fingerprint children so parents would have a permanent record to help trace them if lost. Mary served as their Treasurer and was instrumental in getting the organization started.

An active member of Soroptimist International, a classified service organization, for more than 10 years, Mary held the office of President from 1988 to 1991.

She has been a community activist involved in Women in Distress since 1985. The organization is the only certified domestic violence crisis shelter located in Broward County, Florida. Each year, through its crisis shelter and counseling center, it helps women in distress as well as their spouses and children. Mary has been on its Board since 1995 and currently serves as Treasurer. The Board oversees $2.5 million in grants and contributions and has embarked on a $10 million endowment campaign to ensure the future of this vitally needed agency.

The Beaux Arts of Fort Lauderdale, a non-profit organization which serves as the fund raising auxiliary for the Fort Lauderdale Art Museum, is another organization that receives Mary's time and talents. She is actively involved in the two major fund raising events each year, the Promenade in the Park and Las Olas Art Festival.

Mary joined the National Association of Women Business Owners in 1990 and does pro bono tax work for the organization. In addition, she has been active with the Commercial Real Estate Women of Broward/Palm Beach Counties and has been a Board Advisor to the McIntire Foundation, a not-for-profit adoption agency for children with special needs.

In nominating Mary, the AWSCPA of South Florida stated that her least known public service is a networking seminar that she created and coordinated between AWSCPA and NAWBO, helping both groups interact and gain from each other.