Charles T. Horngren has passed away. Born on October 28, 1926, he died October 23, 2011 of natural causes. He is well known for authoring Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis, the best selling textbook in cost accounting for the past 40 years. Now in its 14th edition and co-authored with Srikant M. Datar and George Foster, I first read the book in 1977 as a young accounting student. At that time, it was already the dominate cost textbook nation-wide.
According to Bob Jensen, “He was not only a well-loved member of the GSB community, he was regarded with the same admiration by his professional peers beyond Stanford.” I agree.
The Graduate School of Business at Stanford University has set up a testimonial page. Quoting from it,
It is with great sadness the GSB must inform you that Charles T. (Chuck) Horngren, Edmund W. Littlefield Professor of Accounting, Emeritus, passed away peacefully October 23, 2011. He was not only a well-loved member of the GSB community, he was regarded with the same admiration by his professional peers beyond Stanford …
A memorial service is planned for 10 am, Saturday, November. 12, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 751 Waverley Street, Palo Alto. A reception will follow at the Garden Court Hotel, 520 Cowper, Palo Alto (free valet parking will be provided for those attending the memorial reception.)
Horngren was added to the Accounting Hall of Fame in 1990.
Pearson, which published his popular textbook, lists his many accomplishments,
Charles T. Horngren is the Edmund W. Littlefield Professor Emeritus of Accounting at Stanford University. A graduate of Marquette University, he received his MBA from Harvard University and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He is also the recipient of honorary doctorates from Marquette University and DePaul University.
A Certified Public Accountant, Horngren served on the Accounting Principles Board for six years, the Financial Accounting Standards Board Advisory Council for five years, and the Council of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for three years. In addition, he served as a trustee of the Financial Accounting Foundation, which oversees the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the Government Accounting Standards Board for six years.
A member of the American Accounting Association, Horngren has also served as its President and Director of Research. He received the Outstanding Accounting Educator Award in 1973, when the association initiated an annual series of such awards.
The California Certified Public Accountants Foundation gave Horngren its Faculty Excellence Award in 1975 and its Distinguished Professor Award in 1983. He is the first person to have received both awards. In 1985, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants presented him with its first Outstanding Educator Award. Five years later, he was elected to the Accounting Hall of Fame.
In 1993, Horngren was named Accountant of the Year, Education, by the national professional accounting fraternity, Beta Alpha Psi.
Professor Horngren is a member of the National Association of Accountants, and served on its research planning committee for three years. He was also a member of the Board of Regents, Institute of Management Accounting, which administers the Certified Management Accountant examinations.
Dr. Horngren, I appreciate your contributions to my professional life.
Debit and credit – – David Albrecht
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