Title: Professor of Accounting, Colangelo College of Business
Years at GCU: 8
Academic degrees:
- Doctor of Ministry in Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California
- Master of Divinity in Leadership Development, Phoenix Seminary
- Bachelor of Science in Accounting, California State University Hayward (now California State University East Bay), Hayward, California
What is your most notable accomplishment in your field, and why was it important?
The praise and encouragement for my writings examining various aspects of business and free enterprise as they relate to biblical principles. This topic is important because business and Christian values are seldom integrated. They are often seen today as juxtaposed, with Bible scholars writing about the fringes of business areas or popular business speakers writing from a Christian perspective. My opportunity was to research and write into the integration of both of them on an academic level. I am heartened that several scholars gave my writings such positive feedback.
What are you most passionate about in your field and why?
I am passionate about how a Christian world view affects so many areas of a person’s life. Biblical values help me to interpret the business world around me. It gives me a compass on how to navigate the gray areas of business, ethics and honesty with integrity. My favorite saying to students young and old is that integrity is “doing what is right when nobody is watching.”
What is a memorable moment you had in class, and what does that reveal about your teaching style?
One student caught my attention when she kept getting 100% scores on the exams while many students were struggling. I remember thinking that this student needs to be praised for her strong understanding of accounting, sharing that this is a gift from God. She was taking a general required accounting course as a business management major, but she accepted my challenge to change her major to accounting, graduated and is pursuing a career as a Certified Public Accountant.
What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?
I love all water sports. I have done water skiing in New Zealand, underwater cave diving in Western Samoa, windsurfing in Hawaii and cliff jumping in Mexico. My favorite times around the water are swimming in the pool and out fishing with my kids and grandkids.
What is something interesting about you that most people don't know?
I am a first-generation college student. My father barely finished high school, and my mother was not able to complete high school because of learning difficulties. Like my mother, I had learning challenges and was not able to read until the sixth-grade. I often share parts of my personal struggles with the students in the classroom as encouragement that all things are possible with God. It is a blessing that a son of minimally literate parents and a first-generation college student has completed a doctorate.
