An accounting professor at West Virginia University has been recognized as the state’s top educator by the West Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Dr. Arron “Scott” Fleming, associate professor of accounting at WVU’s College of Business and Economics, has been named Educator of the Year by WVSCPA. Fleming received the award based on his achievements in instruction and research, as a well as his dedication to the field of accounting.

He received a joint nomination from two members of the same family: Jared Proctor, a former B&E standout student who received both his undergraduate degree in accounting and the Master of Professional Accountancy degree from the business school; and Jared’s mother Judy Proctor, CEO of the WVSCPA. The nominators pointed to the preparedness of Fleming’s students, his involvement in the West Virginia Council of Accounting Educators Conference, and Fleming’s expertise in and presentation of ethics to the state CPA body in recommending him for the award.

“I felt very honored and humbled to be selected for this award,” Fleming said. “The nomination was a two-fold distinction. I was nominated by a former student, and I was nominated by the executive director of the West Virginia Society of CPAs. To me, this indicates that an impact has been made with the work with the CPAs organization and the accounting profession within the state, and that teaching and mentorship have made a difference with students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.”

Fleming joined WVU in January 2005 and is a past department chair of accounting at B&E. He holds CPA and CMA (Certified Management Accountant certifications, and earned his undergraduate degree in accounting and an MBA from WVU. He earned a Ph.D. in accounting and information systems from Virginia Tech.

Fleming teaches a variety of courses at the undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels. In the past he has taught systems, financial accounting, managerial accounting, audit, accounting theory and forensics, and he periodically conducts anti-fraud workshops abroad. His current research interests are behavioral in nature and examine corporate governance with emphasis on executive compensation, group decision making, ethics and whistle blowing. Fleming is the current president of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the American Accounting Association.

“I have to note that I have been included in some pretty good company,” Fleming said of the award. “Current faculty that have also received the Society’s Outstanding Educator award include Drs. Dick Riley and Presha Neidermeyer, and retired faculty recipients include Dr. Ade Neidermeyer and Bob Maust, all of whom are highly respected. I don’t know if I deserve to be in these ranks, but I am grateful for the recognition.”