At the recent XXIX Interamerican Accounting Association (IAA) conference held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Florida International University (FIU) received the Fra Luca Bartolomeo Paccioli award.
According to Eduardo Mendez (MS’ 01, BA ’96), president of the Cuban American CPAs Association and Foundation, the prestigious award is named after the 15th-century Italian mathematician, who is dubbed the “father of accounting” and is credited as having invented the modern-day double-entry system.
“The award recognizes outstanding performances by and contributions from different areas in the accounting profession—from institutions of higher education or universities that offer the degree in accounting, to consulting firms who excel in their industry, or to deserving professionals who excel by contributions to or knowledge of the accounting sciences,” said Mendez, who accepted the award on the university’s behalf.
Selections are made by geographical region. FIU is part of the North American region that includes all candidates from Canada, the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Cuba.
“We were chosen for the consistently high performance of our accounting program and for the high rate of graduates from minority groups within the United States,” he said.
Former College of Business Administration School of Accounting professor also recognized.
During the same event, the IAA awarded Leonardo Rodriguez, professor emeritus, FIU, the Contador Benemerito de las Américas, the highest recognition given every two years to a member of the association.
Founded in 1947, the IAA is an international organization composed of 23 countries from South America, Central America, the Caribbean and Canada. More than 1.5 million accountants are represented.
Mendez noted that the Cuban American CPAs Association and Foundation in Miami holds the membership for Cuba in IAA. They acquired this status because the original group representing Cuba—certified accountants trained there and exiled to Miami—asked the Cuban American CPA to carry the membership as that original group aged and passed away.
