An endowed "collegiate professorship" at the University of Michigan-Dearborn School of Management will honor Professor Emeritus Richard Czarnecki and support the legacy of teaching excellence that he exemplified, according to Dean Bruce Bublitz.

Professor of accounting and finance at UM-Dearborn for 30 years, Czarnecki retired in 1997. He lives in Dearborn Heights with his wife, Dolores.

Many years ago Czarnecki was a recipient of the Michigan Accountancy Foundation Doctoral Loan Grant. He went on to serve as an MAF trustee and was a staunch supporter of the MAF Loan Grant Program.

"Dick Czarnecki has been beloved and respected by three decades of UM-Dearborn students," Bublitz said. "Not only have his former students achieved great success, they have upheld the core values he instilled in them, namely the idea of public service and trust."

The collegiate professorship was established through contributions to an endowment fund that has raised more than $500,000 in gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations. The U-M Regents approved the naming of the professorship at their meeting on Jan. 20.

In addition to his teaching and service on campus, Czarnecki has been enormously influential in the accounting profession in Michigan and at the national level. He was appointed to the Michigan Board of Accountancy by both Democrat and Republican governors, and he served four years on the board of directors of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.

In Michigan, Czarnecki received the Educator of the Year Award from the MACPA an unprecedented four times, and received the MACPA Lifetime Achievement in Accounting Education Award in 1997.

Eleven of his former students received national or state honors for their CPA exam scores, including several who received the Paton Award, given to the person with the highest score on the CPA Exam in Michigan.

"This professorship is a tribute to a distinguished educator and administrator who has been an inspiration to students and faculty throughout his long career," Bublitz said.

Honored by the professorship in his name, Czarnecki is excited that the person in this position will have an opportunity to make a positive impact on hundreds of accounting students. “It will help the University become more competitive in hiring an outstanding accounting teacher … not just someone who’s a professor, but someone who is a really great teacher,” he said. Besides the quality of being a good teacher, Czarnecki recommended that a CPA should hold this professorship.

In his retirement, Czarnecki maintains active involvement on the MAF Board and he serves on its Scholarship Review Committee. He is a Walsh College trustee, serving as vice chair of the Academic Committee and as a member of the Audit Committee. Czarnecki also serves on the Advisory Board and Finance Committee for Vista Maria, a not-for-profit, residential and community based treatment agency that provides care to young women and their families who face many difficulties.

He and his wife, Dolores, also enjoy social activities at a Dearborn Heights seniors club.

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