MAS Alumnus Selected for Elite FASB Postgraduate Technical Assistant Position

The Department of Accountancy announces that Brian McKeown, MAS ’16, is one of six individuals nationwide to be selected as a Summer 2016 Postgraduate Technical Assistant (PTA) with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). The FASB establishes accounting and financial reporting standards for public and private businesses and not-for-profit organizations in the United States. Obtaining an assistantship with the FASB is considered the business school equivalent of clerking for a U.S. Supreme Court justice. During his one-year term beginning in June 2016, McKeown’s duties will include analyzing comments received on exposure drafts, reviewing and analyzing published research, preparing memos on technical issues for Board members, drafting due process documents, evaluating proposals of other organizations, and attending and occasionally participating in public Board meetings, task force meetings, and other meetings relevant to FASB projects. To be selected, candidates must be nominated by an accountancy faculty member and also supported by the department head. They must have an outstanding academic record, strong communication skills, the abilities to think critically, and demonstrated leadership abilities.  As one of the top students in the MAS program, Brian met all these criteria.  McKeown, of Bloomingdale, IL, will return to Ernst & Young, in Chicago, IL at the conclusion of his time with the FASB.