By TODD STACY, Alabama Daily News
Troy University has named its School of Accountancy in honor of William H. Carr, an Enterprise native and founder of Car, Riggs & Ingram, one of the fastest growing accounting firms in the country.
Carr was recognized last week in a ceremony where Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins marked the name change.
“On behalf of our Board of Trustees and Foundation Board, and the entire Troy University family, today, and on this occasion, the William H. Carr School of Accountancy is created,” Dr. Hawkins said, according to a news release.
Troy’s Carr School of Accountancy has quietly become one of the premier programs of its kind in the nation. Last year, Accounting Today named the school 16th nationally for medium-sized programs. The ranking is based on an examination of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy’s CPA exam pass rates, rewarding schools with a higher likelihood of their graduates passing the exam.
Carr is certainly one of the schools most celebrated alumni. Since founding his firm 30 years ago, Carr has led CRI to become the 19th nationally ranked accounting and advisory firm by Accounting Today. The firm has offices in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Chihuahua, Mexico. It employs more than 2,300 people and represents more than 100,000 clients in all 50 states and multiple countries.
“Troy University has been extremely important to our firm … our fertile ground is Troy University. That’s where we get our foundation,” Carr said. “We’ve got lot of partners from Troy and it’s really in leadership positions; (Troy University) has meant a lot to us.”
Carr told the students and guests assembled for the event that demand for accountants is as high as he’s ever seen.
“You are the supply, and we have the demand (for your skills),” he said, according to the release.
“First, what you do here at the University is important – your grades matter because … they demonstrate work ethic and intelligence. Second, when you finish at TROY, the flag you carry doesn’t matter anymore and you’re on a level playing field. At that point in time, it’s up to you to continue to learn, to continue to accept change and be successful,” he said.