Remembering Professor George Benston

February 13, 2008

To the Goizueta Community:

It is with deep sadness that I inform you that Professor George J. Benston passed this morning. He was in Singapore, with his wife Alice, a professor in Emory’s Theater Studies Department, and other family members.

Our thoughts are with Alice, their children Kimberly and Randall, and the Benston family during this difficult time. We will keep them in our prayers.

When arrangements are made for a memorial service, we will let you know.

I knew George personally for nearly 25 years. He was never short of energy or provocative ideas. He was a man with high values, and an advocate for academic integrity.

George came to Goizueta Business School 20 years ago, at a time when the school was just beginning to come into prominence. As an influential member of the Finance faculty, he played a significant role in the school’s ascent.

In addition to being the John H. Harland Professor of Finance, he also was Professor of Economics in Emory University’s College of Arts and Sciences, and Honorary Visiting Professor at City University (London). Before coming to Goizueta in 1987, he was a faculty member at the University of Rochester and the University of Chicago, and has been the John M. Olin Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Oxford University and a visiting professor at the London School of Economics, the London Graduate School of Business Studies, Hebrew University and Berkeley.

A Certified Public Accountant, George served as associate editor of the Journal of Money, Credit and Banking; Journal of Applied Corporate Finance; Research in Financial Services Annual; Managerial and Decision Economics; and Accounting and Public Policy.

George was an advocate for fairness and quality in the worlds of finance and banking. He was outspoken regarding accounting standards, Enron, and the government’s role and responsibilities. He wrote many papers and books on these topics and even testified in Washington, D.C.

Never one to shy away from a discussion, George freely shared his opinions during faculty meetings at Goizueta, some of which are now legendary.

George was a multifaceted individual whose passions also included the arts. He and Alice were huge patrons of the arts, often sponsoring programming on National Public Radio and other cultural endeavors.

We will miss George. May God bless Alice and his family.

Larry

Lawrence Benveniste
Dean
Goizueta Business School at Emory University

Knowledge@Emory - Remembering Professor George Benston
To honor professor George Benston's contributions, Knowledge@Emory compiled several articles into a Special Section that highlights his passionate beliefs on accounting rules, the role of the SEC, banking, and the problems with pension plans.
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