Marlow Balances Accounting Career and Personal Life

Steve Marlow (Accounting ’78) still practices the professional skills and values he developed as an accounting major at UNI. The first lessons are professional, of course. “At UNI, the professors’ priority is teaching, and accounting majors graduate with a solid accounting background and a strong moral and ethical compass,” says Steve.

Over time, Steve's career success has been built on some equally important lessons that his UNI professors taught about balancing career and personal goals. The accounting faculty prepares students to reach beyond what happens in the classroom, says Steve, and to continue challenging their skills. Steve remembers Darrel Davis, in particular, as one who “helped me to realize that there was more to life than the classroom, and that I needed to learn how to balance ‘work’ with ‘life.’”

Steve feels he has been able to strike the right balance between his career and his family commitments. He has been at Ernst & Young since 1978. Currently, Steve is a partner and oversees audits for large insurance companies, where he continues to use his strong sense of ethics to help clients do the right thing. He has enjoyed having a flexible schedule that leaves room for him to coach his children’s sports teams.

Other members of the faculty that enhanced Steve’s education are Lee Nicholas and Gaylon Halverson. According to Steve, Lee Nicholas got involved with his students and was always there if someone needed extra assistance. Gaylon Halverson presented his students with challenging course work, but Steve enjoyed the rigors of his classes.

Since leaving UNI, Steve has continued to have an impact on his alma mater. He was on the Accounting Advisory Council and helped the accounting department decide to transition to the necessary 150 hours for qualified accountants. He was also instrumental in the implementation of the Masters of Accounting program. With these program enhancements, the UNI Department of Accounting continues its goal of preparing top-notch accounting professionals.

“Overall, the accounting faculty helped point me in the right direction and encouraged me to pursue accounting as a career,” he said.

Steve continues to be involved in other professional organizations. At this time, Steve is Vice President of the Iowa Society of CPAs. He will serve one year in that position and then the next year he will become president of the organization. During his time in these positions, he will help provide counsel to the executive director and oversees the organization’s services to CPAs in Iowa.

 

Steve was honored as the 2006 Alumni in Residence for UNI's Accounting Department.

Updated 14-May-07