Distinguished Alumni award recipient Ricardo Michel, Co-Chief Executive Officer, The Palladium Group. (Photo courtesy of Jim Roese Photography)

Alumni, students and faculty of the Fox School of Business at Temple University gathered with business and civic leaders for the 2024 Accounting Achievement Awards on April 30 to celebrate their shared Fox School heritage and honor six noteworthy graduates of the Department of Accounting. 

The annual event provided an opportunity for members of the Fox School community to connect with alumni from classes spanning 50 years, as well as make new industry contacts, meet current faculty and students, and learn about the recent achievements of the Department of Accounting. 

“A huge takeaway from these awards is the breadth of things you can do with an accounting degree from Fox,” says Steven Balsam, chair of the department. 

Balsam notes that each of the awardees has achieved great things in their careers.

“It is quite impressive that one of our awardees, Sandy Pfeffer, is the Greater Philadelphia Marketplace Leader for Deloitte, one of the big 4 accounting firms; another, Ricardo Michel, is the co-CEO of The Paladium Group an implementer of international development  programs,” Balsam says. 

“Jamie Gauthier, is a member of the Philadelphia City Council, and Larry Miller helped launch the Jordan brand for Nike, a brand which is now a $4 billion business.” 

Even those still early in their career have made a profound impact, Balsam adds. 

“Our young alumni awardee Steven Pham is a Deal Advisory & Strategy Director at KPMG, and knowing Steve, I expect great things from him in the future.” 

The department also made sure to include those who, while not Fox School alumni, are being recognized for their contributions to Temple. 

“I want to recognize Sudhir Kondisetty, Consulting Principal, National Technology Risk Consulting Leader, Philadelphia Office Leader for RSM,” Balsam says. “Sudhir is an honorary Owl and in that role, he has contributed so much to Temple Accounting and its mission.”  

In addition to engaging and reconnecting with alumni and friends, attendees also supported the next generation of accounting professionals by raising funds for the Accounting Achievement Awards Term Scholarship Fund, a scholarship created to support high-achieving accounting students in pursuing their undergraduate and Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degrees. 

The next Annual Accounting Achievement Awards is slated to take place in spring 2025, with the nomination process opening in fall 2024. 

Among the guests were six alumni who received awards reflective of their professional careers and civic service in the Greater Philadelphia region: 

Department of Accounting
Chair Steven Balsam welcomes guests.

Distinguished Alumni  
Ricardo Michel, MBA, CPA, BBA ‘90 
Co-Chief Executive Officer, The Palladium Group 

Rising Star  
Steven Pham, BBA ‘12 
Deal Advisory & Strategy Director, KPMG LLP 

Public Accounting  
Sandy Pfeffer, CPA, BBA ‘96 
Managing Director, Greater Philadelphia Marketplace Leader, Deloitte & Touche LLP 

Non-Profit / Government  
Jamie Gauthier BBA ‘00 
Councilmember, 3rd District, City of Philadelphia 

Lifetime Achievement  
Larry G. Miller, BBA ‘82 
Chairman, Jordan Brand Advisory Board 

Non-Alumni Excellence  
Sudhir Kondisetty 
Consulting Principal, National Technology Risk Consulting Leader, Philadelphia Office Leader RSM US 

Fox School Students

Photos courtesy of Jim Roese Photography