Speaker Series

Learning from proven business leaders

The Wake Forest School of Business recognizes the importance of learning from other experienced business leaders and innovators who have first-hand knowledge of what our students will face in the business world. To help better prepare our students for real-world business issues and deliver unrivaled market relevance, we host a variety of guest speakers in our Broyhill Executive Lecture Series – “Leading Out Loud” which brings to campus top business and government leaders from our community and around the world. In addition to delivering lectures, many of these distinguished visitors join students formally and informally to discuss issues of national and international importance.

Leading out Loud is a Wake Forest University School of Business lecture series created to educate and inspire business students through exposure to industry leaders shaping today’s business world. This series is made possible by the generous support of the Broyhill Family Foundation of Lenoir, NC.

For upcoming speaker events, visit our Events Calendar. Click below to link to a list of past Broyhill Series speakers, Hylton Lecture Series speakers and other distinguished speakers (with links to videos where available).

• Hylton Lecture Series
• Other Speaker Events

Hylton Lecture Series

The Hylton Lecture Series in Accountancy was established in 1980 to honor Delmar P. Hylton, who started Wake Forest’s accountancy program in 1949 and helped build it into one of the top accounting programs in the nation.

Lara Abrash, Chair & CEO, Deloitte & Touche LLP.

Monday, November 8, 2021
Broyhill Auditorium, Farrell Hall

Lead the Change: Fueling Greater Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Accounting

The past eighteen months included a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and social and racial unrest. Businesses are breaking traditional taboos and empowering their employees to speak up and drive change both inside and outside their organizations. CEO of Deloitt’s US Audit & Assurance, Lara Abrash, will share her perspectives on the importance of leading the change in her organization from a diversity, equity, and inclusion perspective and the larger commitment Deloitt is making to generate more advisory, auditing, and tax career opportunities and leadership pathways for the next generation of certified public accountants.

Richard Jones, Chair, Financial Accounting Standards Board & Chandy Smith, Senior Investor Liaison, Financial Accounting Standards Board

Monday, November 2, 2020
Virtual Event

Accounting Standard Setting: An Inside Perspective

In the midst of a global pandemic and unprecedented technological change, the Financial Accounting Standards Board [FASB] must continually weigh the costs and benefits of proposed and existing accounting standards. New FASB Chair Richard Jones will discuss the priorities of his tenure as well as the importance of continuous improvement in standard-setting. FASB Senior Investor Liaison Chandy Smith will join him to discuss communicating effectively with investors and the changing role of technology in financial accounting and reporting.

Jonathan Traub, Managing Principal of the Tax Policy Group at Deloitte Tax LLP

Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Broyhill Auditorium, Farrell Hall

The Politics of Tax Policy

In 2017, Congress dramatically rewrote the tax code in ways that are still being digested by businesses, individuals, and non-profits. In this year’s Hylton Lecture, Jon Traub will explore how a divided government is assessing how to change — if at all — those reforms and how the coming 2020 elections could usher in even more dramatic changes to our tax code.

Claudius Modesti, Former Director of Enforcement and Investigations with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board with special guest Josh Jones, EY Assurance Partner

Thursday, November 8, 2018
Broyhill Auditorium, Farrell Hall

The Intersection of Innovation and Regulation

Fueled by rapid technological innovation, the world is changing at unprecedented speed — with significant implications for the accounting profession. Blockchain, artificial intelligence and cognitive technologies all have the potential to transform our work. Claudius Modesti will discuss how the PCAOB and other regulatory agencies will impact the adoption of innovative technologies by the public accounting profession. Josh Jones from EY will join to provide insights from the profession.

Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA, CGMA, Chairman, AICPA Board of Directors;
Global Accounting Strategy Director, Oracle America

Monday, October 16, 2017
Broyhill Auditorium, Farrell Hall

Accounting in the Age of Innovation

Fueled by rapid technological innovation, the world is changing at unprecedented speed — with significant implications for the accounting profession. Cybersecurity, blockchain, artificial intelligence and cognitive technologies all have the potential to transform our work. AICPA Chairman Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA, CGMA, will provide insight on the forces shaping the future of accounting and the numerous AICPA initiatives to keep the profession ahead.

Steve Hill, U.S. Head of Innovation and Global Head of Innovation and Investments at KPMG LLP

November 2, 2016
Broyhill Auditorium, Farrell Hall

Revolutionizing Accounting Services with Cognitive Technologies

We are at the cusp of what has been called the Fourth Industrial Revolution. New technologies are rapidly emerging to create a new business ecosystem where technology is an enabler of human innovation, creating a new class of digital labor.

Steve Hill, the U.S. Head of Innovation and Global Head of Innovation and Investments at KPMG LLP, will discuss these transformative technologies, new ways for employees and digital labor to work together, and how this will impact the future of audit and accounting practices.

Rae Krelitz, EY Tax Partner, Americas Tax Quality Leader

November 5, 2015
Broyhill Auditorium, Farrell Hall

Beyond Professional Standards

Rae Krelitz, a tax partner at EY, will share her thoughts on the importance of quality to your professional reputation, your firm and the accounting profession.

In her more than 30 years at EY, Krelitz has dealt with quality and risk management matters for both the Tax and TAS Tax practices. She has served as the Americas Tax Quality Leader since 2010. She has provided tax and transactional advice to a wide range of private equity and corporate clients as well as on-call tax advice to a number of investment banking clients.

Tim Ryan, Vice Chairman & Markets, Strategy and Stakeholders Leader for PwC

Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Broyhill Auditorium, Farrell Hall

On the Horizon:  Perspectives on the Future of the Accounting Profession and Success Principles for Future Business Leaders

Tim Ryan, Vice Chairman &  Markets, Strategy and Stakeholders Leader for PwC, shared his thoughts on the future, and relevance, of the accounting profession as well as leadership in a complex and changing world.

Tom Golden, retired PricewaterhouseCoopers Partner-In-Charge of Chicago Investigations & Forensic Science

Kelly Richmond Pope, Associate Professor of Accountancy at DePaul University

Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012
Brendle Recital Hall

“Trust but Verify: Understanding Fraud in Today’s Economy”

PricewaterhouseCoopers Partners and Clients

March 24, 2011
Annenberg Forum, Wake Forest University

Partners & Clients: See how it works!

Wake Forest University Schools of Business presented a unique look inside the relationships between audit firms and their corporate clients as part of the Hylton Lecture Series. “Partners & Clients: See how it works!” was on March 24, 2011 in the Annenberg Forum on the Wake Forest University campus. Dean of Business Steve Reinemund served as the moderator of a lively discussion with PricewaterhouseCoopers partners and their clients from American Express and Exxon-Mobil.

Panelists included: Joan Lordi Amble, Executive Vice President and Corporate Comptroller, American Express Company; Ward Hamm, Partner in the Banking and Capital Markets practice of PricewaterhouseCoopersLLP; Patrick T. Mulva, Vice President and Controller, Exxon Mobil Corporation; Jonathan H. Mullins, PricewaterhouseCoopers Global Audit Engagement Partner for Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Other Speaker Events at Wake Forest

Michael P. Phalen, Executive Vice President and President, Medical Surgery (MedSurg), Boston Scientific

Friday, March 21, 2014
Broyhill Auditorium, Farrell Hall

Medical Devices and the Changing Global Healthcare Market

Keynote speaker Michael Phalen of Boston Scientific addresses members of the case competition teams at the 5th annual Biotech Conference at the Wake Forest University School of Business. Phalen discusses issues that are driving the change in Medtech today as well as the changing commercial algorithm and venture models and its effects on leading medtech firms. The keynote presentation is followed by a panel discussion with industry experts and the introduction of the eight case teams competing in the 2014 Biotech Case Competition.

Bob McDonald, retired Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Procter & Gamble

Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Broyhill Auditorium, Farrell Hall

Values-based Leadership

“Living a life driven by purpose is more meaningful and rewarding than meandering through life without direction,” said Bob McDonald to a standing-room only crowd in Farrell Hall’s Broyhill Auditorium August 21, 2013. McDonald, who recently retired as Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Procter & Gamble, offered insights rooted in his own personal history as well as lessons learned while he traveled the globe and experienced many cultures during his work with P&G.

Ken Blanchard, Management consultant and best-selling author

Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Charlotte’s Booth Playhouse & WFU Charlotte Center

Nonprofit Symposium

Management consultant and best-selling author Ken Blanchard inspired some 300 nonprofit sector leaders who heard him kicked off the Wake Forest University Annual Nonprofit Symposium. Blanchard drew on decades of experience to deliver his message that a clear, inspiring vision, the ability to work with people, and an attitude of servant-leadership were essential not only for the success of individual organizations, but also communities and the country. After his talk at the Booth Playhouse, participants went back to Wake Forest Charlotte Center and broke up into small groups to discuss the topics Blanchard raised and the issues they face as nonprofit leaders.

Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International

Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Wake Forest University Charlotte Center

Nonprofit Symposium: “Turning Calamity into Opportunity”

The Wake Forest University Charlotte Center welcomed Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, to launch an educational initiative to support nonprofit organizations. Reckford served as the keynote speaker for “Navigating for the Future” a free symposium for nonprofit organizations on March 28. Reckford’s presentation titled, “Turning Calamity into Opportunity” emphasized how a crisis provides opportunities for innovation and rethinking “business as usual.” He discussed how the tsunami in Asia and hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the United States forced Habitat for Humanity to become more nimble.