Gilbert named NSU's first Tolbert chair

(Tahlequah, Okla.)--For the first time in Northeastern State Universitys distinguished history, a faculty member has been named to fill the William Frank Tolbert Endowed Chair for Business.

Dr. Arthur H. Gilbert Jr., a professor of accounting, joined the NSU-Broken Arrow faculty in mid-2011 after seven years of teaching at the University of West Florida.

Dr. Roger Collier, interim dean of the College of Business and Technology, said the scope of Gilberts knowledge made him an appealing candidate.

It isn't just his expertise in accounting that made him a strong applicant, Collier said. The chair also requires work in business administration. He has comprehensive knowledge of financial information systems and has done research outside the areas of business and accounting.

Original funding for the endowed chair was established in 1998 by the Tolbert family through the NSU Foundation. Proceeds from the chair support outstanding programs in the disciplines of accounting and finance.

Im honored to be named, Gilbert said. This is an exciting time for NSU and I want to help the administration achieve its goals for the university.

Gilbert will remain on the Broken Arrow campus as the Tolbert chair. The positions responsibilities include teaching, research, mentoring other faculty who are conducting research or seeking publication, and performing community outreach.

The person in the Tolbert chair can enhance the educational opportunities for accounting and finance students, which will benefit the College of Business and Technology as a whole and enhance its image, Gilbert said.

Gilbert said he would like to invite experts to speak to NSU faculty.

I want faculty to hear from those who are authorities in academic statistical techniques and how they are used in research, he said. I am considering a one-day spring seminar and there is a lot of interest among the faculty.

Gilbert is a former Air Force officer, attaining the rank of captain, who served as the financial manager of several aircraft acquisition programs in Air Force Systems Command. In the private sector, he was a senior financial analyst for defense contractor General Dynamics Corporation. He has also been treasurer for Quinn-L Group and a corporate controller for Fibrebond Corporation. He continues to develop and conduct continuing education programs in financial analysis and accounting.

Academically, Gilbert has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Finance and Accountancy, the Research in Business and Economics Journal and the Review of Business Information Systems.

An alumnus of Louisiana Tech University, Gilbert holds a bachelors degree in political science and masters and doctoral degrees in business administration.