Kevin Stocks Retires After 35-Year Career

PROVO, Utah – Mar 30, 2018 – Many professors dive right into the class material when the bell rings. Kevin Stocks, on the other hand, started every single lecture of his thirty-five year career by focusing on a principle of the gospel.

“These discussions are what students remember more than anything else,” Stocks says. “BYU is a unique place that allows the integration of the secular and the spiritual.”

Stocks first stood at the front of a classroom as a senior in the MAcc program at BYU Marriott. That experience motivated him to go into teaching, following the example of his parents who both worked as educators.

Now, after more than three decades, Stocks is retiring. “I feel privileged to have been at BYU,” he says. “But it’s time to move on.” He plans to serve an LDS mission with his wife and spend more time with his five children and eight grandchildren.

Stocks graduated from BYU in 1978 and immediately began a doctoral program at Oklahoma State University to pursue his passion for education. He earned his PhD in accounting in 1981 and taught at OSU for two years before taking a job at BYU Marriott, where he has made a lasting impact on students and faculty.

“Kevin is one of those behind-the-scenes guys, getting things done when nobody is looking,” says Jeff Wilks, director of the School of Accountancy. “He’s never sought the limelight, but because of his hard work and dedication, he was asked to serve as the SOA director for nine years.”

Stocks directed the SOA from 2003 to 2012. During his tenure, he oversaw the separation of the SOA from the Department of Information Systems, which enabled both departments to flourish independently. 

In addition to teaching, Stocks has an extensive research portfolio. His work on subjects such as internal auditing, healthcare accounting, business ethics, and accounting education has been featured in various business and academic publications. He has presented on his findings in places such as China, Europe, and New Zealand.

“There isn’t a place I travel that people don’t come up to me and ask how Kevin is doing,” Wilks says. “He has left a remarkable impression everywhere he has gone, and he has represented BYU wonderfully throughout his entire career.”

For his service, Stocks has received various awards, including the 2008 Outstanding Educator Award from the Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants and the 2009 Outstanding Faculty Member from BYU Marriott. He also served as president of the American Accounting Association from 2008 to 2011.

But the KMPG professor doesn’t teach for the accolades—his motivation has always been his students.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with my students,” Stocks says. “They are the reason I’ve been here thirty-five years.”