William Fowler Ezzell Jr.

William F. Ezzell Jr. passed away on April 28, 2018 in Arlington, Virginia surrounded by family and friends. Bill was born in Burlington, North Carolina in 1949. He served in the 101st Airborne during the Vietnam War and received the Bronze Star, Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal for Valor. He then graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was married in 1970 to Rebecca Burch who predeceased him in 2013. They lived in Greensboro, N.C. where he began his career as a CPA for Haskins & Sells. Bill and his family relocated to Arlington, Virginia in 1986 where he went on to lead the legislative and regulatory activities for Deloitte LLP until he retired in 2012. Bill worked closely with the accounting profession and Congress on enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. From 1998 through 2004, Bill was a member of the Board of Directors of the AICPA and served as its Chairman from 2002-2003. He served on the Board of Trustees of the AICPA Foundation and was its President from 2006-2009. Under Bill’s leadership the AICPA Foundation developed a program to support an incremental increase in the number candidates seeking PhDs in accounting and tax. In 2009 Bill received the AICPA’s Gold Medal for Distinguished Service to the Profession. During his retirement he continued to support the academic community and was the commencement speaker for the 2015 graduating class of the Master of Accounting Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Bill is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Julie & Matthew Ross and Jennifer & Cort Stowe; three beloved grandchildren, Benjamin M. Ross, Abigail M. Ross, and Evelyn R. Stowe; sister and brother-in-law, Jan & Harry Campbell; second love Cynthia Lund; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Bill was a fierce advocate for the CPA profession, especially for students on the pathway to becoming a CPA and the educators who teach them. In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Bill’s commitment to accounting education may be made to either the North Carolina CPA Foundation, PO Box 80188, Raleigh NC 27623, or to the AICPA Foundation, 220 Leigh Farm Road, Durham NC 27707. Memorial gifts are also welcome at Capital Caring Hospice, 2900 Telestar Court, Falls Church, VA 22042.

Funeral services will be conducted May 6th, 2018 at 1 pm at the National Funeral Home (7482 Lee Highway Falls Church, VA 22042). A reception will follow.