The Richard M. Orin Ethics Symposium focuses on the intersection of ethics and accounting. Held annually, this lecture series has been hosted by the School of Accountancy at the Trulaske College of Business since 1997.

The series is named in honor of Richard M. Orin, who received a business administration degree from Mizzou in 1949. Though Mr. Orin’s education was twice interrupted with military service, he also completed a JD in 1955 and a master’s degree in taxation law in 1957 at New York University. He spent his career practicing tax law as an attorney and certified public accountant.

Mr. Orin believed that the true essence of public accounting is professional responsibility and ethics. Through the Orin Ethics Symposium, this value will be instilled in others.

2025: Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope

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Dr. Kelly Richmond pope

CPA, Dr. Barry Jay Epstein Endowed Professor of Forensic Accounting at DePaul University

  • Friday, November 7, 2025
  • 11:00 am - 12:15 pm
  • Bush Auditorium - Cornell Hall

Ethics Case Study

Red flag mania: Investigating frauds

  • Friday, November 7, 2025
  • 02:00 pm - 03:30 pm
  • 205 Cornell Hall

Past Events

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Patrick M. Walsh
Patrick M. Walsh

2024: Patrick M. Walsh

Admiral U.S. Navy (Retired), Former Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, President of Christo Rey Dallas 
“Ethical Leadership: Insights from the Command Center to the Boardroom”

Dr. Walsh achieved the rank of 4-star Admiral and served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations (VCNO) and as Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT). He received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (one of Japan’s highest honors) for his work leading Operation Tomodachi, the U.S. assistance operation to support Japan after the 2011 earthquake. Walsh has been a transformational leader at the very highest levels in the Navy, business, and education, and he will be speaking with us about the intersections of ethics and successful leadership during great challenges. 

Dr. Walsh attended graduate studies in the International Relations curriculum at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. Walsh graduated first in his class and received a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy degree. He then entered the Doctorate Program with distinction and subsequently received a Ph.D.

Walsh began flying with the "Golden Dragons" of Attack Squadron 192, and was selected into the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, "Blue Angels". Walsh was a Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget as a White House Fellow. He chaired the Department of Leadership, Ethics and Law at the U.S. Naval Academy, served as the Executive Assistant to the Chief of Naval Personnel, and reported to the Joint Staff for his first flag assignment as the Deputy Director for Strategy and Policy. 

After retiring from the military, Dr. Walsh was vice president of The Boeing Company, the senior vice president and general manager at iSIGHT Partners, and president of Strategic Programs with Academic Partnerships LLC. He also co-founded The First Watch Group, which provides transformation, turnaround, business development, due diligence, and coaching services. Most recently, Dr. Walsh was appointed as the President of Cristo Rey Dallas, a Catholic college prep high school where he is leading the development of innovative models of college preparatory education for students with limited economic resources.

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Kevyn D. Orr
Kevyn D. Orr

2023: Kevyn D. Orr

Partner-in-charge U.S. Offices for Jones Day
"The Bankruptcy of Detroit: A Retrospective and Lessons Learned"

Kevyn Orr is Jones Day Partner-in-Charge, U.S. Offices. He provides strategic crisis management advice, identifying creative approaches to novel or first impression situations with an eye toward developing practical business-oriented solutions.

In 2013 Kevyn stepped down from the firm to serve as Emergency Manager of the City of Detroit. He was charged with restructuring the city's finances and operations. During his tenure, he oversaw the largest and most complicated municipal bankruptcy proceeding in the nation's history, and the city successfully restructured $18 billion in debt, reduced overall debt by $7 billion, developed and implemented a multiyear $1.7 billion revitalization plan for city services and operations, streamlined key city operations, helped improve public safety, put the city's art in a perpetual public trust , and avoided drastic cuts to pension and related retiree benefits. Kevyn received Turnaround Managements Mega Transaction of the Year Award for the City of Detroit, Michigan in October 2015.

Upon returning to Jones Day in 2015, Kevyn was made partner-in-charge of the Washington office and resumed his position as a partner in the Business Restructuring & Reorganization practice. While at Jones day, he has advised Chrysler, National Century Financial Enterprises, and Laidlaw Corporation. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute. Kevyn is now Partner-In-Charge of the firm's eighteen United States Offices.

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Tyler Shultz
Tyler Shultz

2022: Tyler Shultz 

Theranos Whistleblower and current CEO and Co-Founder of Flux Biosciences, Inc.
"Fraud is Not a Trade Secret: A Conversation with Tyler Shultz"

2021: Tim Mayopoulos

President of Blend and Former President/CEO of Fannie Mae
"The Submarine Mortgage Crisis: A Review and Lessons for a Better Housing Finance System" 

2019: Gerald Carlson

KPMG Managing Partner (Retired)
"Ethics in Leadership and Fulfilling Professional Commitments"

2018: DR. Steven Mintz

Professor Emeritus from California Polytechnic State University

2017: Mark Whitacre

Whistleblower and Former Executive of ADM 
"When Good Leaders Lose Their Way"

2016: Jacob Soll

Professor of History and Accounting at University of Southern California
"Financial Accountability and the Rise and Fall of Nations"

2015: Andrew Fastow

Former Chief Financial Officer of Enron Corporation
"Pride and Repentance: The Enron Story"

2014: Michael Oxley

Former Congressman and Former Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee
"Review of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002"

2013: Sheila Bair

Former Chairman of the Federal Insurance Corporation
"The Future of Financial Services"

2011: Chris Dodd

Former US Senator, Chair of the Senate Banking Committee and US Presidential Candidate
"Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act"

2010: Harry Markopolos

Whistleblower
"Blowing the Whistle on Bernie Madoff"

2008: Paul Sarbanes

Former US Senator and Co-Author of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

2008: Steven Mintz and Roselyn Morris

Professor of Accounting at California Polytechnic State University

Chair of Accounting Department at Texas State University—San Marcos

2007: Sam Antar

Former CPA,CFO of Crazy Eddie, Inc, and convicted felon

2006: Patrick Kuhse and Lyn Turner

International Speaker, Trainer and Consultant on Business Ethics and former financial services executive who served a prison term after being convicted of white-collar crimes

Managing Director of Research Glass Lewis & Company and former chief accountant of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

2005: Cynthia Cooper, Barbara Hannigan and Marianne Jennings

Formerly of WorldCom and one of TIME magazine’s 2002 Persons of the Year

Associate General Counsel & Ethics Officer for Public Company Accounting Oversight Board

Professor of Ethical & Legal Studies at Arizona State University

2003: Sue Bos

Chair, Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) Ethics Committee