Becker Professional Education, a global leader in professional education and a part of DeVry Inc., announced that 37 of the 39 Elijah Watt Sells Award 2012 recipients achieved exam success by preparing with Becker's CPA Exam Review. Since 2005, when the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants® (AICPA®) began publishing award recipients, almost 90 percent of winners have prepared for the exam by using Becker's CPA Exam Review.

The Elijah Watt Sells Award is given to CPA candidates who receive a 95.5 cumulative average on their first attempt on all four sections of the Uniform CPA Exam during the calendar year. The AICPA established the award program to highlight exceptional achievements on the Uniform CPA Exam. More than 92,000 candidates sat for the CPA Exam in 2012.

"We congratulate the 2012 Elijah Watt Sells Award winners on their remarkable achievement," said John Roselli, president of Becker Professional Education. "We know that passing the CPA Exam requires a high level of drive and determination, and we are honored that so many of the winners throughout the years have prepared for the exam using Becker's CPA Exam Review."

Becker Professional Education offers a fully integrated, comprehensive CPA Exam Review course that mirrors the exam in every way. Based on pass rates published by the AICPA, Becker students pass the CPA Exam at double the rate of non-Becker candidates.* Becker has partnerships with 99 of the top 100 accounting firms, including the Big Four, and with more than 140 universities.

The 37 Becker students honored with the prestigious 2012 Elijah Watt Sells Award are:

  • Jill Aoki (Utah), a Utah State University graduate with a triple BA in Accounting, Finance and Economics, and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Ernst & Young LLP in Salt Lake City.
  • Blake Applegate (Illinois), an Indiana University graduate with a BA in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with KPMG in Chicago.
  • Bradley Bowen (Texas), a Texas A&M University graduate with a BA in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Ernst & Young LLP in Dallas.
  • James Braun (Texas), a University of Texas at Austin graduate with a BA in Business Administration and a Master of Professional Accountancy, is employed with Ernst & Young LLP in Houston.
  • Alan Burton (Kansas), a Fort Hays State University graduate with a BA in Accounting, is employed with Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball, Chtd. in Great Bend, Kan.
  • Andrew Buss (Minnesota), a University of Wisconsin - Madison graduate with a BBA in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Ernst & Young LLP in Minneapolis.
  • David Canedo (Wisconsin), a University of Wisconsin - Madison graduate with a BA in Accounting and a Master of Professional Accountancy.
  • David Carlson (Massachusetts), a Bentley University graduate with a BA in Accounting and an anticipated Master of Financial Planning in August 2013, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Boston.
  • Devin Davidson (Washington), a Brigham Young University graduate with a BA in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Davidson Farms LLC in Basin City, Wash.
  • Angel Davis (Oregon), a University of Oregon graduate with a BA in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Precision Castparts Corp. in Portland, Ore.
  • Dodge Docheff (Missouri), a University of Central Missouri graduate with a BA in Business Administration and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with BKD, LLP in Kansas City, Mo.
  • Codie Dull (Wisconsin), a University of Wisconsin - Madison graduate with a BA in Business Administration and a Master of Professional Accountancy, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Milwaukee.
  • Martha Everett (Michigan), a University of Michigan graduate with a BA in Business Administration and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Plante Moran in Clinton Township, Mich.
  • Alan Gnegy (Virginia), a West Virginia University graduate with a BA in Accounting, is employed with Pillar Innovations LLC in Grantsville, Md.
  • Michael Gorter (Minnesota), a Dordt College graduate with a BA in Accounting and Finance, is employed with Deloitte and Touche LLP in Minneapolis.
  • Yun Guo (North Carolina), a Minzu University of China graduate with a BA in Economics and Finance and a Master of Accountancy from Wake Forest University, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in New York.
  • Laura Hilby (Iowa), a Buena Vista University graduate with a BS in Accounting and Corporate Mathematics is employed with McGladrey LLP in Des Moines, Iowa.
  • Stephen Hruby (Ohio), a John Carroll University graduate with a BS in Business Administration and Accounting is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Cleveland.
  • Kevin King (Indiana), an Indiana University graduate with a BS in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Ernst & Young LLP in Indianapolis.
  • Tyler Kleppe (Wisconsin), a University of Wisconsin - Whitewater graduate with a BA in Accounting and a Master of Professional Accountancy, is employed with Smith & Gesteland, LLP in Madison, Wis.
  • Veronika Krasteva (Florida), a University of Miami graduate with a BA in Business Administration and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Deloitte & Touche, LLP in Miami.
  • Brian Krogol (Florida), a University of Florida graduate with a BS in Accounting and a Master of Professional Accountancy, is employed with Grant Thornton in Miami.
  • Anthony Lemon (Utah), a Utah State University graduate with a BS in Accounting and a Master of Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Salt Lake City.
  • William McGauran (Virginia), an American University, Washington D.C. graduate with a BS in Accounting, is employed with Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP in Arlington, Va.
  • Andrew Napolitano (California), a University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) graduate with a BA in Business Economics, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in Los Angeles.
  • Eliza Nesvog (Washington), a University of Washington graduate with a BA in Business Administration and a Master of Professional Accountancy, is employed with Ernst & Young LLP in Seattle.
  • Bradley Ostendorf (Minnesota), a Minnesota State University - Moorhead graduate with a BS in Accounting, is employed with McGladrey LLP in Minneapolis.
  • Brighton Ranney (Missouri), a University of Wisconsin - Madison graduate with a BS in Computer Science and a Master of Accounting from the University of Missouri - St. Louis, is employed with Moneta Group in Clayton, Mo.
  • Glenn Rice (New York), a Hofstra University graduate with a BA in Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in New York.
  • Anthony Salomone (New York), a Boston College graduate with a BS in Accounting and Finance, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in New York.
  • Brent Schmidt (Ohio), a Miami University (Oxford Ohio) graduate with a BS in Business Accounting, is employed with BKD, LLP in Cincinnati.
  • Kimberly Shriver (Georgia), a University of Georgia graduate with a BA in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Ernst & Young LLP in Atlanta.
  • Mark Stankevitz (Massachusetts), a University of Chicago graduate with a BA in Economics and a Master of Accounting from Boston College, is employed with Grant Thornton, LLP.
  • Jennifer Tindle (Texas), a Southwestern University graduate with a BA in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy from Vanderbilt University, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in Houston.
  • Kevin Warbis (Ohio), a Miami University graduate with a BS in Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Columbus, Ohio.
  • Adam Wright (Texas), a University of Texas - Austin graduate with a BBA in Accounting, is employed with the Texas State Auditor's Office in Austin, Texas.
  • Ning Zhu (Texas), a Georgetown University graduate with a BS in Business Administration, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC in Houston.

To receive additional information about Becker Professional Education please visit www.becker.com or call 1-877-CPA-EXAM.

About Becker Professional Education

Becker Professional Education, a part of DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV), is a global leader in professional education serving the accounting, finance, project management, and healthcare professions. Nearly half a million professionals have advanced their careers through its CPA Exam Review, ACCA® Exam preparation, PMP® Exam Review, USMLE® Exam Review, COMLEX® Exam Review and Continuing Professional Education courses. Throughout its more than 50 year history, Becker has earned a strong track record of student success through world-class teaching, curriculum and learning tools that enable its students to develop the knowledge and performance skills necessary to stay ahead in an ever-changing business world. For more about Becker Professional Education, please visit www.becker.com.

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and AICPA are registered trademarks of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Corporation. ACCA is a trademark owned by Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. PMP is a registered trademark of Project Management Institute, Inc. USMLE is a registered trademark of National Board of Medical Examiners. COMLEX is a registered trademark of National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, Inc. None of the aforementioned entities sponsors, endorses, or supports Becker Professional Education in any manner.

*As verified by an independent third-party firm.

Media Contact:
Becker Professional Education
Sue Burns
(630) 353-3652
sburns@becker.com