Mary Pearson

Vice President of Finance & Chief Financial Officer

  • Cedar City UT UNITED STATES

Specializing in entrepreneurship in rural communities, financial accounting reporting requirements, and the history of accounting principles

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Biography

Mary Pearson is the Dean of the Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business at Southern Utah University. Her responsibilities include oversight of the Accounting, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Hotel Resort and Hospitality Management, Management, Marketing, Professional Sales, Masters of Accountancy, Masters of Business Administration, and Master Science Business Analytics degrees.

Over the years, Pearson has received several awards. Most recently, she earned the UACPA Women to Watch Experienced Leader Award, Outstanding Educator for Beta Gamma Sigma, Student Influencer Award, Cedar City Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year Award, and Outstanding Educator Award for Southern Utah University in 2013.

Pearson has taught internationally at two of SUU partner schools in Austria for the last 16 years. Along with her work as a professor at SUU, Pearson is a certified public accountant (CPA) with her own financial firm in Cedar City, Utah. Pearson has served on several city, county, and school district committees and currently serves on the Helen Foster Snow Advisory Board and the Board of Directors for State Bank of Southern Utah.

Pearson earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting and a masters of accounting from Southern Utah University and has earned a Ph.D.​ in business administration from Northcentral University. Pearson's previous experience includes serving as Associate Dean at Southern Utah University, Instructor of Accounting at College of Southern Nevada, and Accountant/Auditor for Carol A. Stone CPAs.

Spotlight

1 min

SUU Celebrates a Decade of Major Accomplishments

Innovation and improving the student experience has led Southern Utah University through the past decade. The University has seen steady growth, surpassing 10k students in 2018, and record retention rates in both first and second-year students with a 15.6% increase in first-year retention rates over the past four years.  As President Wyatt continues to challenge the status quo of higher education and improve the student experience through innovative programs, growth and reputation, the next decade is sure to be better than the last. Here’s a look at Southern Utah University’s biggest stories over the past decade: Over the past ten years, SUU has continued to build a reputation for excellence and has been at the forefront of undergraduate research, experiential education, and scholarship. SUU’s programs have consistently ranked among the top in the nation and the university is recognized for its value and excellence by The Princeton Review, U.S. News and World Report, and Colleges of Distinction. In 2019, SUU was among the top ten in the nation for student lowest debt and among the top 50 for affordable tuition. With a commitment to personalized student experiences and unique educational opportunities, SUU is gaining national attention, positioning SUU as a top university in the Intermountain West.

Mary Pearson

Industry Expertise

Writing and Editing
Accounting
Research
Education/Learning
Financial Services

Areas of Expertise

Accounting Ethics
History of Accounting Principles
Cost-Volume Profit Analysis
Financial Analysis and Decision Making
Planning and Zoning in Rural Communities
Education
Business Accounting
Enterpreneurship
Accounting
Financial Planning
Business Administration
Strategic & Business Planning
Entrepreneurship in Rural Communities
Accumulation and Flow of Managerial Accounting Information
Finanical Accounting Reporting Requirements
Accounting and Profitability Analysis

Education

Northcentral University

Ph.D.

Business Administration, Specialization Advanced Accounting

Southern Utah University

M.A.

Accounting

Southern Utah University

B.S.

Accounting

Accomplishments

Woman to Watch Experienced Leader Award

Awarded by Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants, 2020

Outstanding Educator Beta Gamma Sigma

Awarded by Southern Utah University, 2017

Student Influencer Award

Southern Utah University, 2017

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Affiliations

  • Certified Public Accountant
  • Beta Gamma Sigma
  • Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Media Appearances

State Bank of Southern Utah adds Mary Pearson, Brad Last to board of directors

St George News  online

2019-08-01

Mary Pearson is the dean of the School of Business at Southern Utah University. She oversees the accounting, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, hotel resort and hospitality management, management, marketing, Masters of Accountancy and Masters of Business Administration programs.

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EDA grant money to motivate rural Utah entrepreneurship

The Richfield Reaper  online

2018-10-31

“We are excited about the opportunities this EDA grant can provide in creating jobs and increasing business productivity and profitability for students and community members in the five-county region,” said Mary Pearson, dean of SUU Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business. “We look forward to working with Dixie State in finding ways to promote and support entrepreneurship in rural Utah.”

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SUU Unveils New Business Building in Time for New School Year

KUTV  tv

2018-08-27

“We are thrilled to have a new building that will help our programs grow as we continue exploring new opportunities for our business students,” said the dean for the School of Business, Mary Pearson. “The new building will provide needs space for students, professors, and professionals to collaborate and experiment with business ideas, assignments, and projects.”

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Courses

ACCT 2010 Accounting Principles

This course provides a thorough study of basic accounting principles. The accounting cycle is introduced using an appropriate mix of conceptual and procedural problems. A real-world problem using computer applications is also covered. This is a basic course, which aids in building a foundation for financial analysis and decision-making.

ACCT 2020 Managerial Accounting

A study of the accumulation and flow of managerial accounting information and its impact on decisions within a business entity. Emphasizes cost behavior, cost-volume profit analysis, and management’s use of quantitative tools for planning and control.

ACCT 3010 Financial Accounting I

Study of generally accepted accounting principles, the conceptual framework, and financial accounting reporting requirements. Includes in-depth conceptual analysis of the various financial statement elements.

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