By ARDEN IGLEHEART
Assistant Professor of Finance Joseph Mohr resigned from UT on Oct. 17. Frank Ghannadian, dean of the college of business, could not confirm whether the resignation was connected to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing made last year against Mohr, although Ghannadian said the university is aware of it.
The SEC in 2015 filed administrative proceedings against Mohr for working as a Certified Public Accountant without having renewed his registration and for backdating documents for an audit.
“[The filing] concerned events that had nothing to do with UT, though we emphasize our commitment to ethics and teach our students the importance of professional ethics,” Ghannadian said.
The SEC claimed that from 2009 to 2012, Mohr advertised himself in Florida as a CPA using the title “Joseph E. Mohr, CPA, MBA, Finance” to describe himself despite his registration having expired in 2009. In Illinois, where he had registered himself prior to 2009, registrations had to be renewed every two years.
While anyone can advertise themselves as an accountant, only those with proper credentials can practice as a CPA.
In 2012, Mohr worked for a company called Messineo & Co. He performed quarterly reports and backdated documents for audits to make it look like the company was in compliance with standards, according to the SEC filing.
Mohr chose to settle with the SEC. This means he neither confirmed nor denied the SEC’s claims. Due to SEC sanctions, Mohr is not able to work as a CPA for the next four years after the December 2015 settlement.
Mohr worked as an adjunct faculty member at UT from May 2008- 2014 and became assistant professor of finance in June 2016. He did not say why he resigned when contacted by The Minaret. He left mid-semester, but there is no new job listed on his LinkedIn profile.
“That matter was settled last year, well in advance of my employment at UT,” Mohr said.
Anthony Murray, a senior finance major, had Mohr as an advisor and is disappointed to see him go.
“He was a great mentor and an incredibly motivating professor,” Murray said. “He really cares about his students.”
Arden Igleheart can be reached at arden.igleheart@theminaretonline.com.