S. Michael Groomer

S. Michael Groomer, 69, of Bloomington, IN, and also of Springfield, MO, passed away at his Bloomington home on June 9, 2012. Mike was born November 4, 1942, in New Albany, IN, to Ellen (Drabing) and Walter Earl Groomer, who preceded him in death. Surviving immediate family members include his wife Carolyn, whom he married October 15, 1966, daughter Emily O'Brien and husband Mark O'Brien, and sister Ann Dixon and husband Martin Dixon. Mike earned his undergraduate degree in business from the University of Evansville and his masters and doctoral degrees in Accountancy from the University of Missouri at Columbia. He was a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). He worked for various companies throughout his teaching career, including Marathon Oil, Ernst & Ernst, and Toche Ross & Co. He also served as a consultant for KPMG Peat Marwick (Montvale). Mike had a dedication, enthusiasm, and passion for teaching. He first started his career at the University of Evansville for four years prior to receiving his Ph.D. In 1974, Mike joined the accounting faculty at Indiana University-Bloomington. While on staff Mike taught Introductory Accounting (serving as the Course Coordinator), intermediate financial accounting, accounting information systems, and auditing at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In 1990, Mike designed what is the current-day undergraduate business honors program and developed and taught the Undergraduate Business Honors Seminar. He was also one of five faculty members who designed the current-day Accounting Graduate Program. In his free time, he drummed in jazz and big bands and earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido. After retiring from IU in 2008, Mike took an endowed professorship as the Robert & Charlotte Bitter Distinguished Professor of Business at Missouri State University (MSU) in Springfield. Mike with fellow former IU professor Les Heitger designed, developed, and taught a new graduate program in forensic accounting at MSU. He was currently teaching at MSU until illness intervened. Mike's research appeared in numerous leading accounting journals, includingThe Journal of Information Systems,Decision Sciences,andThe Accounting Review. He co-authored the groundbreaking article that started the movement toward "continuous auditing" that is currently a major issue in business. In addition, he was the co-author of the first electronic business book titled,Accounting Information Systems: A Database Approach. Throughout his teaching career, Mike was recognized for teaching excellence at the national, state, and local levels. Most notable of all, he was beloved by his students, who say he was always encouraging, kind, and extremely dedicated to his field. Colleagues, students, friends, and loved ones appreciated his strong work ethic and commitment to excellence. Friends may call at the Allen Funeral Home 4155 S. Old State Rd. 37, Bloomington, from 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Mike Groomer Scholarship Fund at Missouri State University.

Tributes

S. Michael Groomer

November 4, 1942 - June 9, 2012