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Here Are the 2015 Elijah Watt Sells Winners

As you well know, there's only one correct score on the CPA exam: a passing score. However, some passing scores are more correct than others, as we have explained at length.

The 75 individuals listed below scored better than the other 93,667 people who sat for the CPA exam last year.

For Elijah Watt Sells winners, the magic number is 95.50. And here they are all the people who managed to achieve that, including their schools and employers:

  • Jason L. Ackerman (New York), a graduate of Lehigh University with a BS in Business and Engineering and Baruch College with an MS in Taxation, is employed with Wagner, Ferber, Fine & Ackerman PLLC in Floral Park, NY.
  • Eric Christopher Albee (Virginia), a graduate of the Virginia Tech with a BS in Business and an MS in Accounting and Information Systems, is employed with Dixon Hughes Goodman, LLP in Richmond, VA.
  • Seyed Paul Arab (Tennessee), a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a BBA in Economics, is employed with Home Federal Bank of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN.
  • Emily Nichole Baker (Texas), a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master in Professional Accounting, is employed with EY in Dallas, TX.
  • Angela Katherine Bennion (California), a graduate of Brigham Young University with a BS in Accountancy and a Master of Professional Accountancy, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in San Jose, CA.
  • Christopher Biesboer (Illinois), a graduate of Concordia University Wisconsin with a BS in Accounting and an MBA in Accounting, is employed with KPMG LLP in Chicago, IL.
  • Matthew K. Bishop (Tennessee), a graduate of Lipscomb University with a BS in Finance, Economics and Business Management and the University of Memphis with a Juris Doctor degree, is employed with HCA in Nashville, TN.
  • George Bloomfield (Ohio), a graduate of Marietta College with a Bachelor in Accounting and The Ohio State University with a Master of Accounting, is employed with Plante Moran in Columbus, OH.
  • James Arthur Boudreau II (Florida), a graduate of the University of Florida with a BS in Accounting and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Austin, Gillman & Lovano, P.L.L.C. in Gainesville, FL.
  • Benjamin Bowers (Georgia), a graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Bennett Thrasher LLP in Atlanta, GA.
  • Paul Douglas Brown (Texas), a graduate of The University of Texas at Tyler with a BA in History and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Gollob Morgan Peddy in Tyler, TX.
  • Trey M. Bruce (Florida), a graduate of the University of Florida with a LLM in Taxation, a Juris Doctor from the Lewis and Clark School, and a BSBA in Economics from the Ohio State University, is employed at the Phillips Harvey Group in Naples, FL.
  • Marcos E. Carreño (Massachusetts), a graduate of MIT with a BS and an MS in Aeronautics & Astronautics and Boston College with an MBA and MS in Accounting, is employed with Andersen Tax in Boston, MA.
  • Marcos Magnusson de Carvalho (New Hampshire), a graduate of the University of São Paulo with a Bachelor in Accountancy and the Getúlio Vargas Foundation with an MBA in Finance, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers Auditores Independentes in São Paulo, Brazil.
  • Chia-Jen Chang (New Jersey), a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BS in Accountancy and the University of Michigan with a Master of Accounting, is employed with EY in New York, NY.
  • Kathryn L. Claudy (Pennsylvania), a graduate of Grove City College with a BS in Accounting, is employed with Grossman Yanak & Ford, LLP in Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Joel Gavin Cook (South Carolina), a graduate of Furman University with a BA in Accounting and Clemson University with a Master of Professional Accountancy, is employed with Deloitte in Charlotte, NC.
  • Charles Coop (New York), a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master in Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in New York, NY.
  • Augustus Crimm (Texas), a graduate of Southwestern University with a BA in Accounting and History, is employed with Faske Lay & Co., LLP in Georgetown, TX.
  • Samuel Crosby (Washington), a graduate of Gonzaga University with a BA in Political Science and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with KPMG in Seattle, WA.
  • Trevor J. David (Colorado), a graduate of The University of Colorado Boulder with a BS in Business Administration and a Master of Accounting, is employed with EY in Denver, CO.
  • Kimberly E. Deyak (Michigan), a graduate of the Oakland University with a BS in Accounting and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Plante Moran in Clinton Township, MI.
  • Alex Engebretson (Michigan), a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Plante Moran in Ann Arbor, MI.
  • Brian Chad Erickson (Colorado), a graduate of Metro State University of Denver with a BS in Accounting, is employed with Eide Bailly LLP in Greenwood Village, CO.
  • Derek Ettinger (North Carolina), a graduate of the Binghamton University with a BS in Accounting and an MS in Accounting, is employed with Grant Thornton, LLP in Charlotte, NC.
  • Grant Jonathan Eudy (Missouri), a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a BS in Business Administration, is employed with Beussink, Hey & Roe, PC in Cape Girardeau, MO.
  • Nathan Andrew Evenson (Texas), a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor in Business Administration and a Master in Professional Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Houston, TX.
  • Tyler Faught (Illinois), a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BS in Accounting and a Master of Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Chicago, IL.
  • Thomas R. Fine (Minnesota), a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Business Administration and an Integrated Master of Accountancy, is employed with KPMG, LLP in Minneapolis, MN.
  • Courtney Folgeman (Massachusetts), a graduate of California Institute of Technology with a BS in Business, Economics and Management and Boston College with an MS in Accounting, is employed with KPMG LLP in Boston, MA.
  • Patrick Frey-Frankenfield (Colorado), a graduate of The University of Kansas with a BS in Business and a Master of Accounting, is employed with EKS&H in Denver, CO.
  • Joshua Furmage (Ohio), a graduate of The Ohio State University with a BS in Business Administration and Accounting, is employed with EY in Cleveland, OH.
  • Paloma Gante (Texas), a graduate of Texas A&M International University with a Bachelor in Business Administration and Accounting, and The University of Texas at Austin with a Master in Professional Accounting, is employed with KPMG LLP in San Antonio, TX.
  • Yu-Ting Huang (California), a graduate of National Taiwan University with a Bachelor in Business Administration and The University of Texas at Austin with a Master in Professional Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in San Francisco, CA.
  • Erika Mary Jackson (North Carolina), a graduate of Wake Forest University with a BS in Accountancy and an MS in Accountancy, is employed with Deloitte in Parsippany, NJ.
  • Nicole Lauren Jones (Kansas), a graduate of The University of Kansas with a BS in Accounting and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Grant Thornton, LLP in Kansas City, MO.
  • Grant Joslin (Ohio), a graduate of The Ohio State University with a BS in Anthropological Sciences, a BS in Business Administration in Accounting, and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Deloitte in London, United Kingdom.
  • Neerav Karia (California), a graduate of Saurashtra University with a Bachelor of Commerce, is employed with Deloitte, Haskins & Sells in Ahmedabad, India.
  • Nicholas R. Kemmerle (Ohio), a graduate of Ashland University with a BS in Accounting and a Master in Business Administration, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Cleveland, OH.
  • Maria Khrakovsky (Connecticut), a graduate of The Ohio State University with a BS in Business Administration, BA in French Language and a Master of Accounting, is employed with Financial Accounting Standards Board in Norwalk, CT.
  • David Michael Kinnan (California), a graduate of the University of Kansas with a BS in Accounting and Baker University with an MBA, is employed with Carmel Stone Imports in Palo Alto, CA.
  • Andrew T. Lamers (Wisconsin), a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Business Administration and BS in Accounting, is employed with Deloitte in Milwaukee, WI.
  • Jennifer Lin (New York), a graduate of Emory University with a Bachelor of Business Administration, is employed with Grant Thornton, LLP in New York, NY.
  • Andre T. Liu (Guam), a graduate of the National Chengchi University with a BA in Economics and a BS in Accounting, is employed with Deloitte in Taiwan.
  • Matthew LoCascio (California), a graduate of The University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration and The University of Southern California with a Master in Accounting, is employed with Deloitte in Los Angeles, CA.
  • Diana P. Lynn (Maryland), a graduate of Loyola University Maryland with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Accounting, is employed with EY in Baltimore, MD.
  • Alex Mannis (Arkansas), a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Finance, is employed with the Arkansas Legislative Audit in Little Rock, AR
  • Lisa Marchlewski (Michigan), a graduate of the University of Michigan with a BA in Economics and a Master of Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Detroit, MI.
  • Kyle McDougle (Massachusetts), a graduate of Bentley University with a BS in Finance and Accounting and an MS in Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Boston, MA.
  • Philip Meek (Arkansas), a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a BS in Accounting, Finance and Economics, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Springdale, AR.
  • Gerard Don Padilla (California), a graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman with a BS in Business Administration and Accountancy, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in San Francisco, CA.
  • Mark Bogdan Piorkowski (New York), a graduate of Boston College with a BS in Management, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in New York, NY.
  • Mark W. Podeschi (Illinois), a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BS in Accountancy and a Master of Accounting Science, is employed with FTI Consulting in Chicago, IL.
  • Michael Rozman Proppe (Michigan), a graduate of the University of Michigan with a BS in Statistics, a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Detroit, MI.
  • Lacey M. Puls (Wisconsin), a graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Accounting and a Master of Professional Accountancy, is employed with Smith & Gesteland, LLP in Middleton, WI.
  • Scott C. Radmall (Utah), a graduate of Brigham Young University with a BA in Economics and the University of Utah with a Master of Accounting, is employed with Goldman Sachs in Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Daniel Rakad (California), a graduate of San Diego State University with a BS in Accountancy, is employed with EY in San Diego, CA.
  • Andrew D. Reyes (New York), a graduate of CUNY with a BA in Accounting and Economics and Fordham University with a MS in Taxation, is employed with EY in New York, NY.
  • Daniel Paul Rost (Pennsylvania), a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Finance and Accounting and an MS in Accounting, is employed with EY in Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Addison Nicole Deavers Scott (Arkansas), a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a BSBA in Accounting and Finance, a BSIB in International Economics, and a Master of Accounting, is employed with EY in Rogers, AR.
  • Grant Michael Searcy (Utah), a graduate of Brigham Young University-Idaho with a BS in Accounting and The Ohio State University with a Masters in Accounting, is employed with EY in Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Grant Tyler Seuferer (Iowa), a graduate of Iowa State University with a Master of Accounting, is employed with Deloitte Tax in Des Moines, IA.
  • Emily L. Slaga (Michigan), a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Detroit, MI.
  • Brent R. Smith (Illinois), a graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a BS in Accounting & Economics and an MS in Accountancy, is employed with Grant Thornton LLP in Chicago, IL.
  • Amber Turner (Kansas), a graduate of Wichita State University with a BS in Accounting & Economics and a Master of Accountancy, is employed with Koch Industries in Wichita, KS.
  • Christopher Vasile (New York), a graduate of St. John’s University with a BS in Accounting and an MS in Taxation, is employed with KPMG LLP in New York, NY.
  • Qiaoli Wang (Illinois), a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with an MS in Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Chicago, IL.
  • Michael Thomas Westendorf (Ohio), a graduate of the University of Dayton with a BS in Business Administration and Psychology and an MBA with a concentration in Accounting, is employed with RSM US LLP in Moraine, OH.
  • Grzegorz Wiktor (Oregon), a graduate of Polish Open University, Oxford Brookes University, and Portland State University with a Bachelor in Financial Management, is employed at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Seattle, WA.
  • Liang-Han Wuu (Virginia), a graduate of National Taiwan University with a BBA in Accounting and The University of Texas at Dallas with an MS in Accounting, is employed with VPT, Inc. in Blacksburg, VA.
  • Bei Ye (Arizona), a graduate of the University of South Florida with a BS in Accounting and the University of Tampa with a MS in Accounting, is employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Phoenix, AZ.
  • Austin G. Zarbuck (Illinois), a graduate of Augustana College with a BA in Accounting and Business Administration and The Ohio State University with a Master of Accounting, is employed with Grant Thornton, LLP in Chicago, IL.
  • Shanfang (Jennifer) Zheng (New York), a graduate of Tsinghua University with a Bachelor of Accounting and the University of Notre Dame with an MS in Accountancy, is employed with Deloitte in San Francisco, CA.

If you're keeping score on the accounting firms at home, here's a rundown:

  • PwC: 17
  • EY: 11
  • Deloitte: 9
  • KPMG: 6
  • Grant Thornton: 6
  • Plante Moran: 3

Also, I don't recall ever seeing an aeronautics & astronautics major among the winners, so that's a first. 

The class of 75 EWS winners is the most ever. There were 59 in 2014, 55 in 2013, 39 in 2012, 37 in 2011 and 19 in 2010.  Congrats to all the winners!