Under Holder’s leadership, the USC Leventhal School added more than 30 student scholarships and six endowed chairs and professorships, established new degrees, and maintained the school’s standing as a nationally ranked Top 10 accounting program. (USC Photo/David Sprague)
In memoriam: William W. Holder, former USC Leventhal dean and longtime professor
Holder spent nearly five decades at USC’s prestigious accounting school, including 13 years as its dean.
William W. Holder, longtime USC professor and former dean of the USC Leventhal School of Accounting, died Thursday.
During 45 years at USC — including 13 years as dean of USC Leventhal, part of the USC Marshall School of Business — Holder helped build the school into one of the nation’s foremost accounting programs.
“Bill was a steadfast presence at USC Leventhal through decades of growth and change,” USC President Beong-Soo Kim said. “His leadership helped Leventhal extend its academic excellence and its global impact, and he generously shared his wisdom and kindness with generations of Trojan students and colleagues. He will be fondly remembered as a wonderful teacher, leader and friend to the Trojan Family.”
“He took tremendous pride in his students and saw them develop into thoughtful professionals and leaders,” said Andy Call, dean of USC Leventhal and interim dean of USC Marshall. “He has impacted generations of Leventhal graduates, who benefited not only from his expertise, but also from the rigor, integrity, humility and compassion he brought to the classroom and the institution he served.”
William Holder: Professor, administrator, dean
Holder joined the USC faculty as Ernst & Young Professor of Accounting in 1979. He later pivoted into administration, eventually serving as USC Leventhal dean from 2011 until retiring in 2024.
Under his leadership, USC Leventhal added more than 30 student scholarships and six endowed chairs and professorships, established new joint and progressive degrees, and maintained the school’s standing as a nationally ranked Top 10 accounting program.
Holder also made lasting contributions to the accounting profession, serving on the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Board of Directors and Board of Examiners, and numerous professional committees. His work helped advance accounting standards and transform the Uniform CPA Examination.
He was twice named one of the profession’s 100 Most Influential People by Accounting Today, and in 2006 the AICPA honored him with the Gold Medal for Distinguished Service, its highest honor. His research has been published in the Journal of Accountancy, The Accounting Review, Financial Executive, The CPA Journal and many other journals.
Holder earned a bachelor’s of business administration in accounting from Oklahoma State University, and a master’s in accounting and a doctorate in business administration from the University of Oklahoma. He and his wife, Carolyn, established accounting scholarships in Oklahoma and at USC.
Holder once reflected on his relationship with USC by saying, “It’s been my good fortune to come to USC when I got the opportunity and my good sense to stay here once I could.”
What mattered most to William Holder
He often spoke with admiration for his colleagues and with deep gratitude for the staff, alumni and friends who supported USC Leventhal and its students. On his retirement from USC Marshall, he reflected on what mattered most to him. “Meeting, getting to know and becoming friends with so many special people is a highlight of my life,” he said.
For the many students, colleagues, alumni and friends who knew Holder, that feeling was mutual. On Holder’s retirement, Deloitte Global CEO Joe Ucuzoglu, a USC Leventhal alumnus and now a USC trustee, recalled the effect Holder left on him nearly 30 years earlier.
“It is my great privilege and honor not only to have studied under Bill Holder, but also to call him a mentor and dear friend,” Ucuzoglu said.
