To the Editor:
I have had the pleasure of knowing Joseph Berardino, managing partner and CEO of Arthur Andersen for over 15 years. For several of those years, he personally came to campus to recruit students for Andersen. I always found him to be a man of honesty and integrity who had the best interests of our students at heart.
So it was with great disappointment that I read the personal attacks on him in The Mirror. I wish the editor had spent more time finding out who Joe Berardino really is.
His editorial, that says, “A member of Fairfield’s Board of Trustees has brought a great cloud over our 200 acres. Where is the outrage?” is based on assumptions that attack his character while proving nothing.
Let me tell you about the Joseph Berardino I know. He is a hard-working, honest and caring person who worked his way to the top of Arthur Andersen during a 29-year career. Just over a year ago, he was named CEO, and what was one of the first things he did? In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, he touted Jesuit education and Fairfield University, because he believes in them. In April, he made the time to come to campus to give the keynote address for students being inducted into the business honor society, and then stayed on to talk with students about their future careers. He truly honors his commitment to his alma mater and cares about our students.
As CEO of Andersen, Joe Berardino heads a global executive team that manages 85,000 employees who work in 390 offices in 84 countries. Now, out of those 390 offices worldwide, the Houston office handled the Enron debacle terribly wrong. Who said so? Joe Berardino. “What was done was not in keeping with the values and heritage of this firm,” he said. “It was wrong. There’s no other word for it.”
Concerned, as I knew he would be, for the 85,000 employees who work for Andersen (including some stellar Fairfield graduates), he told the Chicago media, “The 85,000 people of Andersen are appalled by what happened. They are disappointed and angry. And they want you to know that this is not their Andersen. We will deal with those involved in this. We will be fair, but we will deal with this. We are going to hold people accountable. And we will make it clear that this behavior will not be tolerated.”
I have been talking with my students about this awful mess. This is, I believe, a turning point in the accounting profession. We need idealistic men and women who will not back away from the challenges and questions the Enron collapse raises, but who will help to make the needed changes. I count Joe Berardino among that group. Just one year into his tenure as CEO, his company has been knocked off course by events that were years in the making. I would never wish that a friend be put in this situation, but I have to tell you, I feel good knowing that someone with Joe’s integrity is there to help right the ship.
When Joe Berardino testified before Congress recently, he said, “Andersen will not hide from its responsibilities.” With Joe at the helm you can be sure of that.
I truly believe that this is a time for us to support Joe with our words, actions and prayers.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Lyngaas
Professor of Accounting
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