TROY--The educator who led Troy University’s accounting program and the Sorrell College of Business into a new era has announced his retirement effective Aug. 1.

Dr. Tom Ratcliffe, a Troy University alumnus who joined the faculty in 1986 after a successful career in public accounting, said he is ready to retire from full-time academia in order to pursue other professional interests.

“It’s time to go,” Dr. Ratcliffe said. “If I am ever going to get to do some of these things on a national level, I need to do them now.”

Dr. Ratcliffe will also continue his association with Wilson Price Certified Public Accountants and Consultants. And, he will teach continuing education seminars to CPAs through state and national organizations. He will also serve on several key committees of national accounting organizations such as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

“Dr. Tom Ratcliffe has exemplified the ‘one student at a time’ philosophy that has served Troy University well for years,” Dr. Jack Hawkins, chancellor, said. “He is an outstanding educator and mentor, which was reflected in the success of our graduates.”

Dr. Ratcliffe’s accounting students have consistently scored well on the CPA exam, routinely placing TROY at or near the top of pass rates for the state’s universities, and major accounting firms actively recruit TROY students on a regular basis.