Long Island’s Best and Brightest Accounting Students Face Off
in Inaugural Long Island College Accounting Challenge

Brookville, N.Y. – Top accounting majors from prominent Long Island universities put their knowledge to the test before an audience of hundreds of cheering students in the first Long Island College Accounting Challenge, a game-show-style competition sponsored by Margolin, Winer & Evens LLP of Garden City and hosted by the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University.

The SUNY College at Old Westbury team of Naomi Grafer, Geoviany Petit-Maitre, Vincent Tortora, Samuel Vargas and alternate Wai Wing Wan won the March 25, 2009 competition in Hillwood Commons Lecture Hall on the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island Uiniversity. The team’s faculty advisor was Rita J. Buttermilch. The Adelphi University team finished second, C.W. Post’s team was third and Hofstra University came in fourth.

Old Westbury will receive a commemorative award and each team member will receive a new Amazon Kindle2 e-book. Hundreds of students, faculty and rooted for their schoolmates, and the C.W. Post pep band entertained the crowd. The competition, which was free and open to the public, is expected to become an annual event.

According to MWE Managing Partner Teddy Selinger, "We are particularly excited about holding this event during a period of unprecedented economic uncertainty. Through this challenge, we hope to place the spotlight on the accounting profession and the importance of following sound accounting and economic principles – the principles we live by and why CPAs are widely held as the most trusted advisors. And, of course, we love a good competition involving bright young people and see this challenge as a healthy, positive venue to showcase some of Long Island's best students."

The Adelphi team consisted of students John Amico, Nitin Chatrinyom, Stephen Fregosi, Natalaie Venezia and alternate Matthew Messina and faculty advisors Ganesh Pandit and Grace Conway. The C.W. Post team consisted of students Megan Cayea, Jaqueline Joseph, William Finn, Joanna Pasko and alternate Jennifer Beissner and faculty advisor Charles Barragato. The Hofstra team consisted of students Glenn Fraser, Shamim Habib, John Imbascian, Michael Pesce and alternate Russell Hurd and faculty advisor Linda Schain.

Posted: March 25, 2009