WHAT IS FAI?

The year 2011, marked the Financial Accounting Institute's (FAI) 30th anniversary as a leader in preparing and teaching courses tailored to the utility industry. In its two and a half decades, FAI has trained more than 30,000 utility professionals representing more than 1,000 utilities and utility related firms.

HISTORY

FAI's success began with its identification of the utility industry's real need for effective training programs in finance and accounting for non-financial professionals. Based on the reaction of the people who have attended the 600 workshops conducted to date, though, what sets FAI apart from others in the field is the dedication and innovation of one of its instructors, Dr. Joel Berk.

Early in his career, Joel discovered that finding excitement and humor in subjects that to others were ineffably dull was his true calling. In short, he decided his true career lay in teaching accounting and finance.

His students and colleagues agreed and while teaching at Columbia University Dr. Berk was awarded the prestigious William H. Newman Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation. As a Professor in the Graduate School of Business at Columbia, Joel provided his students with their basic knowledge of accounting and infused them with enthusiasm to the business world and none have forgotten the basic formulae and tenets they learned in his version of Accounting 101.

In 1981, Dr. Berk helped found the Financial Accounting Institute. For two decades now, he's been designing and teaching finance and accounting courses and workshops specific to the electric, gas and telephone industries. His utility-oriented students have included lawyers, accountants, engineers, managers, public relations, executives, public utility commissioners, regulators, investment analysts and many others. More than 130 companies have invited him to custom-design programs and teach for them at their facilities. More than 30,000 utility professionals have attended his two or three day courses to gain or improve their understanding of utility finance.

Why have so many organizations found FAI's workshops so valuable they send more and more of their financial and non-financial professionals? Based on feedback from attendees, the answer is Dr. Berk's unusual ability to clearly explain complex concepts and his use of humor to enliven the lectures. As a result, demand for his talents continues to exceed his availability—little wonder, when workshop participants evaluate their experience as "Best class I've ever taken," "best presentation I've encountered," and "Joel Berk is one of the most knowledgeable and humorous instructors I've ever seen."

INSTRUCTORS

	Dr. Joel Berk Accounting professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Business for 16 years, Joel now specializes in training for the utility industry. more >
	Dr. Robert Vigeland For the last 20 years Bob has been a Professor and was Chair of the Department of Accounting Texas Christian University. more >

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