Business

Proficient in bookkeeping from an early age, Gene A. Cooper is a retired dean of finance and administration and chief financial officer of Marymount College, serving in the roles from 1995 to 2001. At the inception of his career in 1960, after receiving a business degree, he served as an auditor for Arthur Young & Co. in Toledo, Ohio, for four years before becoming an administrative assistant and later assistant to the controller of Princeton University from 1964 to 1967. From there, he was chief accountant and later controller for Kenyon College from 1967 to 1969. Later on in his career, he served Westinghouse Electric Corporation from 1969 to 1989, first as a senior internal auditor, followed by staff assistant, financial policies and procedures and staff assistant, external financial reporting. He served Westinghouse Beverage Group from 1976 to 1989, first as division controller followed by senior vice president and controller. After his retirement from Westinghouse, he became controller for Custom Building Products from 1990 to 1994.

A certified public accountant in Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Mr. Cooper is a past part-time accounting instructor at Bowling Green State University, Rider College and the University of Phoenix, serving the latter university from 2002 to 2014. During his graduate studies, he also served as a graduate assistant at the University of Toledo. Civically involved as well, he sat on the board of directors and served as treasurer of the Wesley Foundation at Princeton University. He also served on the finance and audit committees of various United Methodist Churches in the United States.

Among the notable highlights of his career, Mr. Cooper cites passing the CPA exam in Ohio to be a crowning achievement, noting that it was a stepping stone for the rest of his career. He attributes his success to the encouragement of his wife Carolyn, as well as his parents. He was also mentored by several professionals in the field, such as Professor William F. Schmeltz, dean of the College of Business at Bowling Green State University; Dr. Thomas McFadden, president of Marymount College; and Eugene R. Wos, a partner of Arthur Young & Co.

Mr. Cooper is the proud father of two sons, Steven and Jeffrey, and four grandchildren. Born in Bryan, Ohio, to parents George Wayne and Agnes Anibel (Fisher) Cooper, he has been married to his wife since 1962. In his spare time, he enjoys genealogy and is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of the Revolution, the Society of Colonial Wars, the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and the Southern California Genealogical Society, among others.

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