Accounting Accomplishments

For more than 20 years, the Accountancy & Taxation department at the C. T. Bauer College of Business has ended the school year on a celebratory note, recognizing outstanding students, alumni, faculty and staff at its annual awards banquet.

Closing out another year at the Houston Racquet Club, this year’s highest honoree was Bauer College alumnus Michael Viator (BBA ‘83). Viator worked for years as a financial accountant before taking on his second venture in business — entrepreneurship.

Receiving the night’s largest award with humility, alongside his wife Ginger, Viator shared that his Bauer education was the catalyst for the decades of success that followed.

“It granted me the ability to get in places where I otherwise would not have been able to get into and to have affiliations that I might not have had otherwise,” he said. “It was the start of a good future."

As a native Houstonian, Viator feels immense pride toward his alma mater and has generously contributed toward many student scholarships over the years. He encourages students to remain tenacious, likeable and self-assured in their future careers.

The award ceremony also shined a light on accomplished students from the fall and spring semesters, including alumna Nimisha Khiantani (BBA ‘25), who received the Fall 2025 Outstanding BBA Accounting Student Award. Khiantani credits her success to her family’s encouragement and Bauer faculty and staff’s mentorship.

“They took the time to make sure that they homed in on the important concepts and provided additional support outside of the classroom through office hours,” Khiantani said.

Senior Adam Elbanna was the recipient of the Spring 2026 Outstanding BBA Accounting Student Award and the 2025-2026 TXCPA Academic Excellence Award. Elbanna comes from a family of Bauer alumni and said he values the network he’s built while earning his degree.

“I've had the greatest mentors, especially Dr. Michael Newman,” Elbanna said. “I came in freshman year thinking I was going to do supply chain, and then he taught me accounting, and it just clicked. He’s been the guy that's helped me every step of the way.”

Spring 2026 Outstanding MSACCY Student Loc Tran also graduated with his undergraduate accounting degree from Bauer. After overcoming hardships, Tran was glad to be at his second accounting banquet with the community he’s spent years with.

“I previously dropped out of school because I couldn't afford it anymore,” he said. “When I came back, I was determined to do well. Sometimes I doubted myself, so I’m honored to receive this recognition.”

After commencement, Tran plans to study for the CPA exam and start working at KPMG in October.

In addition to awards, students and other special guests networked over a meal and listened to the program’s distinguished speakers.

Fall 2025 Outstanding BBA Accounting Student Award

Nimisha Khiantani

Fall 2025 Outstanding MSACCY Student Award

Georgina Perez Mata Cortes

Spring 2026 Outstanding BBA Accounting Student Award

Adam Elbanna

Spring 2026 Outstanding MSACCY Student Award

Loc Tran

2025-2026 TXCPA Academic Excellence Award

Adam Elbanna