Weston Smith, business ethics consultant of Birmingham, Ala., and guest speaker at Delta State’s College of Business Lecture Series will deliver a presentation entitled “Crossing the Line,” from 10 a.m. – noon, Monday, Oct. 18, in Jobe Hall Auditorium on the campus.
Smith worked his way through college and graduated with honors from the School of Business at the University of North Alabama. Upon graduation, he started his professional career at Ernst & Young and earned a Certified Public Accountant license. He was then recruited by Healthsouth Corporation and eventually ascended to the rank of Chief Financial Officer.
Healthsouth, founded by a small group under the leadership of Richard Scrushy, quickly grew from one facility to over 2000 located in all 50 states. The company was a Wall Street darling, and in Birmingham, Ala., Scrushy carefully nurtured his rock star status as a classic rag to riches story.
In reality, the company’s success was a scam. Underneath the glimmering corporate office, the fleet of corporate jets, and Scrushy’s narcissistic antics, lay a $2.7 billion accounting fraud. Sick of the lies and demands to further the scheme, Smith blew the whistle, exposing to the government and the public the real truth behind the company. He paid heavily for his own role in the fraud, including spending 14 months in a federal prison camp.
After the smoke cleared from the Healthsouth debacle, Smith was recruited by a Birmingham-based CPA firm to serve as an independent consultant and controller to key clients. His experience and skills were recognized by a Birmingham business where he served in sales and administration.
Despite the stigma of getting caught up in fraud, the loss of career and finances, and the stain of a record, he has no regrets about blowing the whistle. “Finally, I did the right thing, and I’m committed to making this a teachable experience for others.”
As a business ethics consultant, Smith shares his powerful personal story with corporations, small businesses, academia, civic groups, and religious groups.
For more information, call 662-846-4180.
