Thomas Madison

Thomas Madison, Ph.D., CPA, is the Ed Boyles Professor of Accounting and current Chair of the Department of Accounting at the Greehey School of Business, St. Mary’s University (San Antonio, Texas). Since joining the faculty in 1998, he has also served as Department Chair (2003–2017) and Associate Dean of the Greehey School (2017–2021). Beyond academia, he coordinates the university’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, a community-outreach partnership with the St. Mary’s School of Law that has generated more than $7 million in tax refunds for low-income families over the past five years.

Education

• Ph.D., Accounting — Texas Tech University (1998)
• M.B.A. — Angelo State University (1994)
• B.B.A. — Angelo State University (1989)
• B.A. — University of Texas at Austin (1972)

Research & Teaching Focus

Madison’s scholarship spans cost and financial accounting, tax policy, accounting education, corporate social responsibility, and fraud detection. His empirical work has examined bank-insider trading, organizational downsizing, the tax effects of scholarships and grants, and the efficacy of internal controls in preventing collusive fraud. In the classroom he teaches Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Management Control Systems, and Accounting for Decision Making at the graduate level, and has co-led immersive economic-development courses in Nicaragua, Bangladesh, and Bolivia for St. Mary’s International Relations program.

Publications & Intellectual Contributions

Across more than two decades, Madison’s research trajectory has moved from early studies on manufacturing downsizing and productivity to recent investigations of tax policy anomalies and the pedagogical impact of experiential service-learning. Collectively, his articles illuminate the intersection of accounting practice, public policy, and societal welfare—especially how sound accounting and tax systems can foster equitable economic development.

Honors & Awards

• 2003 Distinguished Faculty Member, Greehey School of Business
• 2009 Community Service Award, St. Mary’s Alumni Association
• 2010 & 2011 Community Service Award, Greehey School of Business
• 2012 Marianist Heritage Award
• 2018 Santa Maria Justice Award, St. Mary’s Law

Community Engagement & Grants

Madison directs St. Mary’s VITA program, mobilizing student volunteers who have logged over 20,000 hours preparing 4,000+ tax returns for low-income San Antonio residents. This sustained outreach effort represents a significant in-kind grant of professional accounting services to the community and serves as a living laboratory for student development.

Laboratories & Teams

While no formal research laboratory is listed, Madison leads the VITA program as a practical, community-based learning environment and collaborates with multidisciplinary teaching teams in St. Mary’s International Relations graduate program for immersive economic-development courses abroad.