Gerald Thalmann

Gerald Thalmann is an Associate Professor of Accounting at North Central College, where he has taught since 1996. His work focuses on integrating service learning into managerial and cost accounting courses, emphasizing real-world applications such as cost analysis for sustainability and international market competitiveness. He also teaches an interdisciplinary course titled Coffee, exploring its business and cultural dimensions.

• B.S., University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 1978
• M.B.A., University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 1985
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Thalmann’s research bridges accounting education with direct trade and global value chain dynamics, particularly in supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs. Since 2004, he has collaborated with Guatemalan coffee farmers to address barriers in international markets, embedding these projects into his Managerial and Cost Accounting classes. His pedagogical approach emphasizes trust, cultural relationships, and interdisciplinary problem-solving.

As faculty advisor to North Central College’s award-winning Enactus team since 2000, Thalmann has mentored students in developing sustainable business solutions for marginalized communities. His courses include Accounting Principles, Cost Accounting, and Advanced Accounting, alongside his signature interdisciplinary class on coffee.