Bruce R. Neumann, Ph.D.—a longtime IMA member who served as Strategic Finance’s academic editor and Chair of the Academic Research Proposal Review for the IMA Research Foundation—passed away on July 23, 2024 in Colorado after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Bruce, 80, was professor emeritus of accounting and health care financial management at the University of Colorado Denver Business School, from which he retired in 2021. He had been a faculty member at the University of Colorado since 1975, and though Colorado was his home base, he also taught and conducted research studies abroad throughout his career, with visiting faculty appointments at universities in England, France, Australia, and New Zealand.
“My father was the consummate accounting professor, with a keen focus on budgets and financial statements,” said Rebecca Neumann, Bruce’s daughter, who followed her father into academia to become a professor of economics at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. “He believed that the numbers were not static but were dynamic with a life of their own. He viewed his job as bringing the numbers to life. He was always interested in new interpretations, whether for a cost accounting application to a hospital or a funding allocation decision for a nonprofit.”
Bruce had a long history of service with the Institute of Management Accountants, of which he was a member since 1976. As academic editor of Strategic Finance and, previously, Management Accounting Quarterly, Bruce reviewed all submitted manuscripts. He would consider the feedback of members of the Editorial Advisory Board and layer in his own thoughtful and informed insights, suggesting ways to improve the relevancy and content of each manuscript.
“I can't stress enough the important role he played at SF,” said Nancy Fass, former senior editor at Strategic Finance. “He kept everything moving and was instrumental in ensuring our content was what SF readers and IMA members have come to expect.”
In addition to his work with SF and MAQ, Bruce was Chair of the Academic Research Proposal Review for the IMA Research Foundation. He had been a member of the IMA Research Foundation Committee since 2007.
“Bruce Neumann will be fondly remembered for his innumerable contributions to the IMA Research Foundation (IRF), IMA, and far beyond. His thoughtfulness and erudition were greatly admired and appreciated by colleagues,” said Vairam Arunachalam, IRF Committee Chair. “He was always keen to volunteer and help out in any way needed. His life was a wonderful mix of family, friends, learning, accomplishments, and giving back.”
Bruce had four children and was married to his wife, Mary, for 59 years. He enjoyed sculpting, sailing, traveling, and—of course—volunteering.
“My father was happiest when he was reviewing a grant application or a paper for a journal. His work with the IMA gave him such pleasure, and he continued to review articles even as his health declined,” Rebecca said. “He was an efficient editor and skilled at pulling out the main ideas from a paper or a grant proposal, providing feedback that authors could use to improve their work.”
When reviewing manuscripts, Bruce drew on knowledge gained over a long, successful academic career, during which time he published four textbooks, six monographs, and over 100 articles. His proudest academic achievement, according to his obituary, “was defining the field of health administration and management. He designed and implemented a unique distance education and consortium-based executive graduate degree, the first of its kind in the U.S., and well before modern online education was standard.”
His research also impacted the (2017) implementation of Payroll-Based-Journals (PBJ) for long-term care providers under the ACA, according to his university biography.
“While his achievements can be recognized in the number of publications and textbooks written, his most important work has been his ongoing support of individuals and his continued focus on excellence and innovative ideas,” said Rebecca. “The IMA was a perfect forum for my father to continue to provide such gratifying service.”
Remembering BruceIn his 17 years serving the IMA Research Foundation, Bruce Neumann contributed in many ways to advancing IMA's thought leadership by helping the IMA RF board of directors advance the ways in which research funded by the Foundation could make an impact on both management accounting practice and research. He evaluated each proposal with great care and demonstrated how to give high-quality feedback and guidance on the many submissions he reviewed. He truly advanced the impact and relevance of the Foundation’s work. As an alum of CU Denver and CU Boulder (Bruce held positions on both campuses), I appreciated how Bruce was always available for a conversation on research, career planning, or teaching. As an active IMA leader, he always took time to share his ideas with me on how IMA could further its support for our academic community. He will be missed. – Sandra B. Richtermeyer, Ph.D., executive vice chancellor of academic affairs and provost, Rutgers University - Camden |
