Singing His Blessings

Professor Bill Thomas credits his career success to Baylor University’s support and mentorship during his studies.

By Justin Walker

Bill Thomas, BBA ’69, MBA ’71
Former Professor of Accounting and Business Law
Woodway, Texas

Bill Thomas might have been a widely-popular professor at the Hankamer School of Business, but he knows he wouldn’t have had the career he did without a whole lot of support.

Thomas was born on Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, while his father served in the U.S. Navy. The family soon moved to Granger, Texas, where he and his sister attended school.

“Both of us were good at music,” Thomas said. “We had been given the opportunity to use our natural gifts in church and various school events.”

His sister, Lora Anne, was recruited to Baylor by their church organist, who just happened to be a close friend of Enid Eastland Markham—who wrote the current version of “That Good Old Baylor Line.” While Lora Anne was in school, Thomas would visit and soon fell in love with the University.

In 1965, Thomas enrolled at Baylor to study Accounting. An accomplished singer, he participated in the A Capella Choir and was a member of Dr. Euell Porter’s choir. But it was in his academics where Thomas truly started to shine.

“The next few years transformed my life,” he said. “I was blessed to have such mentors as Roderick Holmes, Jim Parsons, Emerson Henke, Bob Packard, Richard Scott and Helen Ligon as professors—each made his or her mark on my character.”

When Thomas graduated in 1969, he went to work for Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co., now known as KPMG, in Dallas. He lasted about a year before he decided to return to Baylor to earn his MBA. It was then that Scott, who would later become dean of the Business School, encouraged Thomas to pursue teaching.

“I knew from the very first time I set foot in the classroom that that is where I belonged,” he said.

Thomas joined the Baylor faculty after finishing his MBA. In 1975, he left to earn his PhD at the University of Texas before returning to Baylor in 1978 as Dr. Thomas. He compared teaching to his time in choirs—he had a message to convey and a captive audience. His time at Baylor was full of recognition, as he was named Outstanding Business Professor at Baylor, Most Popular Business Professor, and an Outstanding Accounting Educator by the Texas Society of CPAs before retiring in 2020. He credits his accomplishments to those who led and mentored him.

“I stood on the shoulders of Jim Parsons, Roderick Holmes and all of the other incredible faculty at Baylor,” he said. “I am blessed to have been a part of Baylor during the most significant time in its history.”