Deloitte Managing Partner Supports PDC Project

This month, construction begins on the Karl & Stevie Eller Professional Development Center, a 13,000 square foot infill project within McClelland Hall. Fundraising for the project began about 18 months ago, and Eller alumni around the country have stepped up with their support to ensure that the next generation of Eller students has access to the space they need to collaborate, meet with their career coaches, and interview with recruiters.

“I’ve seen professional development models at other business schools and it’s absolutely essential that Eller students receive personalized service from career coaches and customized interactions with employers in order to be competitive,” said Teresa Briggs (BSBA Accounting ‘82).

Briggs, vice chair and west region managing partner at Deloitte, committed a major gift to the PDC project. “The PDC will help Eller’s career services team deepen their relationships with employers,” she said. “And Eller students are more likely to take advantage of professional services when they are located within the college.”

She is passionate about Deloitte’s corporate value of community commitment, and wanted to find a way to stay involved and give back to the UA. “I owe a lot to my education,” she said.

The first in her family to go to college, Briggs grew up in Tempe and applied to ASU and UA, settling on the UA in part because a good friend chose it as well. Within weeks, she joined the UA cheer squad, which connected her to the campus and community. “It also gave me a chance to visit the [then] PAC-10 cities and identify the Bay Area as a region I wanted to live in after graduation.”

She settled on accounting as a major since she was good at math, and joined Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting fraternity, which helped open up career opportunities. “Lou Myers was the faculty member who had the most impact on me,” she said. “He was a stern teacher and I learned a lot from him. I even audited one of his classes to help me with the CPA exam.” Briggs was named the accounting student of the year as a senior.

The then-Big Eight firms came to campus and Briggs interviewed will all of them. “I received seven offers and decided to join Deloitte,” she said. Once at Deloitte, she worried about how she would measure up to colleagues from other schools. “I realized quickly that the best students from any school are successful. It matters what you learn, how dedicated you are, how smart you are, and how hard you try,” she said. “My UA experience taught me these things and they have served me well.”

Now the first female managing director in the 100 year history of Deloitte’s San Francisco office, Briggs oversees 14 offices with 8,000 employees in 10 states. She continues to give back and stay involved with Eller, including as a member of the National Board of Advisors, a position she has held since 2001. “I want to stay connected with the school, serve as a role model, and help pull students to this profession,” she said.

Briggs was honored over homecoming as the Eller alumna of the year. “Throughout her career, Teresa has given of her time, talent, and treasure to benefit Eller students, faculty, and programs,” said Jeff Schatzberg, dean of the college. “She is an excellent role model to young professionals in accounting and the other business disciplines, and this award is just a small way to acknowledge both her success and her commitment.”