Obituary of Edmund Lowell Jenkins

Edmund Lowell Jenkins

 

Born June 18, 1935, in Lansing, MI.  Died December 2, 2020, in Tucson, AZ.

Ed is survived by his wife of sixty-three years, Kathleen (Kay) A. (née Moynihan), as well as their four children: Robert L. (Linda S.), Nancy L. Hutchings (the late William H.), Thomas E. (Ellen S.), and Steven J. (Laura W.).  He is also survived and deeply missed by eight grandchildren: Alexander P., Cynthia A. Hutchings, Elizabeth J. Restaino (Mark), Jonathon W. Hutchings  (Emily), Benjamin T., Emily C., Lily L., and Madison L.; three great-grandchildren: Penelope L. and Rose J. Restaino, and Elias C. Hutchings; a sister-in-law, Jan Moynihan; and many nieces and nephews.

Ed earned his B.A. from Albion College, and his M.B.A. from the University of Michigan. His humble attitude, dedication to excellence, and ability to build consensus propelled his career forward.  He joined Arthur Andersen & Co., where he spent the next 38 years as a well-respected leader interacting with various federal regulators including the Security Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).

From 1984-1991, he served as a charter member of the FASB’s Emerging Issues Task Force. From 1991-1994, Ed served as chairman of the Special Committee on Financial Reporting (constituted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants), known as the “Jenkins Committee.”  He served as a member of FASB’s Advisory Council from 1991-1995. He retired from Arthur Andersen as managing partner of the Professional Standards Group of its worldwide practice.

 

After retiring from Arthur Andersen, Ed was named chairman of the FASB in 1997.  There, he was instrumental in protecting the board’s independence during the development of the Sarbanes-Oxley bill.

 

In his spare time, Ed flourished by giving back to his community. He served on various boards of directors, including the Chicago Child Care Society, serving twice as its president; as a trustee for Albion College; the University of Arizona’s Medical Center; and Interfaith Community Services, a not-for-profit human welfare agency in Tucson.

 

Ed valued his time spent with Interfaith Community Services. He helped the non-profit earn Charity Navigator’s highest rating for fiscal and operational excellence and transparency. His contributions were not limited to the financial accomplishments of ICS, but rather affected all aspects of the agency. In true Ed fashion, he neglected to flaunt his achievements and instead listed “Former CPA” as his occupation when applying to volunteer at ICS. He never found a task that was too small or menial for him. From serving soup to answering phone calls from people in need, every Monday morning at 9:00 a.m., Ed was happy to be making a difference. 

 

His many awards include honorary doctorates from DePaul University, Albion College, and Lycoming College. He was inducted into the Accounting Hall of Fame in 2005.

 

He felt the single best thing about his career was being able to work with young people who were intelligent, enthusiastic, and full of ideas. He was impressed by their willingness to work hard. They kept him young.

 

He enjoyed being outdoors, especially biking and hiking. He could be found most nights taking a brisk walk around his neighborhood.  One of his most memorable hikes was when he went down the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River and back up to its rim.

 

Due to the current situation, there will be no services at this time. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Interfaith Community Service (ICS) of Tucson. +1 (520) 297-6049 https://www.icstucson.org.

 

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