OSU grad Wes Colwell to speak at Puterbaugh Ethics Lecture

Monday, September 30, 2019

Wes Colwell will be the featured speaker for the Puterbaugh Ethics Lecture Oct. 22 at Oklahoma State University’s Stillwater campus. Colwell is managing partner of Essentia Advisory Partners in Houston after previously serving as the chief accounting officer of Enron North America.

Colwell’s presentation, “Ethics: Would You Make the Right Choice?” will be at 2 p.m. in Jorns Hall in the Human Sciences building. His visit to OSU is sponsored by the Center for Legal Studies and Business Ethics (CLSBE) in the Spears School of Business.

“Having the opportunity to hear Wes discuss ethical pitfalls in the corporate world will benefit the entire OSU academic community,” said Dr. Griffin Pivateau, Puterbaugh Professor of Legal Studies and Ethics in Business and CLSBE affiliated faculty.

His presentation will explore the ethical issues that arise when a company structures a transaction to achieve a specific financial result. Colwell also plans to meet with student members of the Financial Management Association (FMA) and Student Center for the Public Trust during an informal question-and-answer session starting at 5 p.m. in Room 001 of the Business Building. Admission is free for all OSU students, staff and faculty.

“We’re thrilled that Wes is willing to take the time after his public presentation to meet with students from across the Spears School, including the newly formed Student Center for the Public Trust organization,” said Dr. Laurie Lucas, director of the Center for Legal Studies and Business Ethics and associate professor of legal studies. “I know that he is committed to giving back to the Spears School and helping students understand the importance of professional ethics.”

A 1982 OSU accounting graduate, Colwell has extensive accounting and risk management experience in the energy industry and has worked in both public accounting and industry. His industry experience includes power and gas trading, exploration and production as well as crude and products refining. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Laurie Lucas | Director and Chair in Business Ethics, Center for Legal Studies and Business Ethics | 405-744-1692 | llucas@okstate.edu