Stanley R. Pylipow, who in 1990-1991 served as President (now Chair) of the National Association of Accountants (NAA), which was renamed IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants) during his tenure, passed away on January 13, 2024, in O’Fallon, Mo. He was 87.
Born in Coudersport, Pa., Pylipow graduated with a BBA degree from St. Bonaventure University in 1957. He built a successful career in accounting and finance, working at a variety of companies that included Chicopee Manufacturing Company (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), Mobil Chemical Company, Monsanto Company, and Fisher Controls International, where he served as senior vice president and CFO.
Pylipow joined NAA in 1963 and served in several roles in the Raritan Valley Chapter, including a term as president in 1970-1971. Over the years, he took on national leadership responsibilities: chair of the Committee on Chapter Operations; member of the Management Accounting Practices Committee; national director; national vice president; and chair of the Committee on Research.
Pylipow’s message for his term as President was “You count!” As President, he was involved in the important decision to change the name of the organization from the NAA (by which it had been known since 1957) to the Institute of Management Accountants. That name change helped to signify the organization’s broader role as the association for accountants and financial professionals in business.
Writing in his Perspectives column in the February 1991 issue of Management Accounting (now Strategic Finance), Pylipow described goals that remain true today: “Thus, belonging to our organization enhances every member’s professional standing—it is a membership in which every member can take great pride. To practitioners of management accounting, our organization provides outstanding continuing education. To those members who are not, strictly speaking, practicing management accountants, but are connected to our profession by their need to gain greater understanding of management accounting, our organization provides an opportunity to gain this knowledge and to associate with practicing management accountants.”
In Pylipow’s published obituary, he’s remembered for remarking that his priorities were “God, family, work, and fun—in that order.” Pylipow belonged to several churches through the years, often serving in lay leadership roles. He enjoyed spending time with his family and was an avid golfer and a season ticket holder for the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Rams football teams. He also was a proud veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve.
Pylipow is survived by his wife of 67 years, Phyllis, five children, and a large extended family. Expressions of condolence can be sent to the family.
February 2024
