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Mark Zimbelman
Professor at Brigham Young University
Professional Background
Mark F. Zimbelman, PhD, CPA, stands out as a prominent figure in the field of accountancy, specifically known for his expertise in auditing and fraud examination. He holds a professorship at Brigham Young University (BYU), where he has been integral to shaping the curriculum and advancing the scholarly discourse in accounting. After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from BYU in 1984, he embarked on a practical journey through the fields of public accounting and management.
With six years of hands-on experience as an auditor and a controller, Dr. Zimbelman acquired a solid foundation in financial oversight and regulatory compliance. His professional path led him to deepen his academic credentials, culminating in a PhD in Accounting from the University of Arizona in 1996. This academic distinction not only enriched his analytical capabilities but also fueled his passion for research in auditing practices.
At BYU, Dr. Zimbelman focuses on the intricacies of fraud detection within the audit process. His courses on auditing and fraud examination are designed to equip students with both the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of auditing standards and practices. His commitment to education and scholarly research is mirrored in his active participation in various academic settings, where he is recognized for his contributions to the field.
Education and Achievements
Dr. Zimbelman's commitment to education is highlighted by his qualifications and ongoing contributions to academic scholarship. He earned his PhD in Accounting from the esteemed University of Arizona, an institution known for its rigorous academic programs. His undergraduate journey commenced at Brigham Young University, where he first cultivated his passion for accounting.
His academic endeavors extend beyond teaching; he is an active researcher and has co-authored a widely-used textbook, "Fraud Examination," which serves as an essential resource for students and practitioners alike. His researching acumen is further demonstrated by his publications in leading academic journals that focus on issues of auditing and fraud detection.
Research and Contributions
Dr. Zimbelman's research interests are at the intersection of auditors' decision-making and fraud detection. He has specifically investigated how to structure audit policies to enhance the ability of auditors to detect fraudulent activities. Noteworthy projects include receiving grants to study significant auditing standards such as SAS No. 82 and SAS No. 99, which reflect his dedication to advancing the methodologies used in fraud examination.
In addition to his research accomplishments, Dr. Zimbelman contributes to the academic community through his roles on the editorial boards of several esteemed academic journals. These positions not only serve to further his professional standing but also allow him to influence the direction of research in the field of accountancy.
His former role as an Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma showcases his broad academic footprint, indicating his versatility and commitment to higher education in various capacities.
Specializations
Mark Zimbelman specializes in a range of topics critical to the field of auditing, emphasizing the importance of fraud detection and prevention. His expertise covers:
- Auditors' detection of fraud
- Auditing principles and practices
- Fraud examination methodologies
Through his teaching, research, and practical experience, Dr. Zimbelman stands out as a leading expert dedicated to enhancing the effectiveness of auditors and raising awareness about the risks of financial fraud. His impact in the classroom and beyond is evident in the growing body of work centered around positive audit outcomes and ethical financial practices.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
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- Nexus AI: An AI navigator that helps you derive insights from your network, such as finding contacts who have been to specific places or work at particular companies
Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay is uniquely designed to bridge both professional and personal relationship management. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay helps you organize your contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. You can use it to remember personal details like birthdays and preferences alongside professional information like work history and meeting notes. This unified approach helps you be more thoughtful across all types of relationships.
Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Clay's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Clay as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Clay eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.