We’re taking a break this Friday from our usual troll of the filings for someone special. Tomorrow, Thornton “Ted” Oglove is turning 75 and I’m hoping footnoted.org’s many readers can join me in celebrating his many achievements and wish him a happy day. For those who aren’t familiar with Ted’s seminal work, The Quality of Earnings Report and the corresponding book, it remains an essential primer nearly 20 years after its initial publication. (Note: While Ted’s name is listed as O’Glove on the book, the actual spelling is Oglove. He tells a funny story about how it seemed to sound better to be a cynical analyst with an Irish sounding name)
I first met Ted about five years ago, when I began working on my book. Ted was one of the many people I cold-called to learn more about digging into SEC filings. Unlike some well-known people in this field who were too busy to take the time to talk to a first-time author, Ted was incredibly generous with his time and was more than happy to share his extensive body of knowledge. Today, he’s not just a mentor (and a senior adviser to this site), but a friend as well. Whenever I’m out in San Francisco, I always make sure to have dinner with Ted and his wife, Susan.
Because it’s been awhile since he’s been a professional cynic on Wall Street, Ted thinks that most people have forgotten about him, even when I share with him the many people — including many younger than me — who consider him an icon when it comes to forensic accounting. So whatever else you’re doing today, I hope you’ll take a moment to think about Ted and his many contributions to Quality of Earnings research.
Happy Birthday Ted!
