J. Richard Claywell Outstanding Member Award—Third Quarter 2026
NACVA would like to thank and recognize the following members with the J. Richard Claywell Outstanding Member Award:
Steven McDonald, CVA
Principal/Chief Economist, Raftelis
Steven McDonald is an Economist and Researcher with 35?years of experience, almost equally divided between consulting assignments and corporate roles. He specializes in quantitative and qualitative research and analysis to include Business Valuation and Appraisal, economic analyses and econometrics, cost-benefit analyses, and short- and long-term financial analyses. The majority of this work currently relates to special purpose properties including water, wastewater, electric, natural gas, and solid waste utilities.
Over his 35 years, Steven has developed a high degree of technical expertise balanced with strategic management experience from high-profile, innovative projects, both domestically and internationally, focused on economic and financial issues across a broad range of industries. Altogether, corporate roles and consulting assignments, along with managing work efforts across no less than four business cycles, have provided Steven the opportunity to develop strong expertise in the field of economics and understanding enterprise business value.
Steven strives to maintain active participation as a member of the NACVA and is currently the President of the NACVA Florida North Chapter and serves on the NACVA Ethics Oversight Board. Steven also has more than ten years of college teaching experience in Economic Concepts (Macro and Micro) and graduate Managerial Economics.
Principal/Chief Economist, Raftelis
Steven McDonald is an Economist and Researcher with 35?years of experience, almost equally divided between consulting assignments and corporate roles. He specializes in quantitative and qualitative research and analysis to include Business Valuation and Appraisal, economic analyses and econometrics, cost-benefit analyses, and short- and long-term financial analyses. The majority of this work currently relates to special purpose properties including water, wastewater, electric, natural gas, and solid waste utilities.
Over his 35 years, Steven has developed a high degree of technical expertise balanced with strategic management experience from high-profile, innovative projects, both domestically and internationally, focused on economic and financial issues across a broad range of industries. Altogether, corporate roles and consulting assignments, along with managing work efforts across no less than four business cycles, have provided Steven the opportunity to develop strong expertise in the field of economics and understanding enterprise business value.
Steven strives to maintain active participation as a member of the NACVA and is currently the President of the NACVA Florida North Chapter and serves on the NACVA Ethics Oversight Board. Steven also has more than ten years of college teaching experience in Economic Concepts (Macro and Micro) and graduate Managerial Economics.
D. Kip Holderness Jr., PhD, CPA, CMA, CFE, CVA
Professor of Accounting, West Virginia University
Forensic Accountant, Valuation Professional, and Expert Witness
Kip Holderness is a Professor of Accounting at West Virginia University and an experienced forensic accountant, valuation professional, and expert witness. He holds professional credentials as a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner, and Certified Valuation Analyst.
Dr. Holderness has been retained as an accounting and financial expert in litigation and arbitration matters involving forensic accounting, business valuation, economic damages, lost earning capacity, funds tracing, net-worth reconstruction, corporate-veil and alter-ego issues, and the accounting treatment of complex financial and equity-related arrangements. He has been retained in state and federal matters, as well as confidential arbitration proceedings.
In addition to his expert-witness work, Dr. Holderness serves as Director of Research for the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Research Institute and coordinates West Virginia University’s graduate program in Fraud and Forensic Examination. His research focuses on fraud, forensic accounting, auditing, employee behavior, and fraud detection. He has authored or coauthored more than 30 academic and professional publications.
He is also coauthor of the textbook Cost Accounting: A Data Analytics Approach, and has taught courses in managerial and cost accounting, fraud investigation, private-company valuation, artificial intelligence applications in accounting, and forensic accounting.
Dr. Holderness earned his PhD in Accountancy from Bentley University and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Brigham Young University. He resides in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Professor of Accounting, West Virginia University
Forensic Accountant, Valuation Professional, and Expert Witness
Kip Holderness is a Professor of Accounting at West Virginia University and an experienced forensic accountant, valuation professional, and expert witness. He holds professional credentials as a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner, and Certified Valuation Analyst.
Dr. Holderness has been retained as an accounting and financial expert in litigation and arbitration matters involving forensic accounting, business valuation, economic damages, lost earning capacity, funds tracing, net-worth reconstruction, corporate-veil and alter-ego issues, and the accounting treatment of complex financial and equity-related arrangements. He has been retained in state and federal matters, as well as confidential arbitration proceedings.
In addition to his expert-witness work, Dr. Holderness serves as Director of Research for the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Research Institute and coordinates West Virginia University’s graduate program in Fraud and Forensic Examination. His research focuses on fraud, forensic accounting, auditing, employee behavior, and fraud detection. He has authored or coauthored more than 30 academic and professional publications.
He is also coauthor of the textbook Cost Accounting: A Data Analytics Approach, and has taught courses in managerial and cost accounting, fraud investigation, private-company valuation, artificial intelligence applications in accounting, and forensic accounting.
Dr. Holderness earned his PhD in Accountancy from Bentley University and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Brigham Young University. He resides in Morgantown, West Virginia.
