Balance sheet: not every CPA can overcome being insulted by Richard Simmons on television for dressing 'dull,' but Frank Southall laughs at his experience of 20 years ago. It's not deterred him from establishing a successful financial career with a top restaurant chain.

• Author: Ladd, Scott
• Position: Certified public accountant - Interview

TITLE Vice President and Controller

COMPANY Ruby Tuesday Inc., national restaurant chain based in Maryville, Tenn.

BORN Mobile, Ala., November 1961

SPOUSE Wife Tricia, married 13 years.

CHILDREN Daughters Hannah, 11, and Caroline, 9.

EDUCATION BS in Accounting, University of South Alabama, in 1983.

CAREER SUMMARY Ernst & Young, audit senior manager, Mobile and Birmingham, Ala., offices, 1983-94; Morrison Restaurants Inc. (now Ruby Tuesday vice president and controller., Mobile, Ala., and Maryville, Tenn., 1 994-present.

FEI CHAPTER Charter member of the Knoxville Chapter (2009) and currently chapter president. Former chapter treasurer and membership vice president. FEI member since 2002.

LEISURE Acrivnitis Being an older dad with younger kids, I appreciate the benefits of exercise much more now than I ever did earlier in life. Back in April, I broke the two-hour mark in a half-marathon for the first time, and I've run two "Tough Mudders" within the last year.

TIME MANAGEMENT Much of my time is spent in meetings, so I rely on my teams to keep things moving forward. Keeping "to-do" lists close at all times is a benefit, though unfortunately I have to shut the door for the work that requires the greatest concentration.

STRESS MANAGEMENT To take the edge off on a rough day, I'll head down to our Company gym at lunch or go racquetball.

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FAVORITE BOOK To Kill A Mockingbird. My wife and I are from southern Alabama and this book hits close to home for both of us. I'm jealous that my wife actually got to meet (author) Harper Lee.

FAVORITE APPS Nike's GPS app is great for tracking my runs.

IF I COULD, I'D SPEND AN HOUR WITH I can already hear the groans coming from the Volunteers' fan down the hall, but I would have loved to have met Bear Bryant, the legendary Alabama football coach.

PERSONAL HERO Chesley "Sully" Sullen-berger. How could he have been that calm during the biggest crisis of his life?

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED From the book Good to Great, by Jim Collins: "Get the right people on the bus and then figure out where they should sit."

BEST CAREER ADVICE GIVEN Stay true to your values. There are far too many stories out there of people blindly doing things they were asked to do, even though they didn't seem right at the time.

FAVORITE JOB/S My current one. Having spent much time on both sides...