Education
- Ph.D. Kent State University
- M.B.A. Youngstown State University
- B.S. Youngstown State University
Professional Experience
My primary research interests and teaching responsibilities are in finance with extended interests in Austrian Economics and entrepreneurship.
I have been involved in finance and investing since acquiring my first shares of stock after high school graduation. While completing my senior year of college, I was hired as a financial consultant by Merrill Lynch and spent the next five years in industry. My experience with financial markets generated an interest in an academic career so I enrolled in an MBA program and eventually left the industry to complete graduate studies and earn a Ph.D. in business administration with a major in finance.
My scholarly interests vary but tend towards understanding the role of human action in the pricing and valuation of securities. I have published several articles in peer-reviewed journals. I have also engaged in conference presentations across multiple disciplines and often served as a session chair and panel discussant. I have also served as a referee for several scholarly journals and business publishing companies.
For my contributions to Austrian economics, I was named an Associated Scholar of the Ludwig Von Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama. In the past, I also served as a consultant to organizations such as MicroRate, a firm that provides credit ratings on microfinance institutions.
Some people jest, “Can you really teach finance at a Christian college – isn’t that like serving God and mammon?” When you understand finance, there is a definite focus on creating long-term value for the firm. From my perspective, the focus on value creation is consistent with our call to act as stewards of God’s creation. We often find that most successful firms are those managed with integrity and a long-term perspective focused on value creation.
In a market economy, successful firms typically create tremendous value for shareholders, customers, employees, and society. I believe those who fear God and acquire proper training in finance can become powerful forces for good and serve well as the business leaders of tomorrow. The world is desperate for business leaders with high morals and integrity, and I believe our students are well-prepared to assume those roles. This, by the way, underscores my primary motivation for working at Grove City College.
Courses
- Principles of Finance
- Investment Valuation
- Capital Markets
- Advanced Corporate Finance
Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications
- "Effectuation: A Practical Approach for Developing a Sustainability Architecture for Small Business," Journal of Small Business Strategy, 2013.
- “How Fundamental Security Analysis Measures Up to an Austrian Approach forInvestment Selection,” Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics, 2012.
- "“Reinventing” the Business Plan Process for Sustainable Start-Ups," Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability, 2011.
- "Market Intervention, Capital Budgeting Models, and the Formation of Business Cycles in Accordance with Austrian Business Cycle Theory," Pennsylvania Economic Review, 2010.
- “An Analysis of Recommendations on Biotechnology Stocks by Investment and Non-Investment Banker Analysts,” Competitive Advantage: Contemporary Perspectives, 2004.
- “Investment Banking Relationships and Analysts’ Optimism: Conflict of Interest or Information Advantage?” Financial Decisions, 2003.
- “The Paradox of Asset Pricing,” by Peter Bossaerts. Book Review. Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics, 2003.
Selected Conference Presentations
- "Shale Gas Summit III: Economic Insights for Butler and Mercer Counties." Presented March 20, 2013 at Shale Gas Summit III, Slippery Rock, PA.
- "Sustainability Architecture Integration into New Venture Business Plans: A Framework for Estimating the Impact on Valuation." Presented at the 2012 USASBE Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.
- “Reinventing” the Business Plan Process for Sustainable Start-Ups." Presented at the 2011 USASBE Annual Conference, Hilton Head, NC.
- "Sustainable Entrepreneurship." Presented at the 2010 Eastern Small Business Institute Annual Conference sponsored by the Duquesne University SBDC, Pittsburgh, PA.
- "Thymology and the Austrian View of Investment." Presented at the 2009 Austrian Scholars Conference at the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Auburn, AL.
- “Fundamental Security Analysis and the Austrian View of Investing,” presented at the 2006 Austrian Scholars Conference at the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Auburn, AL.
- “The Cluster of Entrepreneurial Errors: Cyclical Malinvestment at the Firm Level,” presented at the 2004 Austrian Scholars Conference at the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Auburn, AL.