Through a hybrid effort of teaching, research, and outreach, The Gatton College of Business and Economics is not only supporting economic growth in Kentucky and beyond, but also directly influencing the lives of our citizens and individuals across the globe.
In these challenging times, the need for experienced, ethical leaders has never been greater. We are pleased to step up to this challenge by announcing seven new faculty members to our college. These accomplished individuals come to us from top institutions including Wake Forest University, University of Connecticut, University of Arkansas, Virginia Tech, and more. They bring a diverse set of corporate experiences in foreign exchange and capital markets; supply chain experience across financial, pharmaceutical and defense industries; and extensive experience in human resources.
Along with real-world experience, this group of new faculty members have produced research that has been featured in the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, International Journal of Selection and Assessment, Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, and Personnel Assessment and Decisions. This inpouring of new perspectives and experiences will build upon our mission of preparing principled leaders for a global economy.
"We are delighted to welcome these new members to our faculty," said Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Scott Kelley. "They bring a diverse set of experiences from academia and practice. This group of new faculty members will provide our students with excellent learning opportunities inside and outside of the classroom; and will contribute to our trajectory of research excellence in the Gatton College."
Meet our new faculty members:
Carol Chavez, Marketing
A lecturer and founding faculty member of the Master of Science in Supply Chain Management at the University of Kentucky, Chavez is excited to share more than 20 years of supply chain experience across financial, pharmaceutical, and defense industries with the next generation.
Nargess Golshan, Accounting
Prior to entering academia, Dr. Golshan worked as a business manager in Amec's regional office in Kuala Lumpur, an oil and gas engineering and management consulting company headquartered in London. Her research primarily focuses on the determinants and consequences of disclosures, as well as the role and dynamics of the auditing industry.
Tyler Kleppe, Accounting
Professor Kleppe's research interests include accounting and auditing regulation, audit market structure, corporate governance, and the underlying economics of auditing. His work has been featured on the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation and the Columbia Law School Blue Sky Blog on Corporations and the Capital Markets.
Brad Patrick, Management
Executive in Residence and lecturer Brad Patrick brings more than 33 years of experience to the Gatton College as a human resources executive from Frito-Lay/PepsiCo, Delta Air Lines, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, Sara Lee Corporation, Tempur Sealy International, Shearer’s Snacks, and Valvoline.
Peter Trager, Finance
Peter Trager has spent the past 30 years working exclusively in foreign exchange for various money center banks and broker/dealers as a trader and trading manager. As a lecturer at Middle Tennessee State University, he taught both undergraduate and MBA classes including Principals of Corporate Finance, Financial Systems, and The Economy and Managerial Finance.
Mikhail Wolfson, Management
Dr. Wolfson’s research interests include team composition, informal learning, human capital resources, network analysis, and unobtrusive measurement. His work has recently been featured in the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management, and American Psychologist.
Susan Zhu, Management
Susan Zhu has worked with the Department of Commerce and the White House on research to inform policy on modernizing recruitment and hiring and encouraging employer-led training. Her previous work experience includes consulting on selection, engagement, and organizational change projects for clients across various industries at IBM Talent Management and American Institutes for Research.