Leonce Bargeron PNC Associate Professor of Finance Faculty Page CV (PDF) Google Scholar Research Area(s): Corporate Finance Research Interests: Share Repurchases, Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Disclosure Representative Research 2025 - Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis Authors: 🔗 Leonce Bargeron, 🔗 Chris Clifford, 🎓 Tian Qiu This study shows that outsourcing SEC filings to third-party filing agents can unintentionally leak confidential corporate information before it becomes public. The findings identify a previously overlooked source of information leakage that can affect stock prices and market integrity. Filing Agents and Information Leakage
Taylor Begley Ashland Oil Associate Professor of Finance Faculty Page CV (PDF) Google Scholar Research Area(s): Banking & Financial Intermediation; Corporate Finance Research Interests: Banking Regulation, Mortgage & Housing Finance, Information Economics Representative Research 2022 - Review of Financial Studies Authors: 🔗 Taylor Begley, Kandarp Srinivasan This study shows that small banks have remained competitive despite the rapid growth of fintech and nonbank lenders. By adapting to changes in regulation and using their funding advantages, small banks continue to play an important role in mortgage lending. Small Bank Lending in the Era of Fintech and Shadow Banks: A Sideshow?
Chris Clifford Interim Dean of the Gatton College, Dupont Endowed Chair in Finance Faculty Page CV (PDF) Google Scholar Research Area(s): Investments Research Interests: Hedge Funds, Mutual Funds, Financial Advisors Representative Research 2021 - Journal of Finance Authors: 🔗 Chris Clifford, 🔗 Will Gerken This study shows that giving financial advisors greater ownership of client relationships improves incentives and client outcomes. After advisors gained control over their client base, they invested more in professional credentials, shifted toward fee-based advice, and received fewer customer complaints. Property Rights to Client Relationships and Financial Advisor Incentives
Igor Cunha William B. Sturgill Associate Professor of Finance Faculty Page CV (PDF) Google Scholar Research Area(s): Corporate Finance; Public Finance Research Interests: Municipal Finance, Credit Ratings, Political Economy Representative Research 2020 - Review of Financial Studies Authors: 🔗 Igor Cunha, Josh Pollet This study shows that firms accumulate cash in anticipation of future investment opportunities. Using demographic shifts that create predictable changes in product demand, the findings provide causal evidence that precautionary savings help firms finance future growth. Why Do Firms Hold Cash? Evidence from Demographic Demand Shifts
Will Gerken Real Estate Endowed Professor of Finance Faculty Page CV (PDF) Google Scholar Research Area(s): Corporate Finance; Investments Research Interests: Financial Advisors, Financial Misconduct, Corporate Governance Representative Research 2018 - Journal of Finance Authors: 🔗 Will Gerken, 🎓 Nathaniel Graham This study shows that unethical behavior can spread through workplace relationships. Financial advisors become more likely to engage in misconduct after working with colleagues who have histories of misconduct, highlighting the importance of organizational culture and peer influences. Is Fraud Contagious? Coworker Influence on Misconduct by Financial Advisors
Kristine Hankins Interim Associate Dean for Research and PhD Programs, William E. Seale Endowed Chair in Finance, University Research Professor Faculty Page CV (PDF) Google Scholar Research Area(s): Corporate Finance Research Interests: Risk Management, Capital Structure, Corporate Liquidity Representative Research Forthcoming - American Economic Review Authors: 🔗 David Sovich, 🔗 Kristine Hankins, 🎓 Morteza Momeni This study shows that the costs of trade tariffs extend beyond higher product prices. Automobile manufacturers also passed tariff costs to consumers through higher auto loan interest rates, with the largest effects falling on lower-income borrowers. Consumer Credit and the Incidence of Tariffs: Evidence from the Auto Industry
Russell Jame Ashland Oil Professor of Finance Faculty Page CV (PDF) Google Scholar Research Area(s): Investments; Behavioral Finance Research Interests: Retail Investors, Sell-Side Analysts, Financial Technology Representative Research 2024 - Review of Financial Studies (Lead Article; Editor's Choice) Authors: 🔗 Russell Jame, Dan Bradley, Jan Hanousek, Zicheng Xiao This study shows that the GameStop episode fundamentally changed the information environment on Reddit's WallStreetBets. Investment research shared on the forum became substantially less informative following the surge in retail investor participation, illustrating how rapid growth can reduce information quality in online investment communities. Place Your Bets? The Value of Investment Research on Reddit's Wallstreetbets
Mark Liu Associate Professor of Finance Faculty Page CV (PDF) Google Scholar Research Area(s): Corporate Finance; Investments Research Interests: Payout Policy, Corporate Governance, Machine Learning Representative Research 2026 - Management Science Authors: 🔗 Mark Liu, Onur Bayar, Thomas Chemmanur This study shows how governments can encourage breakthrough innovations that generate large societal benefits but may not be profitable for private firms to develop. The findings provide a framework for designing effective innovation policies, including subsidies, prizes, and partnerships with venture capitalists. How to Motivate Fundamental Innovation: Optimal Interactions between Entrepreneurs, Venture Capitalists, and the Government
Paulo Manoel Assistant Professor of Finance Faculty Page CV (PDF) Research Area(s): Corporate Finance; Research Interests: Bankruptcy, Entrepreneurship, Public Finance Representative Research 2022 - Review of Financial Studies Authors: 🔗 Paulo Manoel, Alexander Dyck, Adair Morse This study shows that political pressure to limit executive pay can significantly reduce the investment performance of public pension funds. By allowing funds to pay competitive salaries to skilled investment managers and strengthening board independence, pension funds can generate substantially higher returns that far outweigh the additional compensation costs. Outraged by Compensation: Implications for Public Pension Performance (PDF)
Kevin Mei Assistant Professor of Finance Faculty Page Google Scholar Research Area(s): Financial Technology Research Interests: Venture Capital, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, Forensic Finance Representative Research 2026 - Working Paper Authors: 🔗 Kevin Mei, John Griffin This study traces how cryptocurrency facilitates large-scale pig butchering scams and identifies the exchanges and financial networks that enable billions of dollars in illicit capital flows. The findings provide new evidence to help policymakers and regulators combat one of the fastest-growing forms of financial fraud. How Do Crypto Flows Finance Slavery? The Economics of Pig Butchering
Jessica Montgomery Assistant Professor of Finance Faculty Page CV (PDF) Research Area(s): Household Finance; Real Estate Research Interests: Property Rights, Consumer Bankruptcy, Housing Markets Representative Research 2026 - Working Paper Authors: 🔗 Jessica Montgomery This study shows that the initial assignment of property rights can have long-lasting effects on technology adoption and economic development. Evidence from Appalachia demonstrates that temporary legal differences in property rights shaped mining activity and local property values for decades. Coase in the Coal Fields? Historical Property Rights and Technology Adoption in Appalachia (PDF)
David Sovich Ashland Oil Associate Professor of Finance Faculty Page CV (PDF) Google Scholar Research Area(s): Household Finance; Labor Economics Research Interests: Student Debt, Consumer Credit, Labor Markets Representative Research 2024 - Journal of Finance Authors: 🔗 David Sovich, Radhakrishnan Gopalan, Barton Hamilton, Jorge Sabat This study shows that many students avoid borrowing even when student loans are readily available. Higher wages lead low-income college students to substantially reduce student loan borrowing, suggesting that debt aversion plays an important role in education financing. Aversion to Student Debt? Evidence from Low-Wage Workers
Michael Varley Assistant Professor of Finance Faculty Page CV Google Scholar Research Area(s): Household Finance; Public Finance Research Interests: Consumer Credit, Housing Finance, Municipal Finance Representative Research 2026 - Working Paper Authors: 🔗 Michael Varley This study shows that mortgage contract design can significantly affect household mobility and economic opportunity. Borrowers become substantially more likely to move after prepayment penalties expire, particularly to areas with higher incomes and greater upward mobility. Contractual Lock-In: Mortgage Prepayment Penalties and Mobility (PDF)
