Top Faculty Awarded New Professorships

For me, nothing is more gratifying than Isenberg alumni who energize our academic mission through their financial support for endowed faculty positions. It’s an endorsement of our faculty, who share like-minded interests with our alumni—including the education of our students by gifted educators.

I am therefore delighted to announce the appointment of two of our top faculty members to newly created professorships. The first, The John F. Kennedy Endowed Professorship, goes to David Piercey (right), chair of our Department of Accounting. The professorship’s namesake, 1976 M.S. graduate in accounting John F. Kennedy, is a long-time supporter of Isenberg and its students. His previous gifts have included The John F. Kennedy Family Scholarship, funding for Isenberg’s Alfond Management Center, and support for Isenberg’s Richard Simpson Professorship. Dave Piercey’s research examines the effects of accounting regulations on auditors, investors, and companies. It also explores issues involving audit quality, auditor independence and reputation, and the format and quality of accounting disclosures.

An accounting PhD graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dave has excelled in teaching in courses ranging from undergraduate accounting and auditing to a doctoral seminar in behavioral and experimental research methods. In each, he has engaged students by addressing their interests and needs as learners and future professionals. To that end, he remains true to two convictions: First, he aspires not to train employees and staff auditors, but future audit managers and partners, critical thinkers, and successful accounting leaders. Second, while maintaining the highest of standards, he injects enthusiasm and fun into his subject matter. At the same time, Dave’s willingness to serve as chair at a critical period in his department’s evolution, has exemplified his commitment—both timely and selfless—to our students, faculty, and alumni. Under Dave’s leadership, the accounting department’s relations with alumni and industry have never been stronger and more symbiotic.

Isenberg’s second new professorship, The Charles P. McQuaid Endowed Professorship, found an worthy honoree in Dean’s Faculty Fellow and Professor of Finance Bing Liang (left). The professorship’s benefactor, Isenberg finance graduate Charles P. McQuaid ’74, has also enhanced Isenberg through a scholarship fund for students from his hometown of Ware, Massachusetts and surrounding communities. In 2014, Chuck retired after 35 years at Columbia Wanger Asset Management in Chicago, after serving as president and chief investment officer. He remains professionally active as an investor and advisor to investors. Bing Liang has excelled in many domains of research including hedge and mutual funds, decisions by institutional investors, risk management, and anomalies in capital markets. His research has appeared in the Review of Asset Pricing Studies, Management Science, Journal of Finance, and other leading journals. A PhD graduate in finance from the University of Iowa, Professor Liang teaches an MBA course in financial analysis and decisions, a PhD seminar in empirical asset pricing, and undergraduate courses in personal finance, international finance, and capital markets and institutions. His consistently excellent ratings with students stem from his success in engaging them through hands-on learning, analysis of current issues, and projects that balance team-based learning with individual decision making.

Bing is also helping design and drive Isenberg’s forthcoming Master of Finance program in Alternative Investments. The program—the first of its kind worldwide—will leverage our finance department’s commanding market advantage in that field, including Bing’s own  strength as one of its earliest academic researchers and editor since 2013 of The Journal for Alternative Investments. Finally, Bing has continued to play a strong role as an ambassador for the finance department with alumni by working with the finance advisory board and by maintaining strong ties with many of his thousands of former students.