2 Olin instructors elevated to named professorships

I wanted to share exciting news about two of our faculty members: Richard Frankel and Lamar Pierce, both of whom have been appointed to named professorships in recognition of their contributions and leadership in research and teaching.

Frankel: Nicholas Dopuch Professor

Professor Frankel has been appointed the Nicholas Dopuch Professor of Accounting. He received his PhD from Stanford University and joined WashU Olin in 2005. Prior to joining Olin, he was a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management and the University of Michigan. Professor Frankel’s principal teaching interest is financial accounting and reporting, and his research focuses on valuation using accounting numbers and on corporate managers’ use of conference calls, earnings forecasts and pro forma earnings.

The Nicholas Dopuch Professorship in Accounting is a newly established professorship honoring the memory and impact of Nicholas Dopuch, who died in 2018. Professor Dopuch was Washington University’s first Hubert C. and Dorothy R. Moog Professor of Finance and directed Olin’s PhD program from 1986 through 2003.

Nick Dopuch loved research and spent his academic life promoting accounting research, especially among young researchers—PhD students and junior professors. He epitomized higher purpose in research, making countless contributions to the research careers of many who went on to distinguished careers in accounting. He was a senior faculty member at the University of Chicago and the long-tenured editor of the Journal of Accounting Research when he was recruited to come to Olin in 1983 by Bob Virgil, then dean of Olin, with the support of then-Chancellor Bill Danforth. This was a transformational moment for Olin.

Nick’s contribution to Olin did not end with his life. His estate made a gift in support of what he loved the most: undergraduate students, the PhD program and the celebration of accounting research. The dean’s office and the university have made the decision to establish a chair in the name of Nick Dopuch to always remind future business researchers of the transformative impact he made on Olin and his legacy of world-class research, teaching and service.

Pierce: Beverly and James Hance Professor

Professor Pierce has been appointed the Beverly and James Hance Professor in recognition of his contributions and leadership in research and teaching. He joined the Olin faculty in 2007 after earning his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Pierce’s research focuses on economic and psychological factors that affect both productivity and misconduct and the organizational solutions to jointly address these effects.

James and Beverly Hance, both Washington University alumni, established the Beverly and James Hance Professorship in 2004. James earned his MBA from Olin in 1968 and has had a distinguished career in the fields of banking and accounting. Beverly earned a master’s degree in education, also in 1968. In addition to the professorship, the Hances have made multiple generous contributions to Washington University and Olin scholarships throughout the years.

Please join me in thanking James and Beverly Hance for their tremendous support, which exemplifies their higher purpose in recognizing and rewarding research excellence.

Please also join me in congratulating Professor Frankel and Professor Pierce. We will have a separate, formal installation ceremonies for both of our colleagues at a later date.

Pictured at top: Richard Frankel, left, and Lamar Pierce.