Five faculty members at Appalachian State University have been appointed to professorships in the Walker College of Business, and six have been reappointed to second professorship terms.
Professorships recognize faculty members who have demonstrated outstanding performance in instruction, scholarship and service.
The recipients receive a salary stipend to advance their work.
Professorships may be renewed for one additional, two-year term.
Endowed Professorships
Robin Romanus, Honorable Harlan E. Boyles Professor
Robin Romanus, an associate professor in the Department of Accounting, has been appointed to the Honorable Harlan E. Boyles Professorship, an endowed professorship.
Endowed professorships are funded with the revenue from an endowment fund that has been specifically set up for the professorship.
The Boyles Professorship is one of 13 endowed professorships in the Walker College named in honor of significant benefactors to the college.
An endowment to fund the Boyles professorship was established in 1991 to honor the late N.C. Treasurer Harlan Boyles, who was a member of the state government for more than 49 years. The endowment was funded by contributions from Boyles' family, friends and colleagues.
Dr. Robin Romanus joined the faculty at App State in 2014, bringing teaching experience from Texas Tech University and more than ten years of accounting experience from industry.
Dr. Romanus’ research interests include examining the impact of auditor industry expertise on audit quality and audit fees, as well as understanding how ethics education can improve accountants’ decision-making.
Dr. Romanus earned a bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University, an MSA from the University of West Florida and a PhD from Virginia Tech.
Four professors in the Walker College have been reappointed to second endowed professorship terms.
Lakshmi Iyer will continue as the L.M. Baker Jr. Partners in Excellence Professor; John Whitehead will continue as the Beroth Oil – Four Brothers Food Stores Professor; Mark Lewis will continue as the Duane D. Daggett Professor of Management; Bonnie Guy will continue as the John W. Guffey Jr. Professor.
Related: Seven earn professorships in Walker College of Business
Dean's Club Professorships
The Walker College of Business Dean's Club, an annual giving society designed to benefit our faculty and students, helps fund additional professorships in the Walker College.
Drs. Charlie Chen, Kevin Eller, Jeff Hobbs and Brock Stoddard have been named Dean's Club Professors.
Charlie Chen, Dean's Club Professor
Dr. Charlie Chen is a professor in the Department of Computer Information Systems. He first joined App State’s faculty in 2003 and has taught at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels, including topics like information technology in organizations, project management, supply chain management, and business analytics.
Dr. Chen is a past recipient of the Walker College’s Sywassink Award for Excellence in Research. His research interests include business analytics, project management and supply chain management.
Dr. Chen is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and has been certified by the Project Management Institute since 2006. He has authored 4 books, more than 100 referred articles and proceedings, and presented his work at many professional conferences and venues. His work Consumers' Perceptions of the Environmental & Public Health Benefits of Last Mile Drone Delivery was featured as part of the Fall 2021 Dean's Club Research Poster Session.
Related: Dean's Club Research featured in Peacock Hall October 14
Dr. Chen is a transnational scholar and a regular study abroad trip leader to China, Japan, Spain, Taiwan and Thailand. He was a visiting faculty at Zhejiang University in China, Thammasat University in Thailand and Gakushuin Women's College in Japan. He earned the Office of International Education and Development’s Virtual Initiatives Program Award in 2021 and the college’s Global Engagement Award in 2019.
Related: Eight earn awards for outstanding international engagement
Dr. Chen earned a bachelor’s degree in Production and Operation Management from Tamsui Oxford College in Taipei; a Master of Science in Management Information Systems from Fairleigh Dickinson University; an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management; and a PhD in Management Information Systems from Claremont Graduate University.
Kevin Eller, Dean's Club Professor
Dr. Kevin Eller is an associate professor in the Department of Accounting. He joined the faculty at App State in 2008 and teaches principles of accounting, intermediate accounting, and taxation. Dr. Eller also directs the accounting internship program.
In addition to his years of teaching experience, Dr. Eller calls upon several years of work experience in public accounting to accomplish his goal of “helping students to understand, not just memorize, accounting concepts.”
Dr. Eller is a member of the American Accounting Association and earned the Walker College’s Sywassink Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2011. He is regularly recognized as one of App State’s “Most Helpful” professors.
Related: Walker College faculty, staff earn nods as "most helpful" at App State
Dr. Eller’s research focuses on whistleblowing and fraud reporting, behavioral facets of earnings management, internal auditor objectivity, and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Dr. Eller is a two-time App State alumnus, having earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting. He earned his PhD from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Jeff Hobbs, Dean's Club Professor
Dr. Jeff Hobbs is a professor in the Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance.
Dr. Hobbs, who joined the faculty at Appalachian in 2005, teaches courses in investments and financial derivatives. He earned the Walker College’s Sywassink Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2016.
Dr. Hobbs’s research interests are primarily concentrated in the areas of behavioral finance and economics, stock analyst activity, market inefficiencies and finance pedagogy.
Dr. Hobbs earned his bachelor's degree from West Virginia University and both his Master of Science and Ph.D. in finance from Virginia Tech.
Brock Stoddard, Dean's Club Professor
Dr. Brock Stoddard is an associate professor in the Department of Economics. Dr. Stoddard’s research interests are in experimental, behavioral and public economics, as well as applied game theory and industrial organization.
His work Experimental (Re)analysis of the House-Money Effect in a Public Place was featured as part of the Fall 2021 Dean's Club Research Poster Session.
Related: Dean's Club Research featured in Peacock Hall October 14
Dr. Stoddard earned his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, his master’s degree from Indiana University and his PhD from Indiana University.
Two professors in the Walker College – Drs. Pia Albinsson and Rachel Shinnar – have been reappointed to second terms of their Dean’s Club Professorships.
Related: Seven earn professorships in Walker College of Business
View the current holders of all Walker College professorships at business.appstate.edu/professorships or view news of past appointments at business.appstate.edu/news/professorships.
About the Walker College of Business
The Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University delivers transformational educational experiences that prepare and inspire students to be ethical, innovative and engaged business leaders who positively impact our community, both locally and globally. The college places emphasis on international experiences, sustainable business practices, entrepreneurial programs and real-world applications with industry. Enrolling approximately 3,000 undergraduates in 10 majors and 175 graduate students in three master's programs, the Walker College is accredited by AACSB International – the premier global accrediting body for schools of business. Learn more at business.appstate.edu.
Five earn professorships in Walker College of Business
2022 Professorships