Six Farmer School faculty were honored for their accomplishments inside and outside of the classroom over the past school year.

Dr. Tim Holcomb, Farmer School Endres Associate Professor Fellow, Chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship, and Director of the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship, is this year’s recipient of the Richard K. Smucker Teaching Excellence Award as the Outstanding Professor. Tim earned his PhD at Texas A&M University.  Tim draws from decades of experience in strategy consulting, startups, and international business in his teaching.

Tim’s teaching philosophy connects entrepreneurship and management theory, methodology, and process with practice-based, experiential learning pedagogy that require students to actively apply what they learn in the classroom to solve real-world problems. His teaching focuses engaging students in critical thinking, treating students with fairness and respect, and establishing a rigorous, empowering, and enjoyable learning environment.

Dr. Jonathan Pyzoha, the PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowed Assistant Professor in Accountancy, is this year’s recipient of the Richard K. Smucker Teaching Excellence Award as the Outstanding Junior Professor. Jonathan earned his PhD at Virginia Tech. He is a Miami University alum, having earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Accountancy from the FSB.

Jonathan describes his teaching philosophy as being centered based on the goals of fostering learning by innovating my courses to match the evolving and dynamic accounting field, motivating active interaction in the classroom, and inspiring students to think critically on their way to successfully becoming professional accountants.  He encourages students to not just memorize, but to logically combine and analyze foundational accounting and ethical concepts within more complex and subjective scenarios via case studies.

Jonathan received the Miami University Student Recognition of Teaching Excellence Award in 2020.

Karen Meyers, a Visiting Assistant Professor in Business Legal Studies and First-Year Integrated Core, is this year’s recipient of the Richard K. Smucker Teaching Excellence Award as the Outstanding Teaching/Clinical Professor or Lecturer/Clinical Lecturer. Karen earned her MBA and Master’s in Education degrees at Xavier University, and earned her JD degree from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University.

Karen describes her teaching philosophy as focusing on respect, inclusion, academic integrity, high standards, fairness, enthusiasm, and unbridled commitment to students. Her students greatly appreciate her extensive legal experience and her incorporation of examples and current events. Karen received the Professional of the Year Award by the Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 2015.

Dr. Thomas Boulton, the Lindmor Professor of Finance, is this year’s recipient of the Senior Faculty Award for Research Excellence. He joined the FSB faculty in 2007. His research stream includes investigations of country-level factors that affect IPO outcomes; short-selling practices; and dark pools in equity markets, with some studies touching on more than one of these themes. Since receiving his doctoral degree from the University of Pittsburgh, he has published 25 research projects, book chapters, and case studies, including several in the most prestigious finance and accounting journals. Professor Boulton has presented his research at numerous peer-reviewed conferences and university workshops, including at a Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta conference, and has served as a reviewer for dozens of journals across different fields.

Dr. Lee Biggerstaff, the ARMCO Alumni Assistant Professor, is this year’s recipient of the James Robeson Junior Faculty Award for Research Excellence. Professor Biggerstaff joined FSB in 2014 after completing his doctoral degree at the University of Tennessee. His research uses an agency theory lens to investigate relationships between top management team effort and ethics and firm outcomes such as financial reporting quality, innovation, and stock price performance. Several of Professor Biggerstaff’s research studies have been published in the most selective finance and accounting journals, an impressive accomplishment for a junior scholar. Professor Biggerstaff’s research has been presented at several scholarly conferences, and he was interviewed in an episode of Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast.

Dr. Terri Barr, Professor of Marketing, is the recipient of this year’s FSB Faculty Award for Service Excellence. Terri earned her PhD from the University of Cincinnati.  Throughout her career, Terri has been engaged in a variety of service roles, often leading difficult committees and processes.  At the divisional and department level, she currently chairs the undergraduate studies committee, and has previously chaired the Teaching and Pedagogy Committee for the FSB.  In addition, she has served on the FSB Governance and Gender Equity and Inclusion committees.

At the university level, Terri has been active for many years on the University Senate, serving as Chair, and member of the executive committee.  Other university service includes the steering committee for the President’s Strategic Planning committee and being the FSB representative on the Academic Program Evaluation and Improvement Process. Terri’s dedication to service and improving the processes at the division and university have helped Miami and the FSB address difficult topics and issues, helping to move Miami forward.

Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch noted, “This year, perhaps more than any other, selecting these award-winners was a difficult task. Our faculty refused to allow Covid-induced challenges to diminish the Farmer School student experience, and stepped up to serve the school, university and community. My heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the six chosen awardees.”