Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch announced the appointment or renewal of four endowed professorships on Wednesday.

The Julian Lange Professorship has again been extended to Melissa Thomasson, Chair of the Economics Department. This professorship is intended to recognize and support distinguished professors. “In the short time since I have been at the Farmer School, I have been impressed by Professor Thomasson's scholarship,” Darroch remarked. “For example, Professor Thomasson recently published a paper on the 1916 Polio epidemic and its impact on educational attainment. She was also elected to the Board of Trustees of the Economic History Association, a tribute to her contribution to the field of Economic History.”

The Endres Associate Professor has been awarded to Po-Chang Chen of the Accountancy Department. “Professor Chen is not only an active researcher, who has been recognized by the American Accounting Association for the quality of his reviews, but is also the recipient of a FSB Smucker Teaching Excellence award,” Darroch said.

The Lance and Diane White Family Professorship has again been extended to Jim Friedman of the Entrepreneurship Department. This professorship is intended to recognize a practitioner in the field of entrepreneurship. “Dr Friedman is well known for his work in the creative economy and more recently became the Chief Steward/Chair of the International Advisory Board for the World Creativity and Innovation Week,” Darroch noted.

The Mike Armstrong Chair in Emerging Technology has again been extended to Glenn Platt. “Professor Platt is doing exciting work with digital marketing, technology, video games, design, and business,” Darroch said.