About Me

Childhood

I grew up in a rural area of Michigan about two hours north of Detroit. To the left is a picture of my parents' front yard. Click the picture to see more photos of the area where I grew up. And, click here to see a family photo taken in 2002.​

School Photos

 I attended North Branch Area Schools for elementary through high school, where I graduated in 1997. Click the image to the right to see my class photos for each year. 

Education

I received my B.A. in economics from Michigan State University in the spring of 2001, and in the fall of 2001, I began my Ph.D. studies in economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I graduated from MIT in June 2006.​

Employment

In July 2006, I joined the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis as an Assistant Professor of Finance. In 2009, I moved to The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and in 2016, I moved back to Washington University in St. Louis.

Research

My current research focuses on why managers sometimes fail to act in the best interest of shareholders and what governance arrangements mitigate these conflicts. You can find my official website here and a link to my papers on SSRN here.

Family

My wife, Karen, and I got married in St. Louis in November 2008.  We enjoy traveling and spending time with our three kids, Henry, Eleanor, and Madeline.  To see pictures of my family, click here.