On June 1, Andy Puckett, the Paul and Beverly Castagna Professor in Investments and Charles and Dorothy Duggan Faculty Research Fellow, became head of the Department of Finance at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business. Puckett takes over from Tracie Woidtke, the David E. Sharp-Home Federal Bank of Tennessee Professor in Banking and Finance, who served in the role for over nine years.

During her tenure, Woidtke led a 400 percent growth in undergraduate enrollment, making finance the largest major at UT, and nearly doubled the size of the department’s faculty.

Stephen L. Mangum, dean and Stokely Foundation Leadership Chair at Haslam, said Puckett will continue to build on this momentum. “Tracie Woidtke has diligently worked to enhance the reputation of Haslam finance nationally,” he says. “Andy Puckett is well positioned to continue this important work. His research, which has appeared in numerous top tier journals and presented to regulatory groups, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, gives him unique insight into industry needs and the future of finance education and faculty thought leadership.”

Passing the Torch

As she reflects on her time leading Haslam’s finance curriculum and faculty, Woidtke is thankful for the commitment to excellence and engagement from the department’s faculty and students.

“The department’s growth wouldn’t have been possible without an outstanding faculty supporting students as they took honors courses, managed real money through the Torch Funds, became Bloomberg analysts in the Masters Investment Learning Center, competed in case competitions and engaged in student organizations,” she says.

The outgoing finance department head also has full confidence in her successor’s leadership.

“Andy Puckett has been a respected and thoughtful leader throughout the department’s growth,” Woidtke says. “Recently honored with the Bank of America Leadership Award for his service to the university, profession and community, he brings a strong vision and energy that will drive the department forward.”

A Vision for the Future

Puckett is excited to lead the future growth of Haslam’s Department of Finance, especially since there are new challenges to tackle.

“There are a lot of interesting and new things happening in finance,” he says. “New technologies like AI are being incorporated into the finance community, so integrating these elements into our curriculum and helping students learn about what is happening in the finance world is both an opportunity and a challenge.”

The new department head also is eager to build new relationships and strengthen existing ties with corporate partners who can offer students learning and career opportunities as finance continues to be a dynamic and rewarding career path.

“Opportunities in finance are attractive,” Puckett says. “The job market has been very healthy over the past few years, and graduates are able to leverage their talent, skills and affinity for numbers into lucrative careers.”

CONTACT:

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Leah McAmis, senior editor, leah@utk.edu