Nine University of Memphis professors are the first to receive the Suzanne Downs Palmer Professorship Awards.
“I wanted to reward and provide an incentive to faculty members at the beginning, middle and advanced stages of their careers,” said Dan Palmer, founder of the professorship awards, in a press release.
The professorships were established with $400,000 to be distributed in $100,000 increments during four years. The cash prizes this year range from $7,500 to $12,500.
Associate Dean of Administration for the Fogelman College of Business and Economics Dan Sherrell said the college formed a committee to decide to whom the prizes would be awarded.
“We used the same information we use for faculty evaluations and supplemented it with recommendations from the department chairs to come to a decision,” Sherrell said.
The nine recipients were chosen from three categories including research, teaching and service.
“We spoke with the department chairs, who gave recommendations, and the dean (John Pepin),” said Sherrell, who is on the decision committee. “We talked with the president, the provost and Palmer to reach a decision.”
The recipients in the category of teaching are Cyril Chang, professor of economics ($12,500); George Minmier, professor of accounting ($12,500); Phillip Kolbe, associate professor of finance, insurance and real estate ($10,000); and Mitzi Pitts, assistant professor of management information systems ($7,500).
In the research category winners are Albert Okunade, professor of economics ($12,500); Ernest Nichols, associate professor of chain operations and management ($10,000); and David Allen, assistant professor of management ($7,500).
The recipients in the service category are Mars Pertl, professor of risk management and insurance ($12,500); and Lloyd Brooks, professor of management information systems ($12,500).
“The idea is to recognize outstanding faculty in the three areas,” Sherrell said.
Although winners decide how to use the money, Sherrell said it would be used in activities related to the recipients’ jobs and the University, such as salary supplements and research funding.
The recipients are not eligible to receive the award again during the next two years.
“It’s the intent for as many faculty members as possible to win the award,” Sherrell said. “We want to spread the benefits.”
