TAMIU’s So Named First LNB/BBVA Distinguished Professor

Dr. Jacky So, dean of Texas A&M International University’s College of Business Administration, will be the first Laredo National Bank/BBVA Group Distinguished Professor of International Finance.

In making the selection, Dr. Dan Jones, TAMIU provost and vice president for academic affairs, said that Dr. So initiates the LNB/BBVA Distinguished Professorship admirably.

“Dr. So is a marvelous combination of administrative acumen and scholarly achievement.  His background in international banking and finance adds an invaluable dimension to the College of Business Administration, and his visionary perspectives on business education make him the right business dean at the right time for TAMIU.  He is fully deserving of this distinction,” Dr. Jones said.

The LNB/BBVA Group Distinguished Professor of International Finance recognizes an outstanding scholar in international finance. The distinguished professor must be an excellent instructor as well as a world-renowned researcher in international finance or banking with an excellent reputation and peer-recognized publications in the international arena. The Distinguished Professor is an experienced academic leader and mentor to other faculty members and must provide excellent leadership to  both the University and its service community.

The Distinguished Professorship is funded by a $1 million gift from LNB/BBVA that was presented to the University last year.

Manuel Sánchez Rodríguez, LNB/BBVA Group chief executive officer and president, said the TAMIU Professorship reaffirms BBVA’s commitment to Laredo.

 “The partnership with TAMIU reaffirms our commitment towards Laredo, where we want to have an active and positive role in the community, contributing towards educational development. BBVA is firmly committed to corporate social responsibility policies in all markets where it does business. This commitment is embedded within our corporate culture and is summarized by our vision, ‘BBVA working for a better future for people.’ ”

So, who joined the University in 2004, said the honor is a recognition every faculty member in higher education seeks.

“When TAMIU president Dr. Keck and Dr. Jones told me two months ago that they would recommend me to be the LNB/BBVA Distinguished Professor in International Finance, I was shocked and very excited because it was totally unexpected. I am thankful for their support and grateful for such recognition.

“It’s really an honor to become a distinguished professor, especially so as a distinguished professor in international finance here at TAMIU. Our mission is to provide an excellent education to Americans and a growing number of international students. In sum, this professorship means a lot to me. It is a recognition that all faculty members in higher education seek,” Dr. So said.

So said that the Distinguished Professorship will support additional research, mentoring and teaching.

“This recognition will encourage me to produce more quality research that will enhance teaching and learning. I also plan to complete one or two textbooks on international finance. If time allows, I may work on some grant proposals to seek funding support for international education,” he explained.

So said his additional focus on scholarly activities will be helpful in recruiting new students and faculty, enhancing student experiences and faculty development and serving the business community. 

“I believe my scholarly activities will add to our College’s positive image and reputation, which will be useful in recruiting new faculty and students. Our Ph.D. students will benefit directly from my research since I will share the findings with them inside and outside the classroom. This is very important for their professional growth. My interaction with other faculty may enhance their research productivity also. Finally, my scholarly activities may help business executives and bankers make better decisions and may enable our College to attract more external support for funding student scholarships and faculty consulting opportunities,” So added.

Other Distinguished Professors at TAMIU include Killam Distinguished Professors Dr. Frank Collins (accounting) and Dr. Tagi Sagafi-nejad (international business).  Past Killam Distinguished Professors have included Dr. William Newman (management information systems) and Dr. Gary Miller (accounting).

Prior to joining TAMIU, So was a professor of finance at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville’s  (SIUE) Economics and Finance Department for almost 21 years and served as chairman for almost 10 years. He received his Ph.D. degree from the Ohio State University.

He was a visiting scholar and consultant of the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago, Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis, Office of the Small Business Administration (SBA), Washington D.C.

 So is an associate editor of Research in Quantitative Finance and Business Management and the Journal of Finance and Risk Management, both published by the National University of Singapore. He is an advisory board member of the Global Finance Journal, Journal of International Business, and Editorial Advisor of the Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance and Business Ventures, an official publication of the Academy of Entrepreneurial Finance.

Accredited by the American Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), TAMIU’s College of Business Administration was named by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's most outstanding business schools and ranked second in the nation for offering the "Greatest Opportunity for Minority Students" in its 2006 edition of The Best 237 Business Schools.

The BBVA Group is a large, multinational financial services group, with a leading position in the Spanish market and a strong franchise in Latin America. BBVA provides a diversified range of products and services to over 35 million customers in more than 32 countries through its network of 7,410-plus  branches.

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