Dr. Chris Clifford has agreed to serve as interim dean of the Gatton College of Business and Economics, effective July 1. Dr. Clifford currently serves as department chair and DuPont Endowed Chair in Banking and Financial Services in the John Maze Stewart Department of Finance and Quantitative Methods. Under his leadership, the department doubled enrollment, expanded faculty excellence in research and teaching and launched new programs, including Wall Street Scholars. He began at UK as an assistant professor of finance in 2008 and was a Clark Materials Endowed Fellow in 2015. He became associate professor and Phillip Morris Endowed Professor in 2016. Dr. Clifford is a dedicated scholar and educator within the college, and his research interests focus on non-banking intermediaries such as financial advisors, mutual funds and hedge funds. His work has been published in various journals, including the “Journal of Finance” and the “Journal of Financial Economics.” In 2024, he was awarded the Gatton Research Productivity Award for his outstanding contributions to the field’s body of knowledge. Prior to working in academia, Dr. Clifford worked as an analyst in the hedge fund industry, helping bring real-world experience to students in finance, fund management and investments. Dr. Clifford’s experience in the finance industry and the classroom and his expansive research portfolio, coupled with his leadership of his department, will enable him to continue working with the faculty, staff and students to build an engaging and supportive community within the Gatton College of Business and Economics. I am confident that our Gatton College of Business and Economics students will continue thriving through hands-on, experiential learning and innovative teaching with his leadership.