We are pleased to announce that after a national search Dr. Natasha Delcoure has been selected, and has accepted, the position of Associate Dean, Lucas Graduate School of Business effective August 15, 2012. In addition, she will be appointed to the Donald and Sally Lucas Endowed Professorship that is tied to the Associate Dean position.

For the last 4 years, Dr. Delcoure has been the Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX. She has a DBA with a major in Finance and a minor in Economics and Quantitative Analysis from Louisiana Tech University. She also has an MBA from the University of Louisiana and completed her undergraduate work at MRTE, Moscow, Russia; and taught Finance at the University of South Alabama and Sam Houston State University. She also worked as an assistant controller and accountant for 7 years in Venezuela, Russia and Louisiana.

 Her research interests include portfolio diversification, investment valuation, capital structure, and merger and acquisitions. She has published in the Journal of Empirical Finance, Journal of Financial Research, International Review of Economics and Finance, Global Finance Journal, Journal of Real Estate Research, AABRI Research in Business and Economics, Investment Management and Financial Innovations, Modern Economy and other scholarly and professional publications.

 She is also the recipient of a number of awards, including MCOB Researcher of the Year in 2002 and 2004. Importantly, Natasha’s finance and international business experience will be important as we expand our global footprint.