September 16, 2026
The Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University has announced five endowed faculty appointments, including two newly established positions, expanding the College’s investment in faculty scholarship, teaching, mentorship, and academic leadership.
Effective September 1, 2026, Rachel M. B. Atkins, Ph.D., has been named the Reed-McDermott Tobin Endowed Professor;Mikael Bergbrant, Ph.D., CFA, the inaugural Mario Gabelli Endowed Chair; Jason P. Berkowitz, Ph.D., the inaugural Anna and Roque Martin Professor in Finance; Abraham Stefanidis, Ph.D., the Joseph F. Adams Professor in Management; and Yun Zhu, Ph.D., the Alois J. Theis Chair in Global Finance.
The appointments bring Tobin’s total number of endowed faculty positions to 19, including one currently being filled through a faculty search, reflecting the continued growth and strength of the College’s endowed faculty program.
“The strength of a business school begins with the strength of its faculty, and endowed positions allow us to invest in exceptional scholars whose ideas, teaching, and leadership can have an impact far beyond the classroom,” said Maciek Nowak, Ph.D., Dean of The Peter J. Tobin College of Business. “Appointing these prolific scholars to these positions represents an important step forward for Tobin. They allow us to accelerate ambitious research, bring emerging ideas directly into the student experience, and expand Tobin’s influence within the academic and business communities.”
The newly appointed endowed faculty include:
Rachel M. B. Atkins, Ph.D.
Reed-McDermott Tobin Endowed Professorship
Rachel M. B. Atkins, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Economics, has been named the Reed-McDermott Tobin Endowed Professor. Her research examines racial economic inequality and public policy, particularly in entrepreneurship, employment, technology, and innovation. Her scholarship has appeared in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Journal of Urban Economics, Small Business Economics, and the Journal of Economics & Management Strategy.
In 2026, Dr. Atkins and her research collaborators received a $1 million research award from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. She is also Founder and Director of Tobin’s Economics and Data for Justice and Equity (EDJE) Lab and Director of the College’s Future Faculty Program, through which she contributes to the development and mentorship of emerging scholars.
“Thank you to Dean Nowak and the Tobin College of Business for this honor,” said Dr. Atkins. “It is truly gratifying to have my hard work and scholarly accomplishments recognized in this way. I look forward to using this award to further support student research opportunities and advance my scholarship.”
Mikael Bergbrant, Ph.D., CFA
Mario Gabelli Endowed Chair
Mikael Bergbrant, Ph.D., CFA, Professor of Finance, has been named the inaugural Mario Gabelli Endowed Chair. His research sits at the intersection of asset pricing and international finance, examining the risks that drive stock returns, market behavior, exchange-rate exposure, and corporate financing. His scholarship has appeared in the Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Banking & Finance, Journal of Corporate Finance, and Financial Management.
A Chartered Financial Analyst, Dr. Bergbrant cofounded Tobin’s Applied Finance Institute and directs the M.S. in Finance program. He also serves as faculty advisor to Tobin’s Student Managed Investment Fund, where students apply investment research and analysis to a real portfolio valued at $14.7 million, and leads an annual Finance Global Destination Course to London.
The Mario Gabelli Endowed Chair was established through a gift from investor and financial analyst Mario J. Gabelli, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GAMCO Investors, Inc. The Chair advances value investing and fundamental research at Tobin, emphasizing rigorous analysis, long-term value creation, and disciplined investment decision-making.
“I’m deeply honored to be selected as the Mario Gabelli Endowed Chair,” said Dr. Bergbrant. “We are at a pivotal moment in financial markets where new speculative assets emerge at a rapid pace, while investors are inundated with unprecedented volumes of information. In such an environment, a clear understanding of fundamental value is more essential than ever.”
Jason P. Berkowitz, Ph.D.
Anna and Roque Martin Professorship in Finance
Jason P. Berkowitz, Ph.D., Professor of Finance, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Anna and Roque Martin Professorship in Finance. His research spans financial markets, volatility, behavioral finance, sports economics, and market efficiency, with scholarship appearing in the Journal of Financial Markets, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Financial Review, and Journal of Sports Economics. He also serves as Associate Editor of International Journal of Sport Finance.
Since joining St. John’s in 2012, Dr. Berkowitz has also played an active role in advancing the College through both academic leadership and applied learning. He has served as Assistant Department Chair, Department Chair, and most recently, Associate Dean of Faculty. He previously directed the Applied Finance Institute, created the Wednesday on Wall Street program, organized Tobin’s Private Equity Pitch Competition, and has taught the College’s London Global Destination Course.
The professorship was established through a philanthropic gift from Anna D. Martin, Ph.D., Professor of Finance and Executive Director of the Applied Finance Institute, and supports the connection between rigorous finance research, teaching, and student mentorship. As holder of the professorship, Dr. Berkowitz will help bring high-impact research that reinforces the principles of free-market capitalism to students in the Tobin Applied Finance Institute Fellows Program, as well as undergraduate and graduate finance students across the College.
“I am honored to receive the Anna and Roque Martin Professorship as recognition of my research and service to Tobin and the finance field,” said Dr. Berkowitz. “It is especially meaningful because Dr. Martin is not only a friend, but also served as a mentor to me when I began my career at St. John’s.”
Abraham Stefanidis, Ph.D.
Joseph F. Adams Professorship in Management
Abraham Stefanidis, Ph.D., Professor of Management and Director of Faculty Research, has been named the Joseph F. Adams Professor in Management. His scholarship focuses on responsible global business leadership, business ethics, corporate social responsibility, learning, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation. His research examines topics at the intersection of business and society, including ethical leadership in the age of AI, algorithmic decision-making, fintech ethics, diversity and inclusion, and the societal implications of emerging technologies.
A two-time Fulbright award recipient, Dr. Stefanidis has an extensive international research record, with scholarship appearing in the Journal of Business Ethics, Human Resource Management Review, International Journal of Human Resource Management, and Journal of Business Research. He previously served as Editor-in-Chief of International Studies of Management & Organization.
“Business is inseparable from society; it shapes and is shaped by the communities it serves. My vision for responsible global business leadership is inspired by the positive difference business can make in people’s lives and the communities we live in. The Joseph F. Adams Professorship provides a meaningful opportunity to bring this vision into our research, our classrooms, and the communities we serve, while highlighting Tobin’s commitment to responsible global business leadership.”
Yun Zhu, Ph.D.
Alois J. Theis Chair in Global Finance
Yun Zhu, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Finance, has been named the Alois J. Theis Chair in Global Finance. His research spans global finance, political uncertainty, exchange-rate risk, corporate governance, emerging markets, financial technology, and climate-related financial risk. His scholarship has appeared in the Journal of Corporate Finance, Journal of Banking & Finance, Journal of Financial Stability, Journal of International Money and Finance, and The British Accounting Review.
Dr. Zhu also serves as Editor of the Review of Business and is an active contributor to the academic finance community. At Tobin, his teaching includes financial technology and artificial intelligence, mergers and acquisitions, investments, and financial analytics.
“Being named the Alois J. Theis Chair in Global Finance is a meaningful recognition of my work in international finance,” said Dr. Zhu. “The endowment gives me the opportunity to expand my research on AI’s role in fintech and financial markets, and to bring that knowledge directly into the classroom so Tobin students are prepared for where global finance is heading.”