Grainger VIP Impact Report

WISCONSIN NAMING FUND

In today’s competitive landscape for business schools, differentiation is becoming increasingly challenging. However, thanks to the invaluable resources provided by the Wisconsin Naming Fund, we’ve been able to invest in the backbone of our institution: our exceptional faculty members. Over the past year, we’ve had the privilege of attracting top-tier talent to our faculty ranks. Michael Johnson, former chair of Cornell University’s esteemed marketing department, now leads our marketing department and brings with him a wealth of expertise and leadership. I have personally benefited from his leadership acumen. Similarly, Allen Li, an associate professor of operations and information management, has joined us from Boston College, bringing his groundbreaking research on digital platforms and value chains, along with prestigious recognition through the National Science Foundation CAREER Award as well as Poets & Quants Top 50 Undergraduate B-School Professors for his teaching prowess. His work on on-demand platforms and food delivery services, such as Uber Eats and Door Dash, is pathbreaking in terms of how small restaurants can serve large communities of customers. Moreover, the Wisconsin Naming Fund empowers us to recognize and retain our outstanding faculty members. Through promotions and accolades, we’ve celebrated the achievements of our faculty in both research and teaching. Noteworthy examples include Anita Mukherjee, whose research on the link between rising temperatures and prison violence gained widespread recognition after being featured on the popular Freakonomics podcast. Additionally, Fabio Gaertner’s innovative teaching approach earned him recognition as one of Poets & Quants’ Best 40 under 40 Professors in 2020 and the 2023 Chancellor’s Teaching Innovation Award at UW–Madison. With a strong roster of faculty leaders and innovators, we are poised to further invest in our programs. This includes developing new courses, integrating industry insights into the curriculum, and actively engaging with real-world

Photo by: Paul L. Newby II

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