Distinguished Faculty Make a Difference

Many of our faculty have distinguished themselves among their peers as experts in their field. Some of a few of our distinguished faculty include:

• Dr. Lisa Spiller, CNU marketing professor and creator of the schools direct and interactive marketing program has been recognized for her dedication to the marketing field on numerous occasions. In February 2009, Dr. Spiller was presented with the inaugural O'Hara Leadership Award in Direct & Interactive Marketing Education by the Direct Marketing Association of Washington. In 2005, Dr. Spiller was awarded the Outstanding Direct Marketing Educator by the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation’s Board of Trustees. In addition, Dr. Spiller is the co-author of a textbook in her field, Contemporary Direct & Interactive Marketing. She has also ably led several CNU student teams to top honors at the regional and national level as part of the national ECHO direct marketing competitions.
• Dr. Stephanie Bardwell, Department Chair for Management and Marketing and Associate Professor of Management, has been recognized for her leadership in CNU’s award wining Small Business Institute capstone class through a special commendation from the Small Business Institute Director’s Association and for her mentorship of multiple national student team first place honors during the past five years.
• Dr. Michelle Albert Vachris, Professor of Economics, is CNU's BB&T Professor for the Study of Capitalism. In this capacity she manages the Colloquium Series on Capitalism and engages in teaching, research and community outreach activities that explore the role of economic freedom and the moral foundations of capitalism. Dr. Vachris also serves as a technical expert to the International Monetary Fund for Export and Import Price Indexes, traveling to member countries to assist with the development of their statistics.
• Dr. Thomas Hall, Associate Professor of Economics and Finance conducts applied finance research of high-tech entrepreneurs and privately-held companies. He recently served as a keynote speaker for the OECD International Experts Meeting on Corporate Governance of Non-Listed Companies in Istanbul, Turkey. Closer to home, he has addressed entrepreneurs at the Dealflow speaking series of the Hampton Roads Technology Council. His research articles have been published in outlets such as Business Valuation Review, Journal of Software, International Finance Review, Handbook of Technology Management, Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance and Business Ventures, and the Journal of Economic Issues. A recipient of both a Fulbright Fellowship and a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, he has over 20 years of international work experience in investment banking, management consulting, and financial and economic research.