TALLAHASEE, Fla. - The State Farm Professorship has been awarded to Dr. Kathleen McCullough in the College of Business' Department of Risk Management/Insurance, Real Estate and Business Law at Florida State University.

"Since coming to FSU in 2001, Dr. McCullough's work has been recognized nationally, and she is widely considered to be a 'rising star'," states Dean Gatzlaff, Mark C. Bane Professor in Business Administration and chair of the risk management/insurance, real estate and business law department. He continued, "The quality of her teaching and research places her among a select group of the most influential of her generation. We are pleased to recognize her contributions to our students, our program and the industry through the endowed State Farm Insurance Professorship."

McCullough's research interests encompass a variety of areas including the business strategies and practices of property-casualty insurers, insurance regulation and law, and enterprise risk management. She has completed several projects related to both the use of reinsurance and the reinsurance marketplace. Additionally, McCullough has worked on studies related to diversification and focus, loss reserving practices, contingent commissions, and defense strategies within the property-casualty insurance industry. In the area of insurance regulation, her research has focused on a variety of issues of both Florida and national interest including automobile insurance legislation, residual markets and legislation related to a variety of emerging risks.

McCullough has authored or coauthored more than 25 published articles, 23 since coming to FSU in 2001, including articles in the area's top journal such as the Journal of Risk and Insurance and the North American Actuarial Journal. In addition to her publishing, she is consistently recognized by students as one of the most effective instructors in the department.

Prior to coming to FSU, McCullough taught at Illinois State University and the University of Georgia. McCullough's received her Ph.D. in risk management and insurance from the University of Georgia in 2000 and her B.B.A. in finance/risk management from St. Mary's University in San Antonia, Texas in 1995.

The State Farm Professorship in Risk Management/Insurance was established in 1998 and was made possible by the generous donations of State Farm and by our many alumni and friends working within the State Farm Companies. The endowed professorship was established to enable the Risk Management/Insurance program at Florida State University to recruit and retain outstanding faculty. The program, one of the oldest and largest in the nation, was recently ranked fourth in the nation among programs at public institutions by U.S. News & World Report.

For more information about the College of Business, please go to www.cob.fsu.edu.