Biography
Michael Wittry joined the Department of Finance at Fisher in 2019 after earning his Ph.D. in Finance and Business Economics at the University of Washington in Seattle. He also holds master’s degrees in financial mathematics and statistics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa.
Professor Wittry's research spans a variety of areas within empirical corporate finance, with a particular emphasis on capital structure and corporate governance. His latest work aims to better understand how agency frictions impact firm decision-making and real outcomes. He has published scholarly articles in top finance journals such as Journal of Finance and Review of Financial Studies.
Professor Wittry's academic contributions have been recognized on multiple occasions. Most recently, his paper on "Production and Externalities: The Role of Corporate Governance" won the WRDS best paper award at the Drexel Corporate Governance Conference, and in 2022, he was awarded the Rising Scholar Award by the Review of Corporate Finance Studies for his work on "Crisis Poison Pills."
During his time at the University of Washington, Professor Wittry was also recognized for his role in teaching corporate finance to MBA students. In 2018, he was a finalist for the Excellence in Teaching award, the highest form of recognition for graduate instructors at the University of Washington. Additionally, he was awarded the Foster School of Business Ph.D. Program Teaching Award. Professor Wittry teaches corporate finance to undergraduate students at Fisher and corporate methods to the Ph.D. students.
