Meet the 2019 Baltimore Business Review contributors.
Jan Baum is the Director of the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Towson University where she is also a full professor. Known for her expertise and leadership in 3D printing technologies, Baum founded and directed 3D Maryland the first state-wide initiative to establish 3D printing as a strategic industry for Maryland after establishing the first comprehensive digital fabrication lab in the USM in 2011. She is a serial entrepreneur and a passionate expert on innovation, change, and leadership.
Chris Breen is an undergraduate junior majoring in Business Administration with a Concentration in International Business at Towson University. As Vice President for the Towson University Investment Group, he strives to promote community outreach and financial literacy while building long-lasting relationships. Chris currently holds an internship at Heritage Financial Consultants, a financial planning firm in Hunt Valley, MD.
Nicola Daniel is Executive Director of CFA Society of Baltimore. She spearheads key initiatives to promote awareness of the CFA charter, and continuing education on cutting-edge research and trends in the financial services industry for CFA society members. Nicola served a research analyst and portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton Investments, in the USA and Hong Kong. She has worked at the IMF and on the World Bank’s trading floor. Nicola graduated from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies with a master’s degree in Economics and China Studies.”
Dr. Paul Goethals, Ph.D., is currently an Academy Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Clemson University, an M.S. in Applied Mathematics from Florida State University, and a B.A. in Chemistry from Indiana University. With more than 26 years of military experience, his research interests include applications in national defense, such as cybersecurity, operational readiness, and weapon system effectiveness.
Dr. Melissa Groves, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at Towson University and a Faculty Consultant for the Council on Economic Education in Maryland. She earned Ph.D. in economics from University of Massachusetts Amherst, and bachelor’s degree from Williams College. Her research focuses on three primary areas; the determinants of naturalization decisions, the impact of personality on labor market outcomes, and the influence of economic and personal finance education on student outcomes. Dr. Groves’ work can be found in the Journal of Economic Psychology, American Economic Review and the Review of Social Sciences as well as in her co-edited book, “Unequal Chances: Family Background and Economic Success.”
Kai Johnson is a senior Economics major at Towson University. She is the president of the Undergraduate Research Club and has taken on various roles including recruitment officer, HCLC committee head, and currently holds the highest student role in the Honors College as the Student Director. This past summer Kai was selected to intern at Morgan Stanley on the Cash Settlements and Foreign Exchange team and has been offered a job at Morgan Stanley upon graduation, which she has recently accepted.
Matthew Q. Lowinger is a junior majoring in Business Administration with a Concentration in Entrepreneurship and minoring in Business, Communications and Liberal Arts at Towson University. He excites, imagines and transforms the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Baltimore, Maryland acting as a startup consultant and advisor. Matthew has worked for wealth management, hedge fund, incubators/startup hubs, and consulting firms conducting capital raising projects, generating financial analysis + modeling, and consulting early-stage ventures. He is the Co-Founder of Innov8MD, an initiative to celebrate collegiate entrepreneurship across Maryland. Matthew is an active volunteer with Baltimore’s chapter of National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship.
Bradford Muir is an Associate in Ellin & Tucker’s Forensic and Valuation Services (FVS) Group. Brad has a background in finance and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the George Washington University. He performs valuations for industries including government contracting, manufacturing and distribution and professional services. Brad also prepares financial models and conducts financial statement analysis and industry and economic research in support of commercial and intellectual property damages litigation engagements.
Niall H. O’Malley, MBA, is the Portfolio Manager for Blue Point Investment Management. He leverages his understanding of the capital markets and 12 years of international experience to add value for clients. Niall has a B.A. in Political Science from Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada. He studied for a year at the Institute for European Studies in Vienna, Austria, and received an MBA in Finance and Investments from George Washington University. He passed Level II of the CFA examination. Niall enjoys teaching and has taught Investments and Equity Security Analysis at Towson University.
Megan Price graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Project Management and Business Analysis from Towson University in 2018, where she co-founded the first student-run business on campus and is currently working as an inventory planner at Rhee Brothers.
Zachary C. Reichenbach, CFA, CPA/ABV/CFF, is a Principal in the Forensic and Valuation Services (FVS) Group at Ellin & Tucker. His experience includes providing expert witness services and various litigation services for domestic and international commercial damage and valuation engagements. Zach specializes in complex commercial damages, valuation and intellectual property damages. He has extensive experience in preparing and defending damage and valuation related claims in federal and state court. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in business administration from Loyola University, Maryland. Zach is a CFA charter holder and serves as Vice President of the CFA Society Baltimore.
Dr. Natalie M. Scala, Ph.D., is an assistant professor and director of graduate programs in supply chain management and project, program, and portfolio management in the College of Business and Economics at Towson University. She earned Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in industrial engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Her primary research is in decision analysis, with a focus on military applications and cybersecurity, and she currently teaches courses on business analytics. Dr. Scala frequently consults to government clients and has extensive professional experience. Her first book, a co-edited volume titled Handbook of Military and Defense Operations Research, is forthcoming in early 2020.
Tyler Simonds is an undergraduate senior majoring in Mathematics with a concentration in Applied Mathematics at Towson University. As Portfolio Manager for the Towson University Investment Group, he analyzes companies’ financial metrics and underlying trends to determine suitable investment opportunities to grow the group’s $180,000 portfolio. Tyler currently holds an internship at Heritage Financial Consultants, a financial planning firm in Hunt Valley, MD. Following his graduation in May of 2019, he plans to complete the CFA program.
Cazmier Tymoch is an Analyst in Ellin & Tucker’s Forensic and Valuation Services Group and a member of the firm since 2018. Cazmier’s valuation experience involves domestic matters, including the valuation of marital and non-marital property, valuations for estate and gift tax purposes, and valuations to assist in business planning/potential buy-outs. Prior to joining Ellin & Tucker, he worked as an Operations Intern for T. Rowe Price and as a Financial Advising Intern for a Baltimore-based financial planning firm. He received his Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Towson University.
Dylan Vasbinder is an undergraduate senior majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Financial Planning. He currently serves as the President of the Towson University Investment Group, and this year he aims for organizational success through outperforming the S&P 500, curating specialized events for students seeking to new learning opportunities, and promoting professionalism, camaraderie, and achievement within the student body. Additionally, Dylan holds an internship at Heritage Financial Consultants, a financial planning firm in Hunt Valley, MD. Succeeding graduation, Dylan plans to obtain the CFP designation by joining an advisor program with a Registered Investment Advisor firm.
Dr. Zhen Zhang, Ph.D., CPA, is an assistant professor in the Department of Accounting at Towson University. Her research focuses on organizational environment affecting employee behavior, including how top management integrity impacts employee budgetary reporting behavior, how financial reporting reliability impacts top management turnover. Her research interests expand to various areas in Accounting, including management accounting, financial accounting, taxation and accounting education. She teaches costs accounting and taxation. She completed her Ph.D. in accounting at Georgia State University in 2015. She worked as a tax accountant in public accounting before her Ph.D. study. She also received Master of Taxation, Master of Accounting and Bachelor of Economics.