Three tenured faculty at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business were named department chairs in May. The appointments include Özgür Araz, Ron and Carol Cope Professor of Supply Chain Management and Analytics; Ed Balistreri, Duane Acklie Chair and professor of economics; and Stanislava Nikolova, Alice M. Dittman Chair of Banking and Finance and professor of finance.

“We are pleased to welcome three highly accomplished faculty members—Ed, Stas and Özgür—as the new leaders of the departments of Economics, Finance, and Supply Chain Management and Analytics,” said Emre Unlu, associate dean of faculty and research, Paul C. Burmeister College Professor of Investments, and professor of finance. “Each brings a distinguished record of impactful research, excellence in teaching and dedication to service. Their leadership will strengthen our departments and support continued academic and professional growth within the college.”

Appointed by Kathy Farrell, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean, the new chairs join the dean’s management team along with Jimmy Downes, director of the School of Accountancy, George and Evelyn Brewster Professor of Accountancy and associate professor of accountancy (appointed in 2022): Jake Messersmith, chair of the Department of Management and associate professor of management (appointed in 2023); and Amit Saini, chair of the Department of Marketing, W. W. Marshall College Professor and professor of marketing (appointed in 2024).

Özgür Araz, Chair of the Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics

Araz joined the College of Business in 2015 and held leadership roles as the department’s director of the Ph.D. program and chair of the promotion and tenure committee. Before joining Nebraska Business, he served as faculty member of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

"At the College of Business, I actively participated in developing the business analytics major and Master of Science in Business Analytics programs," he said. "Teaching has always motivated me to continue to learn and improve. I teach Predictive Analytics courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and taught database management and supply chain planning and control courses. All these experiences helped me understand our student body and expectations of college faculty to be more productive in their research and influential in teaching."

As chair, he aims to elevate the visibility of the business analytics major and keep programs aligned with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

“Managing complex global supply chains is a critical business issue, especially given today’s environmental and geopolitical risks,” Araz said. “Our graduates must be prepared with the latest tools and insights to manage these challenges effectively.”

He emphasized the importance of maintaining the relevance of the college’s online master’s programs in business analytics and supply chain management.

"The effective management of supply chains continues to be a major business issue affecting our lives everyday with the environmental and geopolitical risks. Running a successful business in today’s connected world requires understanding the complex supply chains," Araz said. "More business professionals who are trained on understanding and managing supply chains are needed in industries and we will continue educating these professionals with the most up-to-date methods and technologies."

He highlighted the recent launch of a supply chain specialization within the Ph.D. program.

“Our Ph.D. students are working on exciting research projects alongside faculty,” Araz said. “They’re being trained to educate the next generation of supply chain and analytics professionals.”

His research spans impactful topics in supply chain management and public health. He developed ventilator stockpiling and allocation policies that gained attention during the pandemic for its implications in improving public health operations. Another long-standing project focuses on parental perceptions of obesity prevention policies and how food industry firms adapt to changing consumer preferences—a collaborative effort with S. Sajeesh, Nathan J. Gold Distinguished Professor of Marketing and associate professor of marketing at Nebraska.

Araz emphasized that fostering a collaborative culture grounded in honest and transparent communication has been essential in his classes and will continue to be a central part of his approach as chair.

“I am very honored for this opportunity and thankful to Dean Farrell for the trust in me for this position,” Araz said. “I look forward to working with each of my colleagues and across the College of Business to continue achieving academic excellence with our students.”

Ed Balistreri, Chair of the Department of Economics

Balistreri holds the Duane Acklie Yeutter Institute Distinguished Chair and serves as a core faculty member in the interdisciplinary Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance. Before joining Nebraska, he served as a research economist at the U.S. International Trade Commission contributing to trade policy analysis and legal cases, including state-by-state impact studies with a focus on agricultural products critical to Nebraska. 

"The Yeutter Institute is unique in its research, education and engagement mission. My appointment allows me to engage with top legal and economic scholars on impactful research.," he said. "Currently, my research projects involve the adverse consequences of tariffs and other disruptive trade policies. Through my research, policy makers can consider economic arguments around trade policy in an empirical quantitative context. My research also influenced trade and climate policy, as well as provided powerful new tools for future policy research."

As chair, Balistreri plans to strengthen the department’s Ph.D. program, enhance undergraduate course offerings and support faculty development and retention. 

"My priorities as chair include fostering a vibrant Ph.D. program that produces future leaders in economic research and education. We are initiating an expansion to regularly graduate at least five Ph.D. students per year," he said. "This will better align our graduate program and research initiatives with our peer and aspirational economic programs."

With the "dynamic mix" of faculty at various stages of their careers, Balistreri remains committed to fostering research, teaching and service by investing in faculty.

"I prioritize the service of the university in supporting faculty. I am particularly proud of our assistant professors and their accomplishments and need to maintain junior-faculty support over their careers. It is critical to foster a culture in the Department of Economics where we recruit and retain world-class faculty," he said.

Balistreri also plans to revamp junior- and senior-level courses to make economics more engaging and accessible to both majors and non-majors, while growing participation in the international trade minor and Yeutter Institute Student Fellows program.

He shared how his experience as a teacher and research collaborator taught him to be more empathetic and patient, Balistreri said it was critical to actively communicate with students and team members to advance individual and collective goals.

"Organization and communication are critical to management," he said. "In the classroom and team efforts, I've found many problems can be avoided through organization and communication."

Noting that his experience as a teacher and research collaborator taught him to be more empathetic and patient, Balistreri said it was critical to actively communicate with students and team members to advance individual and collective goals. 

“I am happy to lead the Department of Economics as our reputation grows in our research and education missions,” he said. “I look forward to maintaining a supportive backdrop for the department’s critical research and educational responsibilities.”

Stanislava Nikolova, Chair of the Department of Finance

Nikolova joined the college in 2013 and was later named the Alice Dittman Chair in Banking and Finance. Prior to Nebraska, she served as a senior financial economist at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where she advised on regulatory policy and rulemaking in fixed-income markets.

"Working in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment taught me to prioritize evidence-based reasoning and cross-team collaboration. This experience shaped my leadership style to be analytical yet adaptive, always considering the broader implications of institutional decisions," Nikolova said. "It also deepened my appreciation for organizational complexity and the importance of aligning strategic goals with public trust and stakeholder engagement."

As chair, Nikolova plans to support research, introduce new courses and deepen connections with the financial industry.

"My overarching goal is to foster an environment where both faculty and students can thrive. For faculty, that means supporting high-impact research, encouraging intradepartmental collaboration and securing the resources needed to pursue faculty goals," she said. "I also want to create a space where rigor and innovation in teaching are encouraged and recognized, especially as we continue to evolve how we prepare students for a rapidly changing job market."

For students, she will focus on enhancing learning opportunities in and out of the classroom.

"That includes expanding access to experiential learning by building stronger industry connections, and making sure our curriculum stays rigorous and aligned with the demands of today’s finance careers," she said. "Ultimately, I want our department to be a place where faculty feel empowered and students feel prepared."

The department is launching new Certified Financial Planner (CFP)-related course offerings in the fall to help students meet certification requirements and build long-term success in financial advisory roles. In the spring of 2026, an Entrepreneurial Finance course will introduce students to startup funding, venture capital and financial decision-making in high-growth environments.

"We’re always looking to increase engagement with industry professionals and alumni, and we see tremendous value in bringing real-world perspectives into our classrooms. I am especially interested in inviting guest speakers to join us in classes to talk about market trends, share career insights or discuss how financial concepts apply in practice," she said. "These conversations help students connect textbook theory with practical application, and they often leave a lasting impression."

She welcomes opportunities for deeper partnerships with businesses — whether through mentoring, internships or collaborative projects that give students hands-on experience solving financial challenges.

"Alumni and local professionals play a vital role in that ecosystem, and I encourage those interested in engaging more with the department to reach out to me," she said. "Whether they join us in the classroom, offer job shadowing or internship opportunities or simply stay connected, their involvement adds substantially to our students’ educational experience."

Nikolova, who received the SEC Economic Research Award in 2013, said teaching has made her a more patient and empathetic leader.

“It’s an honor to take on a leadership role in a department that I’ve been proud to call home for over a decade,” Nikolova said. “Stepping into this new role feels both humbling and deeply meaningful. It’s an opportunity to give back to a community that has supported me throughout my career at Nebraska.”