McCoy College introduces three new department chairs

By Nichole Black
^{Digital Marketing Strategist, McCoy College of Business}

SAN MARCOS, Texas — The McCoy College of Business welcomes two department chairs new to Texas State University and one transitioning to an interim chair role: Dr. Haiyong Liu is the new chair of the Department of Finance and Economics, Dr. William McDowell in the Department of Management, and Dr. Mina Pizzini is interim chair of the Department of Accounting. 

Chair of Finance of Economics 
Dr. Haiyong Liu earned his Ph.D. in economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and began teaching at East Carolina University. In 2015, he became the department chair in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Department of Economics. His research interests focus on labor and health economics, as well as the use of econometrics to analyze the broader impact of public policies. 

Dr. Liu is excited to be at the McCoy College, especially being in the Austin-to-San Antonio corridor that can provide tremendous professional opportunities for students. He is looking forward to opportunities for collaboration amongst colleagues in the McCoy College and finding the best ways to improve student success. 

“We have a very large department – almost 40 faculty members – and I want to get to know them better and learn what’s needed to facilitate their continuing success,” said Dr. Liu. “I also want to make sure of the continuing success of our programs, both on the undergraduate and graduate level.” 

Chair of Management
Dr. William McDowell received his MBA from California State University-Dominguez Hills and a Ph.D. in business from the University of North Texas. He held his first position at East Carolina University as an associate professor of entrepreneurship, then moved to Middle Tennessee State University as professor and chair of entrepreneurship. In 2017, Dr. McDowell became executive director at the Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and he was Turner Chair of Entrepreneurship at the Foster College of Business at Bradley University.

Dr. McDowell is happy to be back in Texas helping the McCoy College build on the curriculum in the Department of Management and help with advancing the national reputation of Texas State as a research-focused institution. 

“My goal is to really help facilitate the faculty and students – to help faculty develop their research in a way that promotes McCoy College nationally in the research arena, as well as to help develop and build on our curriculum that will be attractive to students,” said Dr. McDowell. “I want to make sure students are out there getting better jobs – that way we’re making a greater impact by taking the McCoy College name and spreading it around the world.”  

Interim Chair of Accounting
Dr. Mina Pizzini worked as an internal auditor at DuPont before going back to school for her MBA at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. She started another corporate role as a financial analyst at ARCO before starting her Ph.D. in applied economics at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. With her research focus in managerial accounting, she has held teaching positions at several universities including the University of Texas at Dallas, Southern Methodist University, and the Naval Postgraduate School before joining the faculty at the McCoy College of Business in 2014. 

Dr. Pizzini was eager to jump on the interim chair position for the Department of Accounting and is looking forward to the opportunities ahead.

“With a new dean, a great faculty with a lot of potential, and big curriculum changes driven by the profession – there are a lot of opportunities I see to take us to the next level,” said Dr. Pizzini. “It’s a good position to be in.”

For more information, email Twister Marquiss, manager of marketing and communications for the McCoy College of Business, at twister@txstate.edu.

About the McCoy College of Business

Established in 1970, Texas State’s business school officially became the McCoy College of Business in 2004 following a donation of $20 million by Emmett and Miriam McCoy. The college, which offers classes in both San Marcos and Round Rock, is accredited by AACSB in both business and accounting, and has graduated nearly 42,000 alumni.