Professor Michael Faulkender Nominated for Treasury Post

Michael Faulkender, professor of finance and associate dean of masters programs at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, was selected by President Trump on March 19, 2018, to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy.  In this role, Faulkender will advise the Secretary of the Treasury and the administration on economic developments in the U.S. and world economies and assisting in the determination of appropriate economic policies.

The office participates in the preparation of the administration’s budget and supports the secretary in his roles as Chairman and Managing Trustee of the Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees. The position requires Senate confirmation. 

Faulkender joined the Smith School 10 years ago as an assistant professor of finance. His research, which focuses on issues at the intersection of finance and public policy, has been recognized with numerous awards and been cited regularly in the financial press.  Faulkender has taught corporate finance in the full-time, part-time and executive MBA programs, as well as the master of finance program.

He has received numerous awards from graduating MBA students for his engagement in the full-time MBA program and two years ago won the school’s Krowe Teaching Excellence Award. His service to the school has included director of the master of finance program, chair of the masters oversight committee and service on numerous task forces and committees, culminating in his appointment as associate dean of masters programs a little more than a year ago. In that role, he has overseen curricular updates to the full-time, part-time, and online MBA programs, as well as the launching of three new specialty masters programs.