Recognizing the people who lead, inspire and shape the future of the College of Business at MSU Denver
At the College of Business, excellence is measured in more than grades, publications or titles. It is seen in the professor who prepares students to compete beyond campus, the researcher whose scholarship changes how future business leaders understand uncertainty, the advisor who removes barriers to graduation and the staff member whose work makes an entire college function more effectively.
That broader definition of excellence is at the center of the MSU Denver College of Business’ 2026 Dean’s Awards. The annual honors recognize faculty and professional staff whose work during the 2025–2026 academic year strengthened the College through service, research, teaching, leadership and student support. This year’s recipients reflect a common idea: meaningful achievement is ultimately measured by impact.
Dr. Clay Daughtrey, professor of marketing, received the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Service for leadership and mentorship that extends well beyond the classroom.
Daughtrey’s work with Pi Sigma Epsilon and student travel offers a clear example. In 2025, he was recognized by MSU Denver’s C2Hub as an Outstanding Travel Advisor after students nominated him for his support of their national conference experience. He helped 12 students prepare for competition, volunteered weekly sales-training sessions and served as a competition judge so students could better understand how successful competitors are evaluated.
His service illustrates the difference between simply creating an opportunity and preparing students to take advantage of it.
Dr. Chao Wei, assistant professor of finance, received the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Research. Wei joined MSU Denver in 2024 after working in model risk at Western Alliance Bank, bringing both industry and academic experience to his teaching and scholarship.
During the 25/26 academic year, he published two papers examining how firms respond to uncertainty in their financial relationships. His research considers how suppliers respond when customers become more powerful through mergers and how CEO turnover can create financial consequences for partner firms. The research also informs Wei’s finance courses, connecting current scholarship to the decisions students may face as business professionals.
Christina Huber, professor of economics, was honored with the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching for her commitment to rigorous and accessible learning experiences.
Students highlighted Huber’s ability to encourage independent thinking while keeping classroom discussions grounded in economic evidence. Her commitment to access is equally notable. In redesigning a course to earn a university designation, Huber removed prerequisites that had historically limited enrollment, opening the course to students across business disciplines.
Her approach reflects an important goal of business education: teaching students not simply what to think, but how to analyze, question and apply what they learn. Huber’s academic profile also reflects that breadth, with teaching and research spanning development economics, environmental economics, the economics of the family and student academic performance.
Laurie Nakauchi, executive assistant to the dean, received the Dean’s Award for Operational Excellence and Innovation.
Her contributions often happen behind the scenes but determine whether a college can operate at its best. Nakauchi manages purchasing and documents, coordinates events, supports College spaces and helps ensure faculty and staff have the resources they need. Nominators describe her as someone the Dean’s Office can depend on, approaching even routine responsibilities with creativity, organization and a positive attitude.
The inaugural Dean’s Award for Student-Centered Service Excellence was presented to the College of Business Advising Team: Wendy Walker, Alice McClendon, Angela Schissler, Blake Binford, Celeste Lopez-Ponce, Dexter Eldam, Donelyn Jones, Joseph Cao and Oliver Luckett.
Its scale is reflected in the numbers: 6,475 advising appointments during 2025–2026 and 1,800 academic plans created in one year. A hold-intervention campaign reduced registration barriers from 352 students to 149.
Yet the numbers represent more than administrative output. Advising at CBUS means helping students understand their options, navigate barriers and move confidently toward graduation. MSU Denver’s advising model emphasizes that support extends from course planning and registration to academic progress, career goals, graduate school and internships.
The biggest award of the day went to Dr. Viktor Kiss, associate professor of computer information systems! He received the Dean’s Exemplary Faculty Award, recognizing achievement across teaching, research and service.
Kiss teaches subjects ranging from business analytics and machine learning to data mining. Across 97 sections at MSU Denver, his faculty contribution ratings exceeded the department average more than 90% of the time. He has also published more than 15 peer-reviewed journal articles and completed six case studies cited in an academic textbook.
The numbers are significant, but the student response is equally telling. Students repeatedly describe Kiss as an instructor who makes difficult concepts understandable and engaging.
Together, the 2026 Dean’s Award recipients offer a portrait of what excellence looks like at the College of Business: scholarship with practical relevance, teaching with purpose, service with commitment and support that puts students first.
Their achievements arrive at an important moment for CBUS, which recently earned a six-year extension of AACSB accreditation, reinforcing the College’s commitment to quality, relevance and continuous improvement.
The awards are more than a celebration of individual accomplishments. They recognize the people whose everyday work turns the mission of the College of Business into a lived experience for students, colleagues and the community.
Congratulations to Dr. Clay Daughtrey, Dr. Chao Wei, Christina Huber, Dr. Viktor Kiss, Laurie Nakauchi, and the College of Business Advising Team.
Support comes from MSU Denver’s College of Business, offering flexible programs with real‑world projects and support. Committed to empowering graduates to lead, solve, and inspire.
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