John Gonas

Biography

Dr. John Gonas is a Professor of Finance in the Undergraduate and Jack C. Massey School of Business. Gonas teaches Corporate Finance, Introduction to Investments, and Investment Management, and his teaching philosophy revolves around real life application of a subject matter.

Prior to joining Belmont's faculty in 1998, Gonas worked in the financial planning industry for eight years (most recently with J.C. Bradford, Inc. in Nashville) primarily in retail brokerage, investment consulting and fee-based asset management. During the 2000-2002 academic years, he went on leave from Belmont to pursue a doctorate in Finance at the University of Kentucky, a degree he received in the spring of 2005.

Gonas also serves as a Sam Walton Fellow, responsible for advising Belmont's SIFE students. SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) is an international, non-profit organization active on over 1,500 college and university campuses in 47 countries. Under Gonas' leadership, Belmont's SIFE program has won numerous regional and national awards for its service projects. Beginning in  2006 with the National Rookie of the Year Award, from 2007- 2009 they placed in the Top 20 at the USA National Exposition, and in 2010 the team was named USA National Champions and placed third in the world. Belmont SIFE also won the Motion Picture Association of America 2007 Grand Prize for its Anti-Piracy Public Service Announcement.

In 2008, Dr. Gonas was selected as Tennessee's Professor of the Year by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

Education & Certifications

• Ph.D.  - University of Kentucky, Finance
• M.S. - University of Kentucky,  Economics
• M.Ed. - Vanderbilt University,  Secondary Education
• M.B.A. - George Washington University, Finance
• B.B.A. - George Washington University, Finance
• Certified Investment Management Analyst
• Series 7

Professional Experience

• Professor of Finance, Belmont University
• Assistant V. P., Asset Management Department, J.C. Bradford & Company
• Financial Planner, Office of the Vice Chairman, Ferris, Baker Watts, Inc.

Recent Publictions

• Gonas, J. S. & Dolvin, S. (2011). Off the Rack Versus Savile Row: The Value of Custom Tailoring for Equity Investors. Journal of Financial Planning.
• Bradley, D., Gonas, J. S., Highfield, M., & Roskelley, K. (2009). An Examination of IPO Secondary Market Returns. Journal of Corporate Finance.
• Bradley, D., Gonas, J. S. , Highfield, M., & Roskelley, K. (2008).  An Examination of IPO Secondary Market Returns. Journal of Corporate Finance.
• Dolvin, S., Gonas, J. S. , & Pyles, M. (2008).  How Students Change Investment Objectives and Risk Tolerances After an Undergraduate Investments Course. Journal of Economics and Finance Education.

Honors & Awards

• Student-Athelete Advisory Committee Inspiration Award, Belmont Athletic Department (2008)
• State of Tennessee Professor of the Year, The Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement (2008)
• Presidential Achievement Award for Service to the University and Community, Belmont University Presidential Achievement Award (2007)
• School of Business Outstanding Teaching Award, Belmont University School of Business (2007)
• Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award, State of Tennessee Higher Education Commission (2007)
• Sam M. Walton Free Enterprise Fellowship, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) (2006)
• Outstanding Service Award, Belmont University School of Business (2006)
• Finalist: Presidential Achievement Award, Belmont University (2006)