Finance Chair Established in Honor of Terrence Laughlin

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation has made a gift of $2 million to the University of Pittsburgh to establish the Terrence Laughlin Chair in Finance at the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business. The gift is made in honor of Terrence (Terry) Laughlin, who held the position of vice chairman of wealth management with the Bank of America until he passed away in October 2018 at the age of 63.

“We are deeply honored and grateful to the Bank of America and its leadership for this gift, which will continue to honor Terry Laughlin for his commitment and contributions to the university and our school for years to come,” said Arjang A. Assad, Henry E. Haller Jr. Dean of the Katz School and the College of Business Administration.

A Pittsburgh native, Laughlin was a graduate of St. Francis University in Loretto, Pa. He was a 1981 Katz graduate, served on the Pitt Business Board of Visitors, and was a member of the University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees for 10 years.

On February 5, 2019, University Chancellor Patrick D. Gallagher, Dean Assad, and Executive Director of Development Tom O’Toole attended the memorial service for Laughlin in New York City.

“We are exceptionally proud of the life that Terry lived and the example he set,” Gallagher said.

“He was a giant in the investment world, a leader in our community, and a devoted friend and generous partner of the university.”

Laughlin was also an active board member of the Urban Institute, the Brooklyn Museum, and other non-profit and private boards. He served as a leader and mentor to the Bank of America Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership and Advancement.

On the evening of February 5, the Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte and the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park in New York City were lit in Pitt’s colors of blue and gold to honor Laughlin.

Diane K. Denis, Professor and Katz Alumni Chair in Finance, has been appointed to the Terrence Laughlin Chair. Denis joined the University of Pittsburgh in 2011, following 16 years on the faculty at Purdue University and six years on the faculty at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Her research primarily focuses in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate diversification, corporate restructuring, and other areas of corporate governance and corporate finance. She has published in the Journal of Financial Economics, the Review of Financial Studies, the Journal of Finance, and the Journal of Accounting and Economics, in addition to other finance journals. Denis received the Excellence in Teaching and Excellence in Service Awards from Katz in 2014.