I have been at Marquette University since 2016. I am a former commercial banker of 37 years, holding the position of EVP and Chief Information and Operations Officer for First Midwest Bank. I have long sought a means of developing a curriculum and educating young people to join the profession. As a finance professor, commercial bank IS finance, and creates an exceptional opportunity for excellent careers for students. I believe it is all about education, and through our undergraduate commercial banking program we can help to "professionalize" commercial banking and improve the perception of banks overall. At Marquette, this lends it self well towards contributing to the community we serve. Small businesses need to come back and we are doing our part to help that in the Marquette community and Milwaukee at large.