Finance and Economics Faculty and Staff

Glenn Brace is a veteran of the global insurance industry and, over a 30-year career, has completed several influential roles in the London insurance market. He has served as the chief claims officer of both Equitas, the Lloyd's of London reinsurer and run-off agent, and Catlin, formerly the largest Lloyd's of London syndicate. He oversaw operations in Europe, Asia, North America and Australia that were repeatedly recognized as the top-performing claims services in the Lloyd's of London community. He has also served on the Board of Directors of other insurance industry organizations. An honors graduate of the University of Virginia (BA) and the University of Virginia School of Law (JD), he was, prior to his career in insurance management, a partner in a major New England law firm and a member of the adjunct faculty of the University of Connecticut School of Law. Mr. Brace teaches the Principles of Insurance course at UTC.

Dr. Peggy Douglas received her BA, M.S., and Ph.D. in Environmental Economics from the University of Tennessee. She has had a dual career in college teaching (economics, peace studies, and sociology), as well as, serving as a community and economic development consultant. Her educational pedagogy was significantly influenced by her experience working with two rather famous "popular" educators, Paulo Freire from Brazil and Myles Horton from the Highlander Folk School. Both were engaged in an adult form of education that centered on helping oppressed people create social and economic change in their communities. Dr. Douglas's publications and professional research have focused on environmental, economic and social justice which allowed her to teach and work in Appalachian and Latin American colleges such as the University of Tennessee, Antioch College, Livingstone College, and the University of Londrina in Brazil. She has been teaching college, both online and on-ground for over thirty years. Dr. Douglas teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Economics at UTC.

Mark C. Fleck is a Portfolio Manager at Patten and Patten, Inc., a wealth management firm in Chattanooga. Prior to joining the firm in 2008, he worked as a Senior Portfolio Manager for Highland Capital Management in Memphis, Tennessee. At Highland Capital, he was a member of the Equity Investment Selection Committee and also managed all municipal bond holdings for the firm. Mr. Fleck has worked as a Portfolio Manager for the State of Kentucky managing an investment portfolio of the state's operating funds. He has also served as the Investment Officer for the city of Columbus, Georgia, where he managed the city's investment portfolio and advised the city's Pension Board. He is a current Board Member and past President of the CFA Society of East Tennessee and a past member of the Board of United Cerebral Palsy in Memphis, Tennessee. He has also served on the School Advisory Board for Our Lady of Perpetual Help School ("OLPH"). Mr. Fleck earned a B.S. in Accounting from Christian Brothers University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Memphis. He earned his CFA designation in 2000. Mr. Fleck teaches Financial Institutions at UTC.

Raymond V. Ryan is the President and a Portfolio Manager at Patten and Patten, Inc., a wealth management firm in Chattanooga. Prior to joining the firm in 1999, he worked in several areas of the capital markets, including investment banking for SunTrust Equitable Securities Corporation in Nashville. Prior to his tenure with SunTrust Equitable, Mr. Ryan worked in capital markets, including institutional fixed-income sales and trading, for Lehman Brothers. He is a CFA Charter holder and has served as an instructor with a leading CFA preparatory organization. He is a member of the American Economic Association and is a past President of the CFA Society of Chattanooga. Mr. Ryan is a member of the Advisory Board for the UT Chattanooga College of Business and the SMILE Fund, and serves on the Board of Trustees for The Bright School and The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy. Mr. Ryan has an A.B. in Economics from Princeton University. He teaches Derivative Securities at UTC.