Finance and Economics Faculty and Staff

Finance and Economics adjunct faculty

Glenn Brace

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

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.

Brad Epperson

Brad Epperson is a Principal and Managing Broker at Bentwood Property Group, a Real Estate consulting firm in Chattanooga. The Firm advises clients on investments in business and real estate. It specializes in structuring deals and raising capital to fund private equity and lending opportunities. Prior to co-founding the firm in 2014, he was involved in other Real Estate related ventures including Private Equity Investment and Mortgage Origination. He has been an Adjunct Faculty member at UTC since 2005. He previously served on the Board of Directors at the Hamilton Place YMCA, Neighborhood Partners, and as a volunteer with Warrior Beach Retreat.  Mr. Epperson earned a B.A. in Fine Arts and an M.S. in Real Estate Finance and Construction Management from The University of Denver. Mr. Epperson teaches Fundamentals of Real Estate and Small Business Finance.

Mark C. Fleck

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 Statement Analysis at UTC.

Brendan Hawkes

Brendan is a Chattanooga native and graduated from the university of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a degree in finance in 2012. He subsequently earned his MSF degree and his Certified Financial Planner (R) designation in 2021. Brendan‘s passions in life are finance, faith, Football, food, and his family. He teaches Personal Finance at UTC.