John E. Lunn Holds
Haack Chair in Economics

John E. Lunn, a member of the Hope department of economics, management and accounting , holds the Robert W. Haack Chair in Economics at Hope College.

He is the first person to hold the chair, which was established in 1991 by the late Robert W. Haack of Potomac, Md. Haack, a 1938 Hope College graduate, was a former president of the New York Stock Exchange and past chairman and chief executive officer of Lockheed Aircraft Corporation.

“He’ll certainly bring a strong success in and commitment to scholarly research,” said James Heisler, professor of economics and chairperson of the department. “He has publications in the foremost of economic journals and maintains a very active research agenda.”

Heisler noted that Lunn will bring to the department and its students insights honed through his scholarly research, his practically-oriented research related to government grants he has received and his investigations into Christian dimensions of economics.

“A major goal of the department is to provide, in the spirit of the liberal arts, as education in economics and business which spans from the very practical to the scholarly/theoretical, so that our students have a broad perspective instead of a very narrow perspective on either end,” he said. “Lunn will help facilitate that.”

Heisler stressed the endowed chair’s role in not only adding another member to the economics faculty but of making it possible to add a senior professor with an impressive set of accomplishments. “The endowed chair enabled us to be competitive in the market for people of John Lunn’s experience and qualifications,” Heisler said.

Lunn will teach the introductory “Principles of Economics” course, which enrolls both students majoring in economics and those satisfying liberal arts “core” requirements, and the “Senior Economics Research Seminar,” which is required of all economics majors.

He joined the faculty at Louisiana State University in 1983 as an assistant professor and was promoted to associated professor in 1986. He was an assistant professor at Miami University from 1980 to 1983, had been a visiting assistant professor at the University of British Columbia during 1978-79.

Journals in which Lunn has had articles published include “European Economic Review,” “Eastern Economic Journal” and “Review of Business and Economic Research.” He also has other publications, has presented several papers, and is a member of a number of professional organizations.

He holds his bachelor’s degree from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.; his master’s degree from California State University, Hayward; and his doctorate from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Lunn brings to 12 the total number of full-time faculty within the department of economics and business administration. The department graduates 150 to 160 students as majors each year, or approximately 25 percent of each Hope graduating class.

The Robert W. Haack Chair in Economics was established by Mr. Robert W. Haack '38, a distinguished business leader, most notably as President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Stock Exchange and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Corporation. Following retirement, Mr. Haack served as a member of the Board of Directors of a number of major U.S. corporations. This chair is to be held by a distinguished economist dedicated to teaching, research and the mission of Hope College.

Endowed chairs are established by donors who wish to assist the college on a permanent basis through the support of a faculty member. The gift is placed in the college's endowment fund with investment income used to support the work of the honored professor. In addition to recognizing faculty members for excellence, endowed chairs provide funding for summer research projects as well as some salary support.

Learn more about establishing an endowed professorship