Matthew Serfling

Matthew Serfling is an Associate Professor of Finance and Clayton Homes Chair of Excellence in Finance at the Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee. He serves as the Finance Ph.D. Program Director and is an Associate Editor at Financial Management and the Journal of Financial Research. His research focuses on how corporate decisions interact with labor markets and non-financial stakeholders, with additional interests in corporate governance and managerial information environments.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Finance, University of Arizona (2015)
• B.S. in Finance with Mathematics minor, North Dakota State University (2010)

Research Interests: Serfling examines labor market interactions with corporate policies, director quality impacts on firm value, and how management practices influence M&A outcomes. His work bridges labor economics and corporate finance, often analyzing legal/regulatory changes and their corporate implications.

Awards: He has received numerous accolades including the 2022 Finance Department Research Award, Ray and Joan Myatt Faculty Research Fellowship (2021-2022), and Vallett Family Outstanding Researcher Award (2018). His research frequently appears in top-tier journals like the Journal of Finance and Review of Financial Studies.

Grants & Advising: Serfling has led research initiatives funded through faculty fellowships and has advised doctoral students in finance programs. He is actively involved in the Neel Corporate Governance Center, exploring board dynamics and governance structures.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the Neel Corporate Governance Center and maintains affiliations with interdisciplinary research groups examining labor-finance intersections and corporate decision frameworks.