ALAN KLIBANOFF
Colangelo College of Business
Title: Finance Professor
Years at GCU: Less than one
Academic degrees: Bachelor of Science and MBA
Notable employment in your field: Senior VP at JP Morgan, Citibank and Morgan Stanley. I managed nearly $6 billion of investment portfolios and approximately $2 billion of loans for corporations, sovereign nations and high net worth individuals.
What are you most passionate about in your field? The applications of finance to all aspects of one’s life and teaching financial literacy.
What aspect of your teaching style is the most distinctive and/or memorable? The actual success stories from years of preaching and teaching discipline in the financial service industry. I have spent the last two decades teaching financial literacy to Native Americans, providing the members of these communities with the tools to make a difference both to themselves and their nation’s. I try to bring those same real-world experiences to the classroom.
What do you like to do for fun in your spare time? Spending quality time with my granddaughter and family, triathlons, marathons and traveling to new places. My wife and I met at the University of Arizona in 1982 and have been married for more than 33 years. We have four grown children and one beautiful granddaughter, who will be 2 in December. Both of our families and all of our siblings live within an 8-mile radius here in town. Hosting Thanksgiving this year will include more than 40 immediate family members. My wife is a huge fan of pickleball, and my daughter, son-in-law and I participate in Ironman events and run marathons together. My wife and I love to travel and recently have done bicycle trips in Europe and French Polynesia.
What is something interesting about you that most people don't know? I had a full head of thick, curly hair 34 years ago, when I was in college. And … five years ago, I was almost 50 pounds heavier and could not run a mile without stopping six times. My eldest daughter, who was planning a family of her own, had a long conversation with me about my health and the fact that she would like me to be around for grandchildren. She had participated in Ironman competitions and offered to coach me. Five years later, 50 pounds lighter and with many Ironman events and marathons completed, I cannot thank her enough.
