Dr. Renee Dyer Presents Research On Women In Finance At Annual FEA Conference

Limestone University Associate Professor Dr. Renee Dyer recently presented her research on women in the finance industry at the Finance Educators Association (FEA) Annual Conference in San Antonio.

As part of her research, Dyer interviewed 10 women who currently work as finance executives within different areas of the industry from across the United States. Her presentation also contained a review of available academic literature. The literature review found that, though underrepresented in the industry, women in finance appear to be more competent and adept at managing finances, as well as more accurate, more disciplined, less competitive, and more risk-averse when it comes to their work in the field.

Through the conversations with women currently working in finance, Dyer found the greatest need was for more successful role models for young women to emulate. Additionally, there was a need to destigmatize and demystify finance, as well as to provide young women with opportunities for internships in finance while they are in school.

“Women in the finance industry create a needed balance for corporations that can improve firm outcomes,” Dyer said following the conference that concluded earlier this month. “Even with this knowledge, women are still underrepresented in the finance industry. We hope that the information from this study can be used to encourage women from high school through college to consider finance as a major and a career.”

The FEA is a professional association of finance academics devoted to collegiate financial education. FEA's mission is to enhance the quality of financial education and improve the collegiate financial education experience by encouraging educational research, curriculum development, creative pedagogy, and professional development.

Dyer began her career in higher education in 2008 and is currently an Associate Professor of Business Finance and Accounting, Economics, and the Finance Department Chair at Limestone, where she has been a faculty member since 2017.

A graduate from Blacksburg High School, Dyer received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Gardner-Webb University in 2008. She then received her Master of Business Administration in Finance from East Carolina University in 2010, and more recently completed a Doctorate in Business Administration from Walden University in 2019. Her paper “Financial Strategies for Long-Term Success of Women-Owned Small Businesses" received the “Best Paper Award” from the Academy of Business Research in August 2020.