Francis Laatsch

Ashel G. Bryan/ Sky Bank Professor

Department of Finance

Bowling Green State University

Office: 212 Business Administration
Phone: (419) 372-2668
Fax: (419) 372-2527
Email: flaatsc@bgsu.edu

Born in Alabama in 1951, Dr. Francis E. (Frank) Laatsch grew up in Akron, Ohio. He there attended St. Vincent Elementary and St. Vincent High School (now St. Vincent St. Mary H.S.), graduating in 1969. He attended Columbia University, New York City, and then earned his B.S. in Biology from the University of Akron in 1973. He entered active duty with the United States Air Force, serving as an Electronic Warfare Officer (Navigator) in strategic reconnaissance. While on active duty, Captain Laatsch earned his MBA from the University of Oklahoma. Leaving active duty in 1981, he entered the University of Oklahoma's doctoral program and continued his service in the USAF Reserve. Promoted to Major in 1987, a severe back injury placed Major Laatsch on the retired reserve list in 1992.

Frank completed his Ph.D. work in 1988 and accepted a position at Bowling Green State University that same year. He had previously taught at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Central Washington University. His areas of interest are futures, options, quantitative methods, and financial planning. He has published in The Journal of Derivatives, Financial Services Review, The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, and other journals. He teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses in investments and financial planning.

Frank holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® charter as well as the Certified Financial Planner® certificate. He is on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Financial Services and also on the board of the CFA Society of Toledo. He resides in Wayne, Ohio and has three children. His daughter Samantha completed her BS work at Bowling Green State University in 2003. Emma-Marie has a few more years of work ahead of her.  His son James graduated from Dartmouth College in 2003, completed his Master’s work in Earth Sciences at Columbia University in 2006  and is living and working in Washington, D.C.