Whitman School Professor Peter Koveos Remembered
Peter Koveos, professor of finance and Kiebach Chair in International Business at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, passed away on Dec. 20, 2024. He was 78.
Koveos was born in Athens, Greece. At the age of 17, he moved to the United States to attend American International College in Springfield, Mass. This is where he met his wife, Jean. He was drafted into the U.S. Army while still in college. Koveos continued his education in economics at Pennsylvania State University where he achieved both his master’s degree and Ph.D. He went on to teach at Penn State and the University of Rhode Island before joining the faculty at Syracuse University in 1982.
Koveos was a dedicated professor and scholar who taught at the Whitman School at Syracuse University for 42 years. During that time, he served as a professor of finance and chair of the finance department on multiple occasions. He was the Kiebach Chair in International Business Studies and director of the Kiebach Center for International Business. He previously served as interim dean, associate dean for master’s programs and senior director for international programs, among other service roles to the Whitman School and Syracuse University.
Koveos led many of the early internationalization efforts of Whitman, including expanding Whitman’s work in Russia and China in the 1990s. Among the many accolades he received throughout his career was the White Yulan Prize from the City of Shanghai, similar to receiving the keys to the city and the highest award given to foreign experts by the municipality. He also received an honorary doctorate from American International College. Koveos was the editor of the Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship and associate editor of Finance Review.
Koveos had a strong work ethic and was a proud mentor to the thousands of students who joined his classroom. He thought very highly of his colleagues and strongly believed that it took a village to be successful. Koveos taught a range of courses in finance, international business and global entrepreneurship. He was interested in exploring international financial market behavior, especially as it pertains to economic systems in transition. His most recent work was on the theory and practice of financial system reform. Much of his research was focused on Asia in general, with a particular emphasis on China. His research has been published in the Journal of Monetary Economics, Journal of International Business Studies and other scholarly journals.
Koveos also worked closely with small businesses conducting business internationally and served on the board of the Central New York International Business Alliance and the Africa Business and Entrepreneurship Research Society. In addition to his academic activities, he was the co-founder of ExportNY and served as executive director of the program since 1998. In the 20-plus years of the ExportNY Program, over 100 Central New York businesses have developed international business plans and initiated or expanded their global footprint.
According to the Koveos family, “He was a humble man, who was full of kindness and integrity. Peter was always there with his love, knowledge and thoughtful advice. His wonderful sense of humor always brought smiles and laughter to everyone. Peter adored spending quality time with his family. He was a devoted husband, father and grampy, a.k.a. ‘geeky.’ He was a proud fan of the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Boston Red Sox and enjoyed spending summers with his wife back home in Greece.”
His family finds comfort in knowing that Koveos’ legacy “lives on through the lessons he taught us, the scholars he mentored, the love he shared, the happiness he encouraged and the memories we will cherish forever.”
Koveos’ more than 40 years of service at Syracuse University will be fondly remembered by his colleagues and friends.
“Peter was in the office a week ago finishing his school duties. His sense of duty to students and colleagues kept him going all the way to the end. What a big loss to Whitman and the world. I can’t recall him ever saying anything negative even is the midst of confronting rather controversial matters. He always saw the positive in people—a trait for all of us to emulate. Lastly, Peter’s long personal struggle with health issues is just inspirational. He never complained or let it slow him down,” says Associate Dean for Research and Ph.D. Programs Michel Benaroch.
“I first met Peter 16 years ago: he came in to interview me for a junior faculty position shortly after his bone marrow transplant. Such was his dedication to Whitman. He served as finance department chair for so many years we all lost count, and although he stepped down from that role long ago, he very much remained our leader, and I regularly turned to him for advice. He was a calming and thoughtful voice in all matters. I will miss his kindness and sense of humor,” says Chair of the Finance Department, David Weinbaum.
Interim Dean Alex McKelvie says, “While there are many ways we could highlight Peter’s contributions, it is safe to say that he has had a profound impact on the Whitman School and our students’ success. Peter’s positive spirit, supportive approach and willingness to help out had a personal impact on many at Whitman. Simply, he was one of the good ones who truly cared. He will be deeply missed.”
Koveos is survived by his wife of 55 years, Jean Koveos (Broadbent), daughter Kristina (Michael) Jordan, sons Eugene Koveos (Sera Brown) and Alexander (Lindsey) Koveos, grandsons Nicholas "Cole" and Christian Jordan, as well as many extended family members, friends and colleagues who will miss him dearly.
The Whitman School will honor Professor Koveos and his legacy across decades in the near future.