New Faculty Members Bring Intriguing Expertise in Emerging Business Practices to the Whitman School

What do you know about the digital artwork market? What about ways that rural communities are supporting themselves by creating their own cooperatives? How about prescriptive analytics, sustainability or the complexities at the intersection of business and law? These are just some of the intriguing topics that five new faculty members are bringing to Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management this fall.  

“The Whitman School is fascinated by the new ideas, trends and research in emerging areas of business that our five newest faculty members are bringing to our students,” says Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. “We are fortunate to have secured such a talented group this fall semester to add to our already outstanding faculty at Whitman, and I’m excited to see how they collaborate and inspire our students to seek out new opportunities in a variety of cutting-edge and relevant business topics. As Whitman continues its upward trajectory as a leading business school, we are pleased to welcome individuals eager to share their expertise and continue to keep the Whitman School and its students a step ahead in a continuously changing business environment.”

Hyoju Jeong, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship

Jeong, who earned her Ph.D. in business administration with a focus on entrepreneurship and strategy from the University of Minnesota, researches mission-driven entrepreneurship and community innovation. Her work explores how underserved communities—such as rural regions without internet access—organize cooperatives to meet critical needs, as well as how government partnerships with large versus community banks impact small business lending. Previously a visiting professor at Tulane University, Jeong will also begin teaching entrepreneurship in spring 2026.

Furkan “Oz” Oztanriseven, Assistant Teaching Professor of Business Analytics

Oztanriseven, who holds a Ph.D. in industrial engineering from the University of Arkansas, brings more than a decade of teaching and research excellence, including directing the business analytics program at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y. His scholarship focuses on economic decision analysis, logistics modeling, disruption response, homeland security and sustainability. At Whitman, he is advancing coursework in prescriptive analytics, financial analytics and machine learning—fields increasingly essential in today’s business environment.

Ian Rennie L’09, Assistant Teaching Professor of Law and Public Policy

A graduate of Syracuse University College of Law, Rennie has practiced trial litigation for 15 years and serves as town justice in Dewitt, New York. His academic work emphasizes the intersection of law, ethics and management decision-making. He is also president of the Onondaga County Magistrate’s Association and a board member of the Onondaga County Assigned Counsel program, which provides representation to indigent clients. At Whitman, he teaches Introduction to the Legal System and Commercial Transaction Law, preparing students to navigate the ethical and regulatory complexities of business.

Anywhere Sikochi, Associate Professor of Accounting

Sikochi, who earned his Ph.D. in business administration from Penn State University, joins Whitman after a faculty appointment at Harvard Business School and a visiting role at Syracuse University in 2024. His research examines how access to capital influences community development, as well as the reliability and divergence of environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings. He is also engaged in developing a credit-rating framework for small and medium-sized enterprises in Nigeria. At Whitman, he teaches financial statement analysis at the upper-division and graduate levels.

Chi Zhang, Assistant Professor of Marketing

Zhang, who received his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, focuses on pricing strategy, product design and the creator economy. His current research investigates the digital artwork market, including how blockchain technologies and generative AI are transforming valuation and exchange. In 2024, he was recognized with the Best Dissertation Proposal (second place) at the Product Development & Management Association Doctoral Consortium. At Whitman, Zhang is teaching new product development.

For more information about Whitman faculty and programs, visit whitman.syracuse.edu.