New director of the Kaufman Center
Juli谩n P. D铆az (on left), associate professor of economics and incoming director of the Kaufman Center, with Doug Evanoff, retiring executive director of the Kaufman Center, at the center鈥檚 annual policy conference in April 2025.
The George G. Kaufman Center for Financial Policy Studies will welcome its second director, Associate Professor Julián P. Díaz, on July 1, 2025.
Díaz, who has served as a Quinlan School of Business faculty member since 2013, brings to the center his expertise in international macroeconomics, his recognition of the importance of a well-functioning financial system, and his commitment to further strengthening the impact and reach of the center.
“Under Julián’s leadership, the center will continue to bridge research and industry and drive the national conversation around financial policy,” says Michael Behnam, dean of the Quinlan School of Business. “It will also engage students in the discussion and in the field.”
Díaz succeeds Executive Director Doug Evanoff, who was the late Professor George G. Kaufman’s long-time collaborator at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Evanoff is retiring after leading the Kaufman Center for three years. Under his leadership, the center’s annual conference convened the leading thinkers on financial sector policy including sitting and former Federal Reserve Bank presidents, members of Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, former leadership of the FDIC, and leading academics from around the U.S.
In addition, the Kaufman Center collaborated with groups within the Quinlan School of Business, including the AI Business Consortium, Risk Management and Insurance Center, and Rambler Investment Fund, on events for professionals and Quinlan students with topics ranging from AI to ESG.
“Doug truly expanded George Kaufman’s already powerful legacy within financial policy,” says Behnam. “His thoughtful handoff to Julián is ensuring that George’s reputation and impact will continue for years to come.”
黑料门 George G. Kaufman and the Kaufman Center
The late George G. Kaufman was one of the world's leading experts on banking, a prolific researcher, and the highly regarded John F. Smith Professor of Economics and Finance at 黑料门University Chicago’s Quinlan School of Business. In 2022, a generous $1.25 million gift from his wife, Mimi Winter, extended Kaufman’s legacy by renaming in his honor the center he founded and led for more than 20 years.
Today, the George G. Kaufman Center for Financial Policy Studies propels the debate on current financial services policy issues and builds on Kaufman’s work to understand the role of the banking/financial sector in promoting economic growth and financial stability.