Joseph F. Freeman Distinguished Professor of Insurance

• B.S., Delta State University
• M.B.A., University of Mississippi
• Ph.D., Louisiana Tech University

Dr. David D. Wood, CPCU. is the Joseph F. Freeman Distinguished Professor of Insurance in the Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University. He joined the Appalachian faculty in 1985 and served as Director of the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center for eleven years prior to his appointment as Freeman Professor.

As center director, Dave helped secure private contributions to endow the center's programs and activities. He has helped develop the curriculum for the undergraduate risk and insurance major and interacts closely with industry. Dave also developed and directs the Insurance Executive Program, which is a management development program for agents.

Dave has received several awards from the university, including the business college's Outstanding Service Award in 1996 and outstanding teaching awards from Appalachian's Alumni Association and the UNC Board of Governors in 1995. He has also received education awards from the N.C. Surplus Lines Association, the Independent Insurance Agents' Association of North Carolina, and an outstanding service award from the N.C. Commissioner of Insurance.

Dave worked as an independent agent prior to his career in education. He earned the CPCU designation in 1994 and previously served as education consultant for the CIC program in North Carolina. His research has been published in the CPCU Journal, Journal of Management, Journal of Insurance Issues and Practices, Journal of Reinsurance, and the Journal of Economics and Finance. He has also written numerous articles for trade publications. Dave has served as a consultant to industry, an expert witness in cases involving insurance contract interpretation and agents' standard of care, and conducts insurance agency valuations.