June 10, 2003 (ATLANTA) James Tyler Leverty, a third-year doctoral student in the Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) department at the Robinson College of Business, has been awarded the State Farm Companies Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Award for his work on the measurement of property-liability insurer efficiency. The award specifically recognizes his excellent academic achievement at Robinson, as well as the quality of his dissertation proposal and its potential contributions to the insurance field. 

"Ty is outstanding and an excellent choice for this award," said RMI Department Chairman, Harold Skipper.

Leverty developed an academic interest in the economics of insurance markets while working as a consultant for various financial services companies in Nevada, including Worldwide Risk Management Inc. and Bell United and Western Insurance Companies. His award-winning dissertation focuses on providing clarity for property-liability insurers by objectively determining which efficiency approach is most economically meaningful for that segment of the insurance industry. 

"Researchers have found that measuring and testing firm efficiency can be extremely challenging," said Leverty. "The researcher's view of the operational objectives tends to influence the analysis." 
 
Leverty, who holds a B.A. degree in history and economics with distinction (cum laude) from the University of Washington in Seattle, hopes to complete his dissertation by the summer of 2004.

State Farm Companies Foundation reflects State Farm's "Good Neighbor" focus by funding efforts that build stronger communities and that enhance educational opportunities for the neighbors that live in these communities. Community support is provided in the form of scholarship programs, grants to colleges and universities, and annual contributions to the United Way. The Doctoral Dissertation Award is designed to stimulate research and development of new knowledge in the fields of insurance and business, and to increase the number of qualified teachers of insurance and business at U.S. colleges and universities. A maximum of three awards are given annually in each of those two categories.  Recipients are selected by an independent committee of educators and scholars, not associated with the State Farm Companies. As one of this year's award recipients, Leverty will receive a $10,000 research grant. The RMI Department will also receive a $3,000 grant.

The J. Mack Robinson College of Business is one of the nation's top business schools.  The College's Flex (part-time) MBA program has been listed in the top ten by U.S. News for the past eight  years and its undergraduate business program is ranked among the top 50 in the nation.  Business Week magazine ranked the College's Executive MBA program 20th  in the world and Forbes rated Robinson in the top 20 for return on investment for regional schools.  Success Magazine ranks the College's entrepreneurship program among the top 50 in the nation.  Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business has an enrollment of more than 8000 students and is located in downtown Atlanta.

For more information, contact:
Tammy Demel
Associate Director, Communications and External Affairs
J. Mack Robinson College of Business
Robinson College of Business
404/413-7078
404/702-9743 (cell)
tdemel@gsu.edu