Gene C. Lai
Safeco Distinguished Professor of Insurance
Department of Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate
Washington State University
P.O. Box 644746
Pullman, WA 99164-4746
Tel (509) 335 7197
Fax (509) 335-3857
E-Mail: genelai@wsu.edu

Gene C. Lai is the SAFECO Distinguished Professor of Insurance and Chairperson of the Department of Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate at Washington State University. He is a graduate of National Chengchi University in Taiwan where he majored in economics. Professor Lai received his master’s degree in decision science from Georgia State University in 1981 and his doctorate degree in risk management & insurance and finance from the University of Texas at Austin in 1987. He taught at the University of Rhode Island (URI) from 1987 to 2000. Professor Lai was Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs, and Executive Director of the Sandra Ann Morsilli Pacific-Basin Capital Markets Research Center at URI. He also served as the Chairperson of the Department of Finance and Insurance at URI. He has been a visiting professor at Peking University in China, National Taiwan University, Fang Chia University in Taiwan and National Economic University in Vietnam.

Among his teaching awards, Dr. Lai was recipient of the Teaching Excellence Award from Beta Gamma Sigma, which is a National Honor Society in Business and Management. He has also received Teaching Innovation Award from College of Business and Economics at WSU. His publications have appeared in The Journal of Risk and Insurance (7), Journal of Banking and Finance, the Journal of Insurance Issues, Southern Economic Journal, among others. Dr. Lai has won numerous “best paper” awards including The Outstanding Paper Award by the International Insurance Society, The Journal of Insurance Regulation inaugural best paper award, and The Best Paper Award from The Casualty Actuarial Society.

Professor Lai serves as a co-editor for the Journal of Insurance Issues and an associate editor for many journals. He is a board member of the American Risk and Insurance Association and past president of the Western Risk and Insurance Association and was a board member of the Asia-Pacific Risk and Insurance Association. He was a member of Governor’s Insurance Council in the State of Rhode Island, and was a board Member of Rhode Island Automobile Insurance Service Plan. He organized The University of Rhode Island 1998 and 1999 Financial Services Symposiums.