Rate My Professor Michael Patrono

Michael Patrono is a Senior Lecturer of Economics & Finance in the Department of Economics, Finance, and Quantitative Analysis within Kennesaw State University's Coles College of Business. He holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Economics from Florida State University, with the M.S. earned in 1989, and is All But Dissertation (ABD) toward a Ph.D. in Economics from the same institution. Before pursuing academia full-time, Patrono served as a portfolio analyst in the Investments Department at Trust Company Bank, now part of Truist Bank. Throughout his over 30-year career in higher education, he has taught economics and finance at Kennesaw State University since 2008, Berry College, Darton College, Northwest Florida College, and Mercer University.

Patrono specializes in comparative economic systems and the ethics of economic systems. His scholarly output includes peer-reviewed articles such as "Perceptions of Undergraduate Students of Student-Regulated Online Courses" in the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration (Fall 2018, co-authored with Victor Wakeling, Murat Doral, and Patricia R. Robertson), "Chaebol and Korea's Industrial Finance" (2011, with Murat Doral), "US Energy Revolution: Effects on Global Oil Prices" (2015), "Community, Polity, and Economy: The Importance of Scale" (2000), "On the economics of tree farming and carbon storage" (1994), and "ARE NONPROFITS NATURAL? OR IS IT BETTER TO FEEL GOOD THAN TO DO GOOD?" (1994). He co-authored the textbook Contemporary Economic Issues with Timothy Mathews, now in its third edition and used in Kennesaw State University courses. Patrono has written numerous commentaries for the Bagwell Center for the Study of Markets and Economic Opportunity on topics including profit maximization versus social responsibility, the economics of retirement, minimum wage, wage gaps, labor market discrimination, and Romania's economic transition. He was awarded Professor of the Year by the Georgia Association of Economics and Finance, serving as its President from 2013 to 2014. He participates as a Faculty Fellow in the Financial Literacy Improvement Project and engages in outreach via podcasts and symposia.