R. Nicholas Gerlich, Ph.D.

Department Head, Professor of Marketing & Gene Edwards Professor of Banking

Office: Classroom Center, Room 212A
Email: ngerlich@wtamu.edu
Phone: 806-651-2492

Home Page: www.wtamu.edu/~ngerlich
Blog: nickgerlich.wordpress.com
Twitter: twitter.com/nickgerlich
View my page on Buff Business

Professional Profile

Dr. Gerlich came to WTAMU straight out of graduate school in 1989. He is now a professor of marketing, the Edwards Professor and as of 2008, also serves as the director of Continuous Improvement in the College of Business. Specifically, he is helping guide the College of Business in its quest to achieve AACSB accreditation, the highest possible recognition of business schools. His related tasks include both internal and external marketing of programs to current and prospective students.

Teaching and Related Service

A pioneer in WTAMU's online program, Dr. Gerlich has been teaching online since 1997, and has over 40 distinct online teaching experiences under his belt. He continues to innovate and tweak his classes, adding audio and video podcasts. While Gerlich enjoys classroom teaching, he has found that online teaching is perfectly suited to both his personality and technical skills.

Research and Creative Activity

Dr. Gerlich has researched and published numerous articles exploring faculty and student involvement with and evaluation of online teaching, as well as the recent phenomenon of illegal file sharing and its impacts on the music industry. His current projects include exploring consumer shopping orientation and their locus of control, as well as risk aversion and its effect on personal use of e-commerce.

Personal Sketch

Dr. Gerlich is an avid bicyclist, having raced cross-country on a tandem bike with his wife in 1993, as well as individually in countless ultra-marathon races around the nation. He is a bicycle commuter and worked with the City of Amarillo in designing their bike lane system. As a board member of Bike Texas, Gerlich helps ensure public awareness of cycling in the state. He and his wife, Becky, are the proud parents of two girls (Becca and Bailee) they adopted from China.