Derek Horstmeyer

George Mason University Costello College of Business Faculty Derek Horstmeyer

Instructional Professor, Finance
Additional Roles: Co-Founder & Director of the GMU Student Managed Investment Fund, Director of Financial Planning & Wealth Management Concentration

Contact Information

Email: dhorstme@gmu.edu
Phone: (703) 993-9761
Office Location: Enterprise Hall, Room 333
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.; and by appointment

Personal Websites

DerekHorstmeyer.com

Biography

Derek Horstmeyer is an Instructional Professor of Finance for the Costello College of Business, whose research focuses on boards/directors, ETF & mutual fund performance, and hedge fund activism. He writes a monthly column for the Wall Street Journal and has published in the Quarterly Journal of Finance, Managerial Finance, and other mainstream business publications. His work has been cited in Forbes, Bloomberg, CNBC, the PBS Newshour, Fox Business, NY Post, the Washington Post, LA Times, and other news outlets.  He also co-founded and currently leads the first student-managed investment fund at GMU, and currently serves as director of the new Financial Planning & Wealth Management degree at Mason. 

Research Interests

  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Executive Compensation
  • Corporate Governance
  • Board of Directors
  • Hedge Fund Activism
  • Mutual Fund and ETF Performance

Education

  • PhD - Finance & Business Economics, University of Southern California
  • MS - Financial Mathematics,  Stanford University
  • BS - Mathematics with Specialization in Economics, University of Chicago

Research and Awards

  • Dean’s Award for Outstanding Professor in Finance 2020
  • Presented at Portfolio Summits Institutional Convention, “Combating COVID-19’s Effects on Institutional Assets” 2020
  • Presented at the DCMV Private Equity Summit 2019, "Macro Economic Projections and Fed Policy"
  • Presented at the Board of Directors Meeting for Plan Sponsor Council of America, "Behavioral Finance & Investment Transparency"
  • Recieved OSCAR Mentoring Excellence Award from George Mason University in 2019.
  • Named Dean's Faculty Fellow, 2019
  • Presented at DCMV Private Equity Summit, "The Career Consequences of Being a Dissident Director," 2018
  • Presented at the Financial Management Association Annual Meeting, "The Career Consequences of Being a Dissident Director," 2018
  • Presented at the Southern Finance Association Annual Meeting, "The Career Consequences of Being a Dissident Director," 2018
  • Presented at The Federal Reserve - Washington DC, "The Career Consequences of Being a Dissident Director," 2017
  • Presented at the International Conference on Economics, Finance and Management, "The Career Consequences of Being a Dissident Director," 2017
  • Presented at American University, "The Career Consequences of Being a Dissident Director," 2017
  • Presented at European Accounting Association, "When Do Governance Mechanisms Matter Most?," 2016
  • Received a Summer Research Award from George Mason University School of Business.
  • Received a Teaching Award from George Mason University School of Business in 2015.
  • Received a University Service Award from George Mason University in 2015.
  • Recipient of GMU Summer Research Grant Award (one of six each 10K), 2015
  • Dean's Award for Outstanding Professor in Finance, 2015
  • Dean's Award for Outstanding Teaching in Finance, 2014

Media Clippings

Working Papers

  • The Career Consequences of Being a Dissident Director, 2018 (R&R at JFQA)
  • Beyond Independence: CEO Influence and the Internal Operations of the Board, 2018 (forthcoming at Quarterly Journal of Finance)
  • A Dissident in our Midst, 2018