About Interim Dean Carmen Cotei
Carmen Cotei is a recognized scholar-teacher whose professional expertise spans corporate capital structures, startup survival and financing patterns, and entrepreneurial M&A exit decisions. As an academic leader, she has a strong record of accomplishment in critical areas including strategic planning, curriculum innovation, student success, and community engagement.
A first-generation college student, Cotei earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the Bucharest Academy of Economics Studies, Romania. She earned a PhD in financial economics from the University of New Orleans.
Cotei initially pursued a career in the financial services sector, holding various roles in a mutual fund and later a commercial bank before she became the finance director of a global telecommunication company. She joined the University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business as an assistant professor after completing her PhD in 2004. Since then, she served in a number of leadership roles, including program director for the actuarial science minor, department chair, associate dean for finance and administration, and AACSB coordinator. As associate dean, Cotei led efforts to revise the strategic plan, innovate the curriculum, and maintain currency on AACSB’s new standards. She also developed corporate partnerships to increase the number of experiential projects and internships available to students.
Cotei has received many awards from the Barney School of Business, including the Exemplary Faculty Award (2022), the Excellence in Service Award (2018 and 2010), and the Excellence in Teaching Award (2008 and 2015). In 2017, the Kauffman Foundation awarded her the best paper award for her work on mergers and acquisitions exit strategies for U.S. startup firms.
Provost Katherine Black notes “I am thrilled that Dr. Cotei accepted the interim dean appointment. Her exceptional knowledge and experience as well as her strong leadership skills will serve the Barney School of Business and the broader university extremely well. I look forward to our continued work together on behalf of Barney’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni.”