Kansas State University professor Derek R. Lawson has been appointed academic editor of the Journal of Financial Planning, the Financial Planning Association announced.
He will serve a two-year term that begins immediately. Lawson succeeds Inga Timmerman, who served in the volunteer position for two years. The monthly publication has been in existence for 45 years.
"Derek has been a valued member of the association and the financial planning and academic communities where he has helped shape today’s students who will be the financial planners of tomorrow," Patrick D. Mahoney, FPA CEO, said in a statement. “He has personally contributed to the Journal’s outstanding thought leadership over the years through writing and research. I know his background and passion for research and teaching will further position the Journal as an indispensable resource for financial planning practitioners."
Lawson is an assistant professor and undergraduate program director for the Department of Personal Financial Planning at Kansas State University. He is also a partner and chief compliance officer at Priority Financial Partners in Durango, Colo.
Lawson is an academic researcher whose work focuses on behavioral finance for younger investors. His work has been published in the Journal of Financial Planning, Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, Financial Services Review, Journal of Financial Therapy, among others. One of his research pieces, "Integrating Behavioral Finance, Financial Psychology, and Financial Therapy Theory and Techniques into the Financial Planning Process," was recognized by the Journal of Financial Planning with the 2018 Montgomery-Warschauer Award.
“The Journal of Financial Planning has been pivotal in my endeavor to bridge the gap between research and practice, a primary reason for leaving practice full-time and pursuing a research degree and academic position,” Lawson said in a statement. “Now, I look forward to being on this end of the spectrum, helping the Journal to review and evaluate the articles that will continue to bridge this gap to push our profession forward.”
Lawson has previously served as secretary for FPA NexGen, director of NexGen for FPA of Greater Kansas City, and treasurer of the Financial Therapy Association, among other volunteer roles.