Two longtime Binghamton University School of Management faculty make list of ‘Best Business Professors’

Two longtime Binghamton University School of Management faculty members were named among the best business professors in the nation.

Subimal Chatterjee, SUNY distinguished teaching professor of marketing, and Sara Reiter, professor of accounting, were both included on the Poets & Quants list of the “Top 50 Undergraduate Business Professors Of 2022.”

Honorees are selected from nominations received from students, alumni and colleagues. According to Poets & Quants, an online publication for business education news, over 500 nominations were submitted for this year’s list. Nominees are evaluated on research and teaching accolades.

Of the 39 schools represented, SOM was one of only 11 schools to have multiple faculty members featured on the list. This is the third consecutive year SOM has been represented on the list. Surinder Kahai was featured in 2020, while Saeideh Mirghorbani and Srikanth Parameswaran were featured in 2021.

Since arriving at Binghamton in 1997, Chatterjee has been a favorite among students, who regard him as a practical, relatable and inspiring instructor. His research interests include consumer behavior and managing customer satisfaction/brand loyalty, and his work has appeared in impactful marketing journals and major media outlets.

Chatterjee is the first and only faculty member from the School of Management to earn a SUNY distinguished teaching professorship. The honor, SUNY’s highest academic rank for teaching, is awarded to faculty who possess “outstanding teaching competence” that has been “consistently demonstrated over multiple years at the institution.”

“I treat my students as individuals and try to find the individual sweet spots,” said Chatterjee in an interview conducted for the Poets & Quants list. “What excites one student is quite different from what excites another, and it is important to understand these differences, and try to accommodate them in setting questions and choosing topics to teach.”

Chatterjee also explained what he enjoyed most about teaching business students.

“The little slices of life that they bring to the classroom, what they like, where they see hope and where they despair,” he said. “When you take the time to talk to them you can see, almost immediately, what they are thinking, and how you can improve by changing or adjusting the topics or the format of the class.”

Reiter came to Binghamton University in 1990, and was promoted to professor of accounting in 2004. She teaches cost/managerial and financial accounting courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her research interests have shifted over the years from a focus on bonds and pensions to concerns with ethics, professionalism and the environment.

Reiter’s service goes well beyond the School of Management, where she recently helped establish the school’s Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee. She has held leadership roles in the Binghamton University Faculty Senate, and serves as a representative on SUNY’s University Faculty Senate. In 2016, Reiter was awarded the SUNY Chancellor’s Award in recognition of her service.

When asked what she wished someone told her about teaching, Reiter replied with, “How it never seems to get old. No matter how many times you teach a class, it is still so interesting.”

Reiter said the opportunity to work with exceptional students is what makes her most grateful.

“I care about the students and I am passionate about accounting. What I enjoy most about teaching business students is getting them to think critically about these issues,” she said.

“Everyone at the School of Management is so proud of this accomplishment,” said Shelley Dionne, dean of the School of Management. “Subimal and Sara exemplify the best qualities of our school, and have long been role models not only to students and alumni, but to their colleagues as well. They never hesitate to go above and beyond to help SOM reach new heights, and I am so happy to see them be recognized among the best business professors out there.”