Damion McIntosh, a finance professor of practice in the Harbert College of Business, has been named to Poets&Quants’ 50 Best Undergraduate Business Professors list for 2024. He was chosen by the media outlet from more than 1,000 nominations worldwide.

McIntosh is known for applying real-world examples from his banking regulation and supervision career to illustrate complex concepts in the classroom. That experience includes 13 years as a bank regulator and examiner with the Central Bank of Jamaica, and nearly 10 years as an advisor to the International Monetary Fund and consultant to several regulatory authorities worldwide.

"The heart of Harbert College’s exceptional student experience is our world-class faculty, who bring a unique blend of academic rigor and professional expertise to the classroom,” said Harbert Dean and Wells Fargo Professor Jennifer Mueller-Phillips. “Dr. McIntosh epitomizes this example—he is a master educator who earns the deepest respect and admiration of his students and colleagues. I am truly delighted to see him receive this well-deserved and prestigious recognition."

In all, McIntosh has taught six undergraduate courses and four MBA and two executive master’s degree courses since joining the Auburn faculty in 2012.

A professor’s influence

One of the most fulfilling aspects of teaching, McIntosh said, is when former students contact him and share how they’re using the knowledge they gained from his courses in their careers.

“[Being selected] as one of the 50 best undergraduate business professors reflects these students’ aggregate assessment that I have had a profound impact on their learning experiences here at Auburn, [which] they continue to value,” McIntosh said.

Jack Rafferty (finance ’24), who is currently a first-year student at New York Law School, took a financial regulation and supervision course with McIntosh.

“The relationship he builds with students is like no other,” said Rafferty. “He does everything in his power to let his students succeed, whether it be helping them find jobs post-graduation, creating opportunities that were not there prior to meeting him, and of course providing his expertise.”

Maggie Elliott (international business ’19), investor relations assistant VP with Regions Bank, took two courses with McIntosh.

“Damion would challenge us to stay informed about the markets, read articles, and connect his class to everyday life, and he taught us real-life applications of finance to prepare us for our next endeavors,” Elliott said. “He inspired me to start my career in finance, particularly in the banking sector.”

Beyond the classroom

In addition to teaching, McIntosh is a faculty advisor for the Auburn Finance Society student organization, where he engages with a broader population of undergraduates—business as well as non-business majors from across campus.

“[The Finance Society] is a tremendous opportunity to educate and engage students about financial institutions,” said McIntosh, who tapped his vast professional network to facilitate a daylong visit for students to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and invited banking executives to speak on campus about recent bank failures and federal policy proposals. 

A passionate advocate for financial literacy, McIntosh teamed up with accounting Professor Kerry Inger to help Auburn student-athletes navigate name, image and likeness (NIL) issues through an app-based seminar and in-person presentations for freshman and transfer football and basketball players.

As a researcher, McIntosh is exploring the efficacy of anti-money laundering fines and penalties on financial institutions.

“My findings are showing that depositors rarely shift their deposit behavior in the presence of anti-money laundering enforcements against their financial institutions,” he said, suggesting that penalties against the institutions do not affect customer deposit decisions.

In addition to the Poets&Quants recognition, McIntosh has received other instructional awards, including the Auburn Alumni Undergraduate Teaching Excellence award, Harbert College’s Lowder and McCartney Teaching awards, and the National Association of State Board of Accountancy (NASBA) Center for the Public Trust (CPT) Campus Being A Difference award. He has an MBA and doctorate from Southern Illinois University.

###

Learn more about Damion McIntosh and the Poets&Quants recognition.