Russell James III, J.D., Ph.D., CFP® is a professor at Texas Tech University where he holds the CH Foundation chair in personal financial planning. He directs the on-campus and online graduate program in Charitable Financial Planning (planned giving). He also teaches graduate courses in behavioral finance. He holds a Ph.D. in consumer economics from the University of Missouri, where his dissertation was on charitable giving. He graduated, cum laude, from the University of Missouri School of Law. He was a member of the Missouri Law Review and received the United Missouri Bank Award for Most Outstanding Work in Gift and Estate Taxation and Planning.
Prior to his career as an academic researcher, Dr. James worked as the Director of Planned Giving for Central Christian College in Moberly, Missouri for 6 years and later served as president of the college for more than 5 years, where he had direct and supervisory responsibility for all fundraising. During his presidency, the college successfully completed two major capital campaigns, built several new debt-free buildings, and more than tripled enrollment.
Dr. James has published research in over 75 peer-reviewed scientific journal and law review articles. He has been quoted on charitable and financial issues in a variety of news sources including The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, ABC News, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, the Associated Press, Bloomberg News, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. His financial neuroimaging research was profiled in The Wall Street Journal’s Smart Money Magazine.
His other books include
Visual Planned Giving: An Introduction to the Law & Taxation of Charitable Gift Planning
Inside the Mind of the Bequest Donor: A Visual Presentation of the Neuroscience and Psychology of Effective Planned Giving Communication
For links to his videos, slide presentations, and papers, please connect on LinkedIn.