Introducing the Inaugural Trey and Nina Traviesa Endowed Chair in Finance

On Tuesday, March 24, the Busch School of Business celebrated the installation of Professor Nicholas Schmitz as the inaugural Trey and Nina Traviesa Endowed Chair in Finance. The ceremony marked a significant milestone for the school, underscoring its commitment to forming principled business leaders and advancing the integration of faith and finance.

Around the same time initial discussions for the creation of this chair occurred, Professor Schmitz was introduced to Andrew Abela, dean of the Busch School, by Father Aquinas Guilbeau, O.P., University chaplain and vice president of ministry and mission. Prior to joining Catholic University, Schmitz served in the United States Marine Corps, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, and studied at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. He later earned an MBA from Stanford University and returned to serve on the faculty at the Naval Academy before transitioning to a role at Goldman Sachs and, later, co-founding the hedge fund Verdad Advisors.

In his remarks, Dean Abela described Schmitz’s appointment as a “providential” fit for the role, “We needed someone who understands Wall Street, is deeply committed to the Catholic faith, and has the intellectual credibility of a professor. That combination is rare—but it is present in Nick.”

The Trey and Nina Traviesa Endowed Chair is the third endowed chair in the Busch School of Business. It was established through the generosity of Trey and Nina Traviesa, Leonard Leo (P’20, ’24) and the Marble Freedom Trust, Chris and Becky Lagan, and Tim Busch. Their collective investment reflects a shared commitment to forming ethical leaders in business and finance.

University President Peter Kilpatrick expressed gratitude to the benefactors and highlighted the broader significance of their gift. 

“As Catholic business and civic leaders, the Traviesas’ commitment to faith, family, and service guides their philanthropy.” President Kilpatrick added, “Through this endowed chair, they aim to inspire entrepreneurial generosity and strengthen the Busch School as a place where ethical leaders are formed and sought out.”

Trey Traviesa, who serves on both the Busch School Board of Visitors and the University’s Board of Trustees, spoke to the vision behind the chair and the need for virtuous leadership in finance. 

“Finance is good—it is a powerful bridge to many goods,” said Traviesa. “At the Busch School, the currency isn’t money, but souls. We are called to use our gifts to multiply those who will join our Father in heaven. This chair is part of that mission. We need God in every C-suite, every boardroom, every budget meeting, and every investment committee. Finance can be the means to bring Him there.”

The installation also highlighted the Busch School’s leadership in advancing Catholic principles in business practice. Dean Abela pointed to Professor Schmitz’s early impact in promoting the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) socially responsible investment guidelines.

“Within months of joining the faculty, Nick brought Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) Inc. and Glass Lewis to adopt the Busch School’s guidelines as an option for investors—and he is continuing to engage major corporations and advocate against corporate policies that are hostile to the Catholic faith,” stated Abela. 

As the inaugural chair holder, Schmitz described his role as “a sacred trust” and outlined his vision for forming students who combine intellectual rigor with moral purpose.

“My goal is to mentor students to become independent thinkers in finance—not parrots of consensus, but decision-makers with judgment and courage.” Schmitz continued, “If we graduate financiers who combine competence with character, their collective impact will far exceed anything I could accomplish alone.”

Through the establishment of the Traviesa Endowed Chair and the leadership of faculty like Professor Schmitz, the Busch School of Business continues to strengthen its role as a national leader in business education—forming graduates prepared for both professional success and lives of ethical leadership and service.

For more information about Professor Schmitz and his work, please visit this link.