Enthusiastic, inspirational, and adaptable are how students have described College of Business economics faculty member William "Bill" Breffle, who retired at the end of Michigan Tech's spring 2024 semester.
In 2020-21, Breffle was named the COB's Teacher of the Year. The annual honor is especially meaningful because it's determined by a vote of the College's student body. He was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society in 2018. And in 2015, he was a finalist for the campuswide Distinguished Teaching Award and inducted into the Michigan Tech Academy of Teaching Excellence.
A beloved professor, Breffle maintained an average rating of 4.6 on student evaluations. One student noted, "I have had Dr. Breffle for many courses. He cares about students, cares about the curriculum, and offers exquisite insight. The way he relates coursework to current events and trends is fantastic. He's the best professor I have had at Michigan Tech."
Breffle earned "awesome" ratings and was praised for his amazing lectures and accessibility outside class, among other positive attributes. His overall quality rating on the site is 4.9 on a scale of five. One student said, "The class material can be tough at times, but Professor Breffle is passionate about making sure students not only understand the material but understand its practical applications as well."
Breffle, who joined Michigan Tech in 2007, said his successful work with students is one of his favorite memories, along with the fulfilling accomplishment of amassing more than 1,700 academic citations during his research career.
Breffle, an applied microeconomist specializing in environmental economics, published dozens of technical reports and peer-reviewed articles in top journals, as well as numerous books and book chapters. His research focused on the Great Lakes and the broad ecosystems that shape the industries, recreation, and culture of the people who live near them. Breffle's work aided in the development of policy management tools that sustain and protect the environmental and recreational services provided by these critical resources. He frequently involved students in his research activities.
Breffle's contributions to the COB and the field of economics were noted by Dean Johnson, dean of the College. "Bill consistently provided excellence in the classroom and in the scientific community," said Johnson. "He will be missed. We wish him the best in his retirement."
Breffle was officially named a professor emeritus by proclamation of Michigan Tech's Board of Trustees in May.
Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
