Insurance & Financial Services Center (IFSC)


Contact: Dr. Tim Query

The IFSC is dedicated to supporting students, faculty, and industry in the pursuit of knowledge relating to insurance and facilitates interaction between students and industry primarily through scholarships and internship programs. The Center also promotes research on issues relevant to the insurance industry in the mountain states region. The New Mexico insurance industry has been particularly supportive of our Insurance Studies program.

Support from the IFSC allowed our college to secure a premier insurance faculty with outstanding records in academia and industry. Our faculty are committed to making the Insurance Studies program the finest of its type in the Southwest.

Industry Support. A debt of gratitude is owed to Dr. Edward Lujan, the leading proponent for establishing the IFSC as well as the Mountain States Insurance Endowed Chair for Insurance Studies. Dr. Lujan’s vision and steadfast support helped make the Insurance Studies program and the IFSC a reality. His leadership is a major force in the success of the Center. In 2009, he was honored with NMSU’s Branding Iron award as well as an Honorary Doctorate.

Major donors have included:

 


Tim Query holds a PhD from the University of Georgia in Risk Management and Insurance and joined the faculty at NMSU in 2006. He also has an Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation and a CPA certificate, and was a securities broker for 10 years. He is the Chairholder of the Mountain States Insurance Group Endowed Chair for the Study of Insurance and Financial Services.

He teaches a variety of insurance classes including employee benefits, life and health insurance, and property and liability insurance. He is active in the Risk and Insurance Management Society, Southern Risk and Insurance Association, and the Western Risk and Insurance Association. He is also an assistant editor of the CPCU Journal and an associate editor of the Journal of Risk Education. He serves on the Board of Governors for the Asia-Pacific Risk and Insurance Association.

As the MSIG chairholder he engages in research on insurance issues with emphasis on those that affect the Rocky Mountain west.

Publications. Uninsured Motorists in New Mexico: A study commissioned by the NM Insurance Division to investigate uninsured motorists percentage in the state. A secondary purpose of this study was to discuss factors influencing the uninsured motorist portion of the automobile insurance policy. Tim Query was the Primary Investigator.

 

 

 

 

 

Industry Advisory Council

The IFSC is fortunate to have a group of leading professionals with a wide range of insurance experience. They provide ongoing interaction with the insurance industry to ensure that our program produces graduates with the skills to be successful. Current Advisory Council Members include:

  • Matt Chavez, USI Insurance, Albuquerque
  • Kerry Hixon, Pat Campbell Insurance, Las Cruces
  • Julian Hippeli, Financial Network Investment Corporation, Albuquerque
  • Joe Lujan, Lujan Insurance, Albuquerque
  • C. Quinn Lopez, New Mexico Mutual, Albuquerque
  • Jeff Newland, Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico
  • Randy Perkins, Mountain States Insurance Group, Albuquerque
  • Nestor J. Romero, CPA, CFE, CIE, FLMI; Regulatory Consultants, Inc.; The Payroll Company, Inc.; Albuquerque
  • Kris Sweeney, State Farm Insurance, Albuquerque
  • Thom Turbett, Independent Agents of New Mexico, Albuquerque