Purdue HTM Welcomes Four New Faculty Members

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Author: Abby Lillpop

The White Lodging–J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) at Purdue University is proud to welcome four accomplished educators to its faculty this fall: Dr. Peihao Wang, Daniel Strunk, Dr. Shawn Bucher, and Dr. Larissa Adamiec. Together, they bring decades of professional expertise, scholarship, and passion for teaching that will strengthen Purdue HTM’s mission to shape the future of hospitality, tourism, financial planning, retail, and sales education.

Peihao Wang, assistant professor, joins Purdue with a PhD in business administration from Temple University and a master’s degree from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His research explores service innovation, AI, and digital platforms in hospitality, aiming to enhance well-being for customers, providers, and communities. This semester, he is teaching HTM 357: Disruption and Innovation in Hospitality & Tourism. Wang calls becoming a Boilermaker a “dream-come-true moment” and looks forward to collaborating across disciplines while inspiring students.

Daniel Strunk joins as clinical associate professor and managing director of the Center for Professional Selling. With over 50 years of experience in marketing, sales, category management, and education, Strunk spent more than two decades at DePaul University leading the Center for Sales Leadership, the largest program of its kind in the nation. He has authored books and articles on CRM and sales strategy and has been recognized with numerous professional honors. At Purdue, he is teaching sales and retail technology courses while guiding the Center for Professional Selling to expand industry partnerships and opportunities for students.

Shawn Bucher, clinical assistant professor, brings wide-ranging experience as an operator, owner, consultant, and educator in hospitality and foodservice, as well as over a decade in healthcare. A Certified Executive Chef and Certified Culinary Educator, he has authored The First Timer’s Cookbook and hosted the Business Chef podcast. This semester, he is teaching courses in financial accounting, food and beverage management, and service industry strategy. Bucher says he is eager to share his diverse professional background to prepare students for success in an ever-evolving industry. In addition to his years of industry experience, Bucher brings a PhD in hospitality management from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Larissa Adamiec, clinical associate professor, brings a strong background in finance, equity markets, and investment education. She has held roles at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, FactSet, and PEAK6, in addition to founding Stuart Investments. Adamiec earned her PhD in management science with a concentration in finance from Illinois Institute of Technology and a master’s in financial engineering from the Stuart Graduate School of Business. At Purdue, she is teaching consumer investments, retirement planning, and tax and estate planning, while continuing her research in behavioral finance and financial education. She is most excited about mentoring students and helping them discover career paths they love.

Dr. Ceridwyn King, White Lodging Services head and professor and associate dean for Indianapolis and strategic initiatives, said the new faculty reflect the school’s broad commitment to excellence across its four programs – financial counseling and planning, hospitality and tourism management, retail management, and selling and sales management. “Each of these educators brings invaluable expertise and a student-centered approach that will expand opportunities for our students and elevate Purdue HTM’s impact,” King said.