Professor Harris’ research focuses on corporate governance and mergers & acquisitions. He has studied boards of directors and how their composition affects major strategic decisions. His governance research particularly addresses the context of family business, along with studying the distinguishing governance characteristics of family business ownership and the various “non-equity” and “non-genetic” ways of defining family ownership.

Professor Harris teaches in the area of strategic management and strategic mergers & acquisitions. He was recognized as an All-University Teaching Award winner in 2020. Before joining the McIntire School, he taught for five years at the University of Notre Dame and was voted the 2001 Mendoza College of Business MBA Outstanding Professor of the Year. He also taught at Texas A&M University for three years. Professor Harris is a Certified Public Accountant in Illinois and Virginia. He was an Auditor in the Chicago office of Deloitte Haskins & Sells for three years and a Financial Reporting Manager for four years at MCI Telecommunications. He has served on multiple commercial bank and other boards. In addition to teaching, he runs a self-storage business in Tappahannock, VA.