William A. “Bill” Emerson and Merrill Lynch established this professorship in the Warrington College of Business. Emerson retired as senior vice president and national sales director after 40 years with the company. A 1946 graduate of University of Florida’s business college, Emerson is also a past president of the UF Foundation board of directors. He and his wife, Jane, left a legacy for UF by providing key funding for the remarkable Emerson Alumni Hall, completed in 2002. The Emersons have shown their dedication to UF for nearly 50 years.