James C. Brau

James C. “Jim” Brau is a professor of finance at the BYU Marriott School of Business.  

Brau received his undergraduate at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1991. After graduating, he served three years as an Airborne Ranger infantry officer in the US Army and five years in the Army National Guard and Army Reserves. During his time in the reserves, Brau completed his doctorate in business administration and finance with a support area in econometrics from Florida State University. In 1999, Brau became a faculty member for BYU Mariott and soon after, was honorably discharged from his position as army captain. In 2022, Jim was recommissioned into the Utah Army National Guard and serves in the rank of captain. 

Brau has researched and written 130 academic publications, 69 peer-reviewed articles, and coauthored 9 textbooks. He has also taught several finance courses at BYU, recruited and mentored 29 students in doctoral programs, and coauthored 26 peer-reviewed articles. Since 2009, Brau has served as editor-in-chief for the Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance and has been on the editorial review board for the Journal of Business Venturing since 2010. He has also served on the editorial review boards of Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice and Financial Decisions. 

Brau has received numerous awards, including from the United States Military Academy at West Point, Florida State University, and Brigham Young University. Brau married Michelle West in 1991 in the Jordan Utah Temple. They are the parents of four children, two of whom are married, and they have one grandchild.