William Volz named Distinguished Service Professor

Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson and Provost and Senior Vice President for Faculty Affairs Keith E. Whitfield have appointed William Volz, professor of business law and ethics in the Mike Ilitch School of Business, to the rank of Distinguished Service Professor.

A member of the Wayne State faculty since 1978, Volz earned his bachelor’s degree in economics with high honors from Michigan State University in 1968. After a stint with the army during the Vietnam War, Volz went on to earn an M.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, as well as a law degree from Wayne State.

Volz has written widely on trial procedure, business ethics, international business, commercial law and taxation. His writings on punitive damages have been quoted by the United States Supreme Court. His work in international business and commercial law has been cited in over 50 academic and professional publications, and Volz has twice been the recipient of the Cohn Prize for Legal Scholarship. He served as dean of Wayne State’s business school from 1985 to 1995. Volz received the 2018 Inspirational Teacher of the Year Award from the Mike Ilitch School of Business. 

The Distinguished Service Professor title was established to designate senior members of the university faculty who have made extraordinary contributions to the university outside of their own discipline or who, by unusual service outside of the university, have brought great honor recognition to this institution. Service is an important part of each faculty’s responsibilities and often includes service to the university community within and beyond the disciplinary bounds of a faculty member’s tenure home and may include significant service to the broader community.

The award will be presented to Volz and other recipients at a special ceremony in fall 2019.

View all news stories