Faculty

Professor Straughan joined the W&L faculty in July 2000. Prior to coming to W&L, he taught for five years at Baylor University and for three years at the University of Houston. His professional experience involved sales and small business consulting in the Refining and Marketing Division of Shell Oil Company. While with Shell, Rob worked in both Chicago and Detroit.

His primary research interests are in the areas of cross-cultural retailing and consumer response, corporate social responsibility/sustainability, and advances in marketing/business education. His research has won awards and commendations from the American Marketing Association, the Association of Collegiate Marketing Educators, and MCB University Press. His work has appeared in the Journal of Marketing Management, International Marketing Review, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Journal of Marketing Education, Marketing Education Review, and Journal of Applied Social Psychology, among others.

Professor Straughan teaches Marketing Management and Cross-Cultural Issues in Marketing. He is currently developing a new course on International Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability.  In addition, he serves as the co-advisor for Washington and Lee Student Consulting, assisting students on projects for local, national, and international clients.

Rob and his wife, Leslie, have two sons. Leslie currently serves as a member of the Lexington City School Board, having served previously as the president of the school board.  Prior to her tenure on the school board, she served for several years as president of the Rockbridge Area Habitat for Humanity board.  Rob remains active in the community as well, serving on the board of directors for Lexington Lacrosse, the local youth lacrosse program.