YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Youngstown State University professor Dr. Tomi Ovaska was named the Paul J. Thomas Endowed Chair in Economics at the university.

The endowed faculty position was created in honor of Paul J. through a $1.5 million donation by his daughters in 2018. Thomas was vice president of Superior Industries and Easco Corp and served on several local boards, including WKBN TV.

Ovaska is a lieutenant in the Finnish Naval Reserve. He received his M.A. in political science from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, in 1997 and a Ph.D. in economics from West Virginia University in 2003.

Ovaska has been a professor at YSU since 2007, earning several Distinguished Professor Awards, and his research includes behavioral economics, comparative economic systems, entrepreneurship and life satisfaction.