Prior, he held academic positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Georgia and the University of North Carolina – Charlotte. He was also a visiting professor at Audencia Nantes School of Management in France. Dr. Halek earned a Ph.D. (Insurance and Risk Management) from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, an M.S. (Actuarial Science) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a B.A. (Mathematics) from Whitman College. Prior to his academic career, he worked as an actuarial consultant in Seattle, Washington.