A closer look into the life and career of Dr. Charles Kroncke, a Department Chair and Professor in the School of Business at Mount St. Joseph University.
Dr. Charles Kroncke, Ph.D., is a faculty member at Mount St. Joseph University in the School of Business. He is the Department of Business Administration Chairperson and a Professor of Economics. He teaches several courses within the Financial Economics Major, the Business Administration Minor, and in the graduate business programs of MSOL and MBA. In addition to the many hats Dr. Charles Kroncke wears at the Mount, he is also Estonia’s Honorary Consul for Ohio and Kentucky.
Early Life & Career:
Charles was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. He has a B.S. in economics and obtained his Ph.D. in economics from Auburn University in Alabama. “I earned my Ph.D. in 1995, a few years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. I joined Civic Education Project, a volunteer organization of social scientists to teach social science in the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe based out of Yale University. Soviet economics was very different from market-based economics. I was assigned to the Public Administration Department of Tartu University in Estonia. I was elected as docent to the faculty of Tartu, at the time this was very rare for a foreign professor. I have kept my social and business connections to Estonia and return frequently,” says Dr. Charles Kroncke.
Mount St. Joseph University:
Charles started working at the Mount in 2003. “I came to Cincinnati, Ohio to work for Mount St. Joseph University. My initial phone interview went very well because two of the people on the phone were big fans of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and its Estonian Conductor, Paavo Jarvi. Luckily, I am somewhat knowledgeable about classical music. This got my foot in the door!” Charles is the Department of Business Administration Chairperson and a Professor of Economics within the School of Business at the Mount. He teaches all economics-related courses in the Financial Economics Major. “I love all the courses that I teach, particularly Intermediate Microeconomics. All the students in this course have had basic micro, so we can have high-level discussions of policy. International Business is also fun to teach because I have added a geography component to the class.”
Dr. Charles Kroncke is currently working with Dr. Jamal Rashed, a professor in the School of Business at the Mount, on developing research concerning labor force participation rates. Previous research by Charles has focused on wages and firm size in Estonia.
Charles believes that “Being part of the students' growing process is very rewarding. This does not end in the classroom. I try my best to maintain connections with my students after they leave MSJ. I am linked to many on LinkedIn. This helps me see their professional progress and allows me to be in touch.”
Estonia:
As previously mentioned, in 1995 Charles, “joined Civic Education Project, a volunteer organization of social scientists, to teach social science in the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe based out of Yale University.” A few years after the collapse of the Soviet Union he was assigned to the Public Administration Department of Tartu University in Estonia. “Originally, I was there to teach public finance, but I have taught a wide array of economics classes.” Charles reflected on his time teaching in Estonia, “In the 90s, student life in Estonia was more difficult than it is today. One of the classrooms I taught in was not heated and the students had to wear winter coats. Imagine taking public finance in your not native language in a freezing room. Today, that is no longer an issue.”
Charles also touched on Estonia’s economic recovery post-collapse of the Soviet Union, “As an economist, Estonia is particularly interesting because they quickly threw off the shackles of communism and became a prosperous nation. The people are very calm and even-handed and there are low levels of corruption.” Fast-forward to modern-day, “Estonia has fully recovered from its occupation by the Soviet Union. It is now a successful European economy. My previous students include a health minister, a foreign minister, a judge, an ambassador, members of parliament, and several other successful members of the Estonian community.”
Charles returned to Estonia in 2016 as a Fulbright Scholar. “The Fulbright Program, the United States government’s flagship program of international educational and cultural exchange, offers passionate and accomplished students and scholars in more than 160 countries the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to mutual understanding. These talented Fulbrighters from all backgrounds inspire, innovate, and contribute to finding solutions to challenges facing our communities and our world.” (Fulbright Scholar Program) “I returned to the Political Science Department of Tartu University as a Fulbright Scholar in 2016. My area of instruction and research was international trade.”
Estonia’s Honorary Consul for Ohio and Kentucky:
Dr. Charles Kroncke was named Estonia’s Honorary Consul for Ohio and Kentucky. Charles interviewed for the position at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was approved by the U.S. State Department. He officially began his position of Honorary Consul in June of 2022, but ceremonially accepted office on February 8th, 2023. Mount St. Joseph University had the pleasure of hosting the Estonia Ambassador to the United States, Kristjan Prikk, at our campus to bestow Dr. Charles Kroncke as Estonia's Honorary Consul for Ohio and Kentucky. “It is a great honor to represent Estonia in the Cincinnati area,” expressed Dr. Charles Kroncke. As Estonia’s Honorary Consul for Ohio and Kentucky, Charles's duties include “providing passports and identification cards to Estonians living in the area; serving as the contact person for local businesses seeking partnerships and trade with Estonian companies, or that wish to expand into the Estonian market; and assisting in promoting Estonian cultural events.” (Mount St. Joseph University Professor Dr. Charles Kroncke Formally Bestowed as Estonia's Honorary Consul during Ceremony attended by Estonia Ambassador to the U.S.)
Family Life:
Charles Kroncke met his wife Kaie in Estonia at Tartu University after he accepted the Civic Education Project position after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Charles and Kaie have two daughters who they have raised in a bilingual household. Charles's family joined him in Estonia for his Fulbright Scholar work in 2016 at Tartu University, “this gave the girls a chance to reinforce their language skills.” Charles and his family spend most summers traveling to the Island of Saaremaa in the Baltic Sea to visit Kaie’s family. “My family and I visited her family on the Island of Saaremaa this summer. Very beautiful island with sandy beaches and a medieval castle. I plan to go back to Estonia next summer for a conference of Honorary Consuls in Tartu. Tartu was elected as the European Capital of Culture for 2024. There will be many musical and cultural events.”
"The Mount has been a great place for my career. They generously gave me the time to do a Fulbright. Many of the faculty members have outstanding international credentials and I am happy to be part of that. The Mount is a true member of the world community and offers a truly welcoming environment for people from all over the globe.” (Dr. Charles Kroncke.)
The School of Business at Mount St. Joseph University is moving FORWARD due to leaders like Dr. Charles Kroncke. His relationship with Estonia provides a unique perspective as he works with students to deepen their understanding of economics and international business. Thank you, Dr. Charles Kroncke, for your dedication to all of the people you serve as Department of Business Administration Chairperson, Professor of Economics, and Honorary Consul to Estonia!
