University of Missouri’s Marsha Richens Wins a Top Honor in the Field of Consumer Research

Marsha Richins, a professor of marketing who holds the Bailey K. Howard World Book Chair of Marketing at the Trulaske College of Business at the University of Missouri, was named a 2020 Association of Consumer Research Fellow. Prior to Professor Richins, only 30 people in the field of consumer research had been nominated since the organization was founded in 1980.

Professor Richens is past president of the Association for Consumer Research, a fellow of the Society for Consumer Psychology, and a past associate editor for the Journal of Consumer Research. Her research interests include the study of consumer values (especially materialism), the role products play in people’s lives, and the influence of advertising on self-perceptions and perceived quality of life.

In accepting the award, Dr. Richins stated that “consumption is an essential support system that allows us to live and thrive. Consumption allows us to reach some of our most cherished life goals: to stay alive and be healthy, to be safe and connected to others, and to help our children flourish. It can help us reach the heights of joy, celebrate important milestones, and communicate who we are or want to be.”

Professor Richens is a graduate of California State University. She holds a master’s degree, an MBA, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.