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Dean Set to Take Helm at Kenan-Flagler

James W. Dean Jr., senior associate dean for academic affairs in the Kenan-Flagler Business School, has been recommended to the UNC trustees as the next dean of the school.

If approved, his appointment would take affect Aug. 1, succeeding Steve Jones ’74, who is stepping down at the end of a five-year term.

Dean, who also is professor of organizational behavior and strategy and Sarah Graham Kenan Distinguished Scholar, emerged from a competitive national search process.

In a memo on the appointment, Provost Bernadette Gray-Little wrote that Dean “has a compelling vision for how Kenan-Flagler can become even better in the future to benefit the people of North Carolina and beyond. He knows the school exceptionally well after more than a decade as a faculty member and administrator and has served with distinction in several key leadership positions.”

Leadership, organizational change, strategic decision making, international management and organizational performance improvement are the focus of Dean’s research, teaching and consulting.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from The Catholic University and his master’s and doctorate in organizational behavior from Carnegie Mellon University.

He has been in the school’s top academic position for one year. He served as associate dean of executive development from 2002 to 2007 and as associate dean of the MBA program from 1998 to 2002.

As associate dean for executive development, he increased the number and global reach of UNC’s nondegree programs, which are ranked among the world’s best. During his tenure, revenues for the programs increased nearly 60 percent.

As associate dean of the MBA program, Dean led an innovative redesign of the curriculum, created corporate advisory boards and developed a strong team of professionals to guide admissions, student services and career services.

He has participated in research, teaching and/or consulting projects with many companies and organizations, including ALCOA, Boeing, Corning, DuPont, ExxonMobil, GE, Honeywell and the Navy.


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