UC Names New College of Business Dean

David M. Szymanski has been named the dean of the University of Cincinnati College of Business effective Aug. 1, 2010, pending approval of the UC Board of Trustees.

“The appointment of Dr. Szymanski culminates an aggressive and successful national search that began six months ago,” says UC Sr. Vice President and Provost Anthony J. Perzigian of Szymanski, who comes to UC from Texas A&M University. “Both the search committee and the college’s Business Advisory Council saw in Dr. Szymanski the ideal blend of academic strengths and leadership qualities necessary to advance the mission and standing of the College of Business.”

"U.S. News & World Report" ranked UC’s College of Business full-time MBA program 71st and part-time MBA program 83rd. Bloomberg "BusinessWeek" ranked UC’s undergraduate business programs among the top 100 in the country for 2009.

Szymanski has held senior administrative and faculty positions at Texas A&M University since 1987. He was the J.C. Penney Chair of Retailing Studies and served as director of the Center for Retailing Studies at Texas A&M for six years. He also serves on the board of directors for OfficeMax Incorporated.

The search committee, chaired by Carlo Montemagno, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science, was impressed with Szymanski’s academic and professional background.

"The search committee is pleased that David Szymanski will be joining us," says Montemagno. "His selection was the result of an exacting search including seven sitting deans. David rose distinctly above the rest. I believe he has the vision and leadership to take the UC College of Business decisively to the next level."

Szymanski's work as director of the Center for Retailing Studies and board positions with multiple major corporations have shown his dedication to the business community and commitment to business education.

“As a graduate of the college and a former vice president of Business Affairs at UC, I couldn’t be more pleased with the university’s selection of Dr. Szymanski as its dean of the UC College of Business,” says Mike Ullman, chairman and CEO of J.C. Penney Corporation. “Dr. Szymanski’s time spent as the J.C. Penney Chair of Retailing Studies at Texas A&M University yielded impressive and thought-provoking research and demonstrated his commitment to engaging the business community for the betterment of the school. He will make a strong addition to the many renowned deans and academic leaders from the University of Cincinnati. The UC College of Business is fortunate to have Dr. Szymanski join their school.”

Szymanski earned his bachelor of arts in economics at the University of North Carolina-Asheville, his master of arts in economics at Vanderbilt University, and his master of business administration and PhD in marketing at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Along with his academic and corporate leadership experiences, Szymanski brings an impressive research portfolio. He has been published widely in leading marketing journals, including the “Journal of Academy of Marketing Science,” “Journal of Marketing,” “Journal of Marketing Research,” “Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management” and “Journal of Retailing.” His research productivity places him among the top published researchers in the field of marketing. He has received research awards from the American Marketing Association and the Academy of Marketing Science, and has received the Mu Kappa Tau award for the outstanding article published in the “Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management.”

Szymanski will be introduced to faculty, staff, students and alumni at a reception on June 22, 2010, following the UC Board of Trustees meeting.