New Dean Named for School of Business and Management
Robert H. Roller, Ph.D., accepted the post as dean of the School of Business and Management (SBM) effective early June 2015. The announcement follows a 16-month, nationwide search. “Dr. Roller shares Azusa Pacific’s entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. That drive fuels his vision for SBM to become the nation’s model Christian business school known for producing business leaders of faith, character, and competence,” said President Jon R. Wallace, DBA. “A consensus builder, strategic planner, and scholar, he seeks to extend our efforts to develop entrepreneurs, innovators, and business thinkers who see work as a sacred calling and are committed to ethical practice.”
As dean, Roller will lead 25 full-time faculty, 7 undergraduate majors, and 6 graduate programs serving more than 1,000 students. He will also partner with leaders in business communities, industry, and government locally and internationally, and collaborate with the Office of University Advancement to identify and obtain donor support for existing and new programs and initiatives.
“I am thrilled to join Azusa Pacific University’s School of Business and Management and work with a distinguished group of faculty members to enhance the quality and expand the influence of APU’s business programs,” said Roller. “The school is uniquely positioned to develop graduates who have a positive influence in business and to offer world-class programs.”
Roller’s nearly 30 years of experience in teaching and administration includes dean of the school of business and professor of management at LeTourneau University (2000–06) and Mount Vernon Nazarene University (2009–14). An accomplished accreditation expert, he has served all three U.S.-based business education accreditation associations—the AACSB, ACBSP, and IACBE—leading two institutions through the initial accreditation process. He also served as chief executive officer of the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) from 2006–09.
“Dr. Roller understands the ability of business to transform society by empowering people to meet real needs and serve each other,” said Mark Stanton, Ph.D., provost. “His record of strategic leadership, relevant scholarship, and demonstrated commitment to faith integration marry well with APU’s academic trajectory.”
Posted: April 6, 2015