Dear Rice community,
I am pleased to share that we’ve launched the search for the next dean of Rice Business, which includes the Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business.
Isaacson, Miller, one of the country’s premier executive search firms, will lead the recruitment for this pivotal role. To guide and advise the firm, I’ve named a committee representing a diverse cross-section of our university and business community. Luay Nakhleh, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing, and Kerry Back, the J. Howard Creekmore Professor of Finance and Professor of Economics, will co-chair the committee. The other members are:
- Stephen Bayer, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations
- Yael Hochberg, head of the Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative and Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Ralph S. O’Connor Professor of Finance and Entrepreneurship, Rice Business
- Mikki Hebl, the Martha and Henry Malcolm Lovett Chair of Psychology, School of Social Sciences
- Amit Pazgal, the Friedkin Professor of Management, Rice Business
- Alessandro Piazza, associate professor of strategy, Rice Business
- Nell Putnam-Farr, assistant professor of marketing and assistant dean for academic programs, Rice Business
- Brian Rountree, professor of accounting and senior associate dean for degree programs, Rice Business
- Daan van Knippenberg, the Houston Endowment Professor of Management and Professor of Psychology, Rice Business
- Farid Virani, member, Rice Business Board of Advisors
- Lori Whitten, member, Board of Trustees
Isaacson, Miller, brings extensive experience in recruiting visionary senior leaders for top-tier business schools, higher education institutions and mission-driven organizations across the world. The firm will ensure we identify a leader who will build upon Rice Business’s incredible momentum and continue its trajectory of growth, innovation and community-centered excellence.
As previously announced, Peter Rodriguez concluded his transformative, decade-long tenure at Rice on June 5 to serve as president of Wake Forest University. We are grateful for Peter’s outstanding leadership, which doubled MBA enrollment, significantly expanded our world-class faculty and welcomed the Virani School as the home for our undergraduate business programs.
While the search is ongoing, Jeff Fleming, the Fayez Sarofim Vanguard Professor of Finance, is serving as interim dean. I want to thank Jeff for his steady leadership and dedication during this transition.
The search will formally begin this summer. In the meantime, if you have questions, wish to share your input on the qualities we should seek in our next dean or know someone who might be an excellent fit for this critical position, please reach out to the co-chairs of the search committee.
Warm regards,
Amy Dittmar
Howard R. Hughes Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs