Recruiting agency hired in search of Kenan-Flagler dean

UNC is on its way to hiring a new dean of the Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Members of the search committee assigned to find candidates have hired a recruiting agency to find a permanent replacement for Jim Dean, who left that position in July to become provost.

Susan King, dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and chair of the committee, said it is a diverse group that includes business school faculty, business leaders, UNC alumni and a student.

The committee is searching for a candidate with a diverse set of skills.

King said members are looking for candidates who understand the speed of change in business and higher education and the global marketplace for education.

“Kenan-Flagler is a very successful business school,” she said. “They definitely want to stay on that trajectory of being on the cutting edge and nationally recognized.”

Korn/Ferry International, one of the largest search firms in the nation, was contracted last week to lead the recruitment process.

King said recruiting is projected to begin in two weeks.

Kenneth Kring, who will lead the recruitment process for Korn/Ferry, has recruited for some of the nation’s strongest business schools and has knowledge of candidates that would bring a range of expertise to the position, King said.

Entrepreneurship professor Larry Chavis said Kenan-Flagler needs a leader who will help adapt the school’s curriculum to shifting trends in business education.

“Education is changing very quickly, and we need someone to guide us through that,” Chavis said.

He also said the school needs someone who can seek out new sources of revenue due to the tightening of the state budget.

“How do we do the most we can with new resources? How do we develop new programs or current programs to keep us going?” Chavis said.

He said he would like to see the scope of online programs grow.

“The students can learn the material in a very engaged manner,” he said.

Dean, who led Kenan-Flagler for five years, helped launch the online program MBA@UNC, which will be his lasting mark on the school, Chavis said.

While there are programs he would like to see continue, Dean said he understands it is time to step aside and let the new dean — who will report to the provost — lead Kenan-Flagler.

“I don’t want to constrain the new dean to do any particular thing that I did,” he said. “I’d like to see some things continue but you have to be a grown-up and realize it’s someone else’s turn now.”

The provost and Chancellor Carol Folt will make the final hiring decision after they receive two unranked recommendations from the committee.

“There’s been so much growth and strength at Kenan-Flagler,” King said. “They’re (the committee) looking for someone to take it even higher.”

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