Winona State Dean of the College of Business Dr. Hamid Akbari has accepted a position at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI as dean of their newly founded School of Business. He will be departing WSU on January 17, 2020. Dr. Akbari joined WSU in the Spring of 2014 after a productive and distinguished career at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago.
In his time at WSU, Dean Akbari has been instrumental in advancing the status, programming, and mission of the College of Business, while creating a cohesive culture within its ranks. The Create Your More brand is an initiative that will live on at WSU, with the university dedicated to continuing the work that Dean Akbari has begun in building partnerships outside the institution and integrating engaged learning opportunities that have become core to students’ education. Thanks to the successful efforts he has led, the college has been able to consistently create new opportunities for students such as the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society, John Latsch Leadership Academy, and new programs such as the Master’s in Professional Accounting and the Business Administration online degree completion program.
Additionally, Dean Akbari’s crucial partnership and advocacy in the creation of the College of Business Engagement Center, WNB Financial Markets Lab and the Strauss Center for Sales Excellence, among others, has provided the college and university a strong foundation that it will continue to build upon in his absence.
“The university wishes Dr. Akbari great success at Carroll University,” said Ted Reilly, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at WSU, “and thanks him for his dedicated service to Winona State and the Winona community.
Winona State will soon announce next steps for identifying an Interim Dean for the College of Business and will then begin a search for a new permanent Dean.
