Hamid Akbari, Dean of the College of Business

Winona State University announces the appointment of Hamid Akbari to the position of Dean of the College of Business.

Akbari most recently served as executive director of development and community affairs & Audrey Reynolds Distinguished Teaching Professor of Management in the College of Business and Management at Northeastern Illinois University. He previously served as chair of the Department of Management and Marketing and as director of Small Business Institute at Northeastern Illinois University. He has teaching experience at Northeastern Illinois University (1986-present), Northern Illinois University (2006-2010), Illinois Institute of Technology’s Stuart Graduate School of Business (2003-2008), and The Ohio State University (1983-1986).

Patricia Rogers, provost and vice president for academic affairs at WSU, said she is excited for Akbari to join the university community.

“His administrative and academic experience and leadership accomplishments make him a good fit for the role,” Rogers said. “His dynamism and optimism will be a valuable asset to the College of Business. He is eager to begin learning about Winona State and the southeast Minnesota business region.”

Akbari earned his Ph.D. in business administration from The Ohio State University; and his master’s degree in political science, M.B.A., and bachelor of business administration from the University of Toledo.

Akbari will assume the position of dean effective June 1, 2014.

The WSU College of Business enrolls approximately 1,300 undergraduate students. The college has 41 full-time professors and offers seven undergraduate majors and ten undergraduate minors. The college is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. To learn more about the WSU College of Business visit: http://www.winona.edu/business.

For more information, contact the WSU Communications Office at 507-457-5024.