Posted on April 4, 2013 by Wendy Frost
Wm. Gerard (Gerry) Sanders, professor of strategic management at Rice University, has been named dean and Bodenstedt Chair of The University of Texas at San Antonio College of Business. He will begin his duties June 1, 2013.
Wm. Gerard Sanders in front of UTSA Business Building
A leading researcher in corporate governance, Sanders has been a faculty member at Rice University since 2008 and previously served as a department chair and faculty member at Brigham Young University for 12 years.
Prior to entering academia, Sanders spent more than a decade working in institutional commercial real estate investment with Equitec Financial Group, Bechtel Investments and The Koll Company.
“Gerry Sanders brings considerable real-world experience to this position and understands the significant role that the College of Business plays in developing our city and state,” said John Frederick, UTSA provost and vice president for academic affairs. “He is tremendously well-respected in his field and, coming from Rice, knows what it takes to be a part of a Tier One research institution.”
“I have been extremely impressed by the caliber of students that I’ve met and the professionalism of the faculty, administrators and staff at the UTSA College of Business,” said Sanders. “The university’s momentum toward top-tier status is clearly evident, and I am thrilled to be a part of this journey.”
A native of California with strong Texas ties, Sanders’ research focuses on corporate governance and executive leadership and their effects on strategic decision-making and company performance. He has published studies on the effects of CEO stock option pay on firm risk-taking; the role of top management work experiences on firm strategy; and the nature of what firms learn from their board members’ experiences.
His research has been published in leading management journals including the Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management Journal and the Journal of Management. His work on stock option pay has also been featured in The New York Times , The Economist and BusinessWeek.
“The UTSA College of Business is positioned to impact not only the lives of our students but also to enhance the quality of life of the greater San Antonio community by educating and training future generations of entrepreneurs and business leaders,” said Sanders. “I look forward to working with alumni and employers to align our efforts with the demands of a dynamic marketplace.”
Sanders received his Ph.D. in management from The University of Texas at Austin and holds a bachelor’s in finance from Brigham Young University.
Sanders will be the first to hold the Bodenstedt Chair for the Dean of Business, which is one of 13 newly endowed positions established in response to a recent $5 million H-E-B Faculty Research Fund matching gift to UTSA supporting the recruitment and retention of leading scholars and researchers.
“Professor Sanders deeply impressed the college’s faculty and staff, as well as the other deans and members of the community,” said Mauli Agrawal, David and Jennifer Spencer Distinguished Dean’s Chair in the College of Engineering and chair of the search committee. “He is the right person to build on the college’s shared vision, growing reputation and national rankings.”
Sanders succeeds Lynda de la Viña, Peter Flawn Professor and director of the Center for Global Entrepreneurship, who served as dean of the college from 2004 to 2012. Daniel Hollas, UTSA professor of economics, has served as interim dean of the college since 2012.
Nationally ranked and internationally recognized, the UTSA College of Business offers a comprehensive curriculum that expands the boundaries of a traditional business education. With more than 5,700 students, the college portfolio includes traditional degrees in accounting, finance, management and marketing as well as programs in entrepreneurship, information assurance and security and real estate finance and development. Internationally accredited by AACSB International, the college is nationally ranked by BusinessWeek, Hispanic Business and the Princeton Review. For more information, visit http://business.utsa.edu.
Please send your comments to wendy.frost@utsa.edu
— Wendy Frost
