A-State Selects Dr. Shane Hunt as Dean, College of Business
JONESBORO – Dr. Shane Hunt has accepted the position of dean of the College of Business at Arkansas State University. Dr. Lynita Cooksey, provost, announced Hunt's selection as the new leader for the college today.
"I am honored Arkansas State would put its trust in my leadership for the College of Business," Hunt said. "My family has felt at home here in Jonesboro since we arrived. I believe Arkansas State is a destination university, the type of place where students and faculty come to live, learn and thrive."
Hunt's areas of faculty expertise -- strategic marketing, professional sales management and marketing management -- were important factors in his selection.
"Finding the right person to become an academic leader in today's dynamic higher education world is a challenge," Cooksey said. "Dr. Hunt is a rising star in his field, and we are fortunate to have him as a faculty member. For him to step up to the challenge of leading one of our key colleges shows his level of commitment to Arkansas State."
Hunt was recommended to the university leadership by a search committee of university and community leaders. The committee was chaired by Jeff Bailey, director of A-State's Dean B. Ellis Library, and Brad Rawlins, dean of the College of Media and Communication.
Hunt assumes leadership of one of the older colleges at Arkansas State, one that has a national and international reputation. Among the high-profile initiatives of the college are programs in international business, logistics and marketing. A-State has one of the nation's top-rated online MBA programs according to U.S. News, including a ranking this year of the highest faculty training and credentials for any online program in the U.S.
"Serving as a dean for a university of our caliber requires the ability to manage the academic rigor necessary to maintain our standards, reach outside traditional roles, and engage the community," Chancellor Tim Hudson said. "Dr. Hunt has the intellect, attributes and passion to be an outstanding dean and an effective ambassador for Arkansas State, nationally and internationally."
Along with his co-author Dr. John Mello, Hunt recently published a new textbook for McGraw-Hill entitled “Marketing.” The text is being adopted by colleges and universities across the country, and includes an interactive tablet-based edition.
Hunt received his Ph.D. in Marketing from Oklahoma State University where he was an AMA Sheth Foundation and National Conference in Sales Management Doctoral Fellow. Among his awards are the 2010 National Inspire Integrity Award from the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the 2010 Lt. Col. Barney Smith Award as Professor of the Year at Arkansas State, and the 2011 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award from the A-State College of Business.
After completing his MBA at the University of Oklahoma, Hunt worked for a Fortune 500 company in Tulsa, Okla., and spent eight years working as a pricing analyst, product manager and business development manager overseeing numerous mergers and acquisitions initiatives.
"One of Shane's strengths is the real-world business experience he brings to an academic setting," Cooksey added. "He combines that with an outstanding record of academic work. He has the respect of his colleagues and impressed the selection committee with his passion for teaching. Dr. Hunt has a sincere interest in furthering the academic reputation of Arkansas State while serving the needs of our students."
“As a first-generation college student, I know first-hand the impact great professors had on my life,” Hunt said. “I know from my years working in the private sector the impact the instruction and mentorship those professors had on my career. I have always wanted to be that teacher who made a difference, and now I want to be a leader for this college that has that impact on our students, our faculty and on Arkansas State.”
In addition to his recent textbook, Hunt has published in the Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, the Journal of Business Logistics and he has been invited to present to numerous organizations including the American Marketing Association and the National Conference in Sales Management.
Members of the business community who served on the search committee were pleased with Hunt's selection.
"We are looking forward to having Dr. Hunt as the dean and excited to see the direction of the school in the coming years," Michael Givens, FACHE, administrator of St. Bernard's Medical Center said. "Serving on the selection committee, I was able to see the passion Dr. Hunt has for A-State."
"I have worked with Dr. Hunt on several community projects, and I am excited about the possibilities for further work among the chamber, our business community and Arkansas State," Mark Young, president & CEO of the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce said.
“I believe the A-State College of Business can play a critical role in the development of our community,” Hunt said. “Through the Delta Center for Economic Development and other outreach programs, we can have a positive impact on entrepreneurship among local businesses and non-profits, which ultimately provide increased employment opportunities for our students, both in this region and globally.”
Almost 1,600 students are enrolled in the A-State College of Business, which is comprised of four academic departments: Accounting, Computer and Information Technology, Economics and Finance, and Management and Marketing. The undergraduate and graduate degree programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – International. AACSB Accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Less than five percent of the world's 13,000 business programs have earned AACSB accreditation.
The College of Business also includes the Small Business Technology and Development Center and the Delta Center for Economic Development for community business development in the region. Catalyst, the technology incubation program of the Delta Center, provides office and laboratory space for research and development ventures.
Currently an associate professor of marketing at Arkansas State, Hunt lives in Jonesboro with his wife Jenifer and their two children, Andrew and Sarah.
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