The University of South Alabama in Mobile has selected a new dean to lead its Mitchell College of Business, with the incoming administrator set to begin his duties on July 21.
A Veteran Business Educator Takes the Helm
Bob G. Wood, who most recently served as dean of the Perdue School of Business at Salisbury University in Maryland, was named to the position following an announcement at the University of South Alabama Board of Trustees meeting on June 6. He succeeds longtime dean Carl C. Moore, who is retiring in August after 43 years of service to the university, including a quarter-century leading the business college.
A Track Record of Innovation
During his four years at the helm of the Perdue School, Wood built a reputation for reshaping business education. He was named the 2014 recipient of the Beta Alpha Psi Outstanding Dean Award, recognizing his leadership in the field.
Under his direction, Salisbury’s flagship student entrepreneurship competition grew from a modest event into a three-round contest judged by regional business professionals, with student prize money climbing from $5,000 to more than $60,000. He also helped direct proceeds from a $1 million private foundation grant toward creating the Shore Hatchery, an initiative supporting entrepreneurial ventures across the mid-Atlantic region. That work culminated in May 2014, when the Perdue School and Salisbury University hosted one of only six nationwide “open call” auditions for the ABC television series “Shark Tank.”
Wood also reorganized the Perdue School’s MBA offerings into a seven-week, hybrid-format program that students could complete in a single year, expanded the school’s executive advisory council, and created a new career advisory board made up of young professionals to mentor current students. Another signature initiative, dubbed “Business in the Atrium,” created a regular, informal setting for students and area employers to connect.
Background in Higher Education and Industry
Before his time in Maryland, Wood served as associate dean and held the Heidtke Professorship of Finance at Tennessee Tech University, where he oversaw the buildout of both campus and online MBA programs and saw enrollment grow by 150 percent during his tenure.
A native of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Wood holds a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Arkansas State University, along with a doctorate in finance from Louisiana State University. Prior to entering academia full time, he worked in the private sector for Abbott Laboratories, the Upjohn Company, and Dean Witter Reynolds. Wood and his wife, Terri, have three children.
University officials say they expect Wood to build on Moore’s long legacy as the Mitchell College of Business continues to expand its programs for students across the Mobile area.