David R. Klock, PhD, has been appointed dean of Florida International University’s College of Business and Ryder Eminent Scholar in Business. He will assume the position effective Oct. 1 succeeding Joyce J. Elam.
“Dr. Klock’s distinguished record as an academic and entrepreneurial leader makes him an excellent choice to lead the College of Business forward in its mission,” said FIU provost and executive vice president Douglas Wartzok. “He has a proven record of cultivating strong external support for the university’s goals during challenging financial times. Also, he has shown enormous personal generosity to his university community, and he understands the leadership role the College of Business can play in expanding our community’s entrepreneurial footprint.”
Klock is dean of the School of Business at the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) and serves as Wells Fargo chair of Business Administration at UAB. He previously was dean of the College of Business Administration at Cal Poly Pomona. He also has held faculty positions at Virginia Tech, University of Florida, Texas Tech as well as the University of Central Florida, and was professor and chair of the Department of Finance at UCF.
Between his time as a faculty member and his tenure as a dean, he was for 15 years president, CEO and then chair of CompBenefits Corporation (sold to Humana in 2006). Under his tenure, the CompBenefits leadership team grew revenue from under $20 million to over $350 million
“I am honored to be chosen to lead FIU’s College of Business, an organization that is an exceptional international center of respected research, student growth, and a true champion of entrepreneurship under Joyce Elam’s leadership,” Klock said. “I look forward to expanding on the college’s outstanding reputation in international business and extending its global reach.”
When Klock arrives this fall, Elam will step down as dean of the College of Business and will continue her role as dean of University College, overseeing FIU Online and the university’s market rate and continuing education programs.
“I am pleased that someone of David Klock’s caliber has been chosen to lead the College of Business forward as a center of academic and entrepreneurial excellence,” Elam said. “We look forward to the contributions that his innovation and vision will bring to the university community.”
Since assuming the role of dean in 1998, Elam has overseen the College of Business’ growth into an internationally ranked business school with over 6,000 undergraduates and 2,000 graduates currently enrolled in its global programs. In 1998, she launched a pioneering project consisting of 10 online courses in the College of Business that has set a standard for technology-enabled courses, with hundreds of course offerings throughout the university and an expanding portfolio of online degree programs.
For more information, visit http://business.fiu.edu
