I am pleased to share with you that Acting Chancellor Ralph Hexter and Acting Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Kenneth Burtis have appointed H. Rao Unnava as the next dean of the Graduate School of Management.
Professor Unnava will be joining the GSM community on June 22 after 32 years at The Ohio State University, where he arrived as a doctoral student and currently is the Senior Associate Dean of Students and Programs and the W. Arthur Cullman Professor of Marketing in the Fisher College of Business. He previously served as the associate dean for the college’s Undergraduate Programs and as director of Doctoral Programs.
Professor Unnava is a distinguished marketing scholar, award-winning teacher and successful administrative leader who has earned international recognition for his research in the fields of brand loyalty and consumer response. I know that you will welcome him and enjoy working with him. For more information about Professor Unnava and his appointment, please see the Acting Chancellor’s letter here.
I will conclude my time as interim dean of the GSM on June 21, but will not be going far. I look forward to resuming my full-time teaching, research and service as professor of economics and the director of the UC Davis Center for Poverty Research.
It has been an honor and a wonderful opportunity for me personally and professionally to be part of a community of scholars, students, alumni, staff, donors and friends who work together to advance the School.
The GSM community has much to be proud of and to celebrate. The future is very bright with the launch of new degree and executive education programs, classes of entrepreneurial and innovative students, and the growing strength of the network of alumni and corporate partners.
Please join me in welcoming Professor Unnava and wishing him success in his new leadership role.
Thanks to all of you for your support. I look forward to staying in touch.