After years of service to the Fogelman School of Business, Greg Boller has been named director of the school's MBA program.
The 17-year veteran has been serving as director since the beginning of the semester. He previously served as associate professor of marketing and as chair of the department of marketing and supply chain management.
Boller is assuming the lead of an already successful MBA program. In the last five years, the Fogelman School of Business has awarded 1,076 MBA degrees. Those graduates hold various management positions at corporations like FedEx, First Tennessee, Auto Zone and International Paper.
Boller said he hopes to help cultivate that success through an extensive marketing campaign.
"The marketing program is really two fold," he said. "We are recruiting students as well as companies."
Recruiting business is an important part of bringing in students.
"Companies send employees to our school to work to a degree," Boller said. "That helps them grow their business and us to gain enrollment."
Boller said he hopes to grow the program in a way that reflects the success of its students.
"Our students are second to none," he said.
He said he believes the MBA program at The University of Memphis has too long gone unsung.
"The program needs to brag on itself," he said. "Our students are hardworking, bright and intelligent."
He said the quality of the students in The U of M program is unique, and they have been successful because of who they are.
A large part of that success is due to the part-time nature of the MBA program.
"Most of our students have a full-time job and take classes at night," Boller said. "They can apply theories the next day at work."
Another way the school helps develop success is a one-year work requirement before students can enter the MBA program.
"It assures the students are serious about what they are studying," Boller said. "They also have a common set of experiences they can discuss in a classroom setting.
"It keeps them grounded," he said.
Boller said his new position will spearhead the top- to- bottom marketing overhaul.
"The MBA program is the most visible program of the business college," he said. "I will address the needs of our students as well as the need of enrollment for the business college and the entire university."
Boller said a large part of his new job is to facilitate networking between students and companies, as well as working with faculty to design curriculum and develop outplacement and internship programs.
Boller's co-worker's see his appointment as a positive step for the MBA program.
Marla Stafford, interim chair of the department of marketing and supply chain management who has taken over Boller's role leading the department, said she is optimistic of what Boller can accomplish.
"I think Greg has a lot of vision for the program," she said.
Carol Danehower, associate dean for academic programs, was key in the selection of Boller.
She agrees that he will be successful.
"He is a long time faculty member, and his new campaign will help to develop the MBA culture," she said. "We want our MBA program to be more than just a set of classes, it should be an experience including internship opportunities and real world application."
Stafford said she believes Boller will succeed because of his talent in marketing.
"Greg has a wonderful knack for developing powerful relationships between The University and companies the students hope to one day work with," she said.
Boller said he is excited about the future of the program.
"Watch for interesting new changes," he said. "It should be a fun 2006."
