Warwick Business School’s Howard Thomas Assumes Chair of AACSB International The world’s most prestigious accrediting body for business schools and largest advocacy association for management education proudly announces its board of directors for 2009–2010. TAMPA, FL (July 7, 2009) ― Howard Thomas, dean of Warwick Business School and Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Warwick (United Kingdom), began his term July 1, 2009 as chairman of the board of directors of AACSB International–The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). In addition to serving as Board Member (2000–2004) and vice chair-chair elect (2008–2009), Thomas’s volunteer work with the association includes participation on numerous committees, most recently serving as chair of the Committee on Issues in Management Education (CIME)—the committee charged with identifying and researching primary AACSB thought leadership initiatives. He served as a member of the Ethics Education Task Force, Faculty Leadership Task Force, and the Management Education Task Force. Thomas has also played an active role in the AACSB accreditation process by serving as a member and/or chair of several peer review teams, and a member of both the Peer Review Improvement Task Force and the Branding Task Force. As chairman, Thomas succeeds Richard A. Cosier, PhD, dean and Leeds Professor of Management at the Krannert Graduate School of Management and School of Management, Purdue University (2008–2009). Thomas joined Warwick Business School as dean in September 2000, and is internationally recognized as a leading expert in the field of strategic management. He currently serves as chair of the Association of Business Schools (ABS) (2008–2010), the Global Foundation for Management Education (GFME) (2009), and is former chairman of the board of the Graduate Admissions Council (GMAC) (1995–2000). He is also a past president of the Strategic Management Society (SMS) (1997–2000) and in October 2005 was elected as an Inaugural Fellow. Thomas is an honorary life member at the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), and a board member at the State Farm Bank in the United States. He is a fellow of the Academy of Management (AoM) and also of the British Academy of Management (BAM), where he served on its council. Thomas is also a fellow of the Sunningdale Institute and a member of Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS); he is also a Highly Cited Scholar in ISI Web of Science with around 2000 citations. Thomas has served as editor, author or co-author of 30 acclaimed management books, and has published a wide range of articles in areas which include competitive strategy, risk analysis, strategic change, international management and decision theory. Born in Wales, Thomas earned a BSc and MSc from the University of London, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a PhD and DSc from the University of Edinburgh. Board Members from Prominent Global Business Schools to Serve in 2009–2010 In addition to Thomas, 29 other prominent management education and business professionals from institutions around the world will serve on the AACSB board for 2009–2010. "We congratulate our new and returning board members, and thank our member schools for their enthusiastic participation in the electoral process," said John J. Fernandes, president and chief executive officer of AACSB International. "AACSB will benefit from the significant wisdom, experience, and leadership that these individuals bring to the board. We look forward to their many contributions in the year ahead." Officers include Andrew J. Policano, vice chair–chair elect, University of California, Irvine (USA), Susan M. Phillips, secretary-treasurer, The George Washington University (USA); and John J. Fernandes, president and chief executive officer, AACSB International. Board members with terms expiring in 2010 are W. Randy Boxx, Shenandoah University (USA); Richard A. Cosier, immediate past chair, Purdue University (USA); Sara M. Freedman, Oklahoma State University (USA); William H. Glick, Rice University (USA); Robert E. Mittelstaedt, Arizona State University (USA); Barbara H. Nemecek, University of Wisconsin–River Falls (USA); Yingyi Qian, Tsinghua University (China); Martin Schader, Universitaet Mannheim (Germany); and George E. Stevens, Beta Gamma Sigma (USA). Board members with terms expiring in 2011 are Caryn L. Beck-Dudley, Florida State University (USA); Alison Davis-Blake, University of Minnesota (USA); Stuart I. Feldman, Google Inc. (USA); Yash P. Gupta, Johns Hopkins University (USA); Xavier Mendoza, ESADE (Spain); Gail K. Naughton, San Diego State University (USA); Peter Wolnizer, The University of Sydney (Australia). Board members with terms expiring in 2012 are Fernando D'Alessio, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (Perú); Linda R. Garceau, East Tennessee State University (USA); Ellen J. Glazerman, Ernst & Young LLP (USA); Jaime Alonzo Gomez, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey–Campus Monterrey (Mexico); Thierry Grange, Grenoble Ecole de Management (France); Finn Junge-Jensen, Copenhagen Business School (Denmark); Linda A. Livingstone, Pepperdine University (USA); Michael Patry, HEC Montréal (Canada); Robert S. Sullivan, University of California, San Diego (USA); John E. Williams, Morehouse College (USA). About AACSB International AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), founded in 1916, is an association of almost 1,200 educational institutions, businesses and other organizations in 71 countries. AACSB’s mission is to advance quality management education worldwide through accreditation and thought leadership. AACSB accreditation is the mark of quality distinction most widely sought after by business schools – less than 5% worldwide have earned the achievement. As the premier accreditation body for institutions offering undergraduate, master's and doctorate degrees in business and accounting, the association also conducts a wide array of conferences and seminar programs at locations throughout the world. AACSB’s global headquarters is located in Tampa, Florida, USA and its Asia headquarters is located in Singapore. For more information, please visit www.aacsb.edu. ###