University at Buffalo School of Management

6 Buffalo Business Spring 2022 Aer nearly seven years as dean of the School of Management (including a year as interim), Paul Tesluk will step down at the end of the academic year to return to his faculty position as the Donald S. Carmichael Professor of Organizational Behavior. While faculty, staff, students, alumni and members of the School of Management community are sorry to see Tesluk relinquish the helm, they are pleased that the school will continue to benefit from his expertise as an educator and researcher. Tesluk was recruited from the University of Maryland, College Park, to join the school's Department of Organization and Human Resources in 2011. As a faculty member, he founded the school's Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness and served as the center's academic director. He also served for two years as department chair prior to his appointment as interim dean in July 2015. Aer being named dean in 2016, Tesluk led the school through a nationally challenging time for management educa- tion while strengthening its programs and partnerships. Under his leadership, the school has consistently ranked in the top 10% nationally across various major B-school and MBA rankings, including the most recent Bloomberg News ranking where UB's MBA program rose 12 spots to achieve a top-30 rank- ing among MBA programs at public universities. "Dean Tesluk has had a significant impact on the School of Management and UB, and established a solid foundation for future success. We are grateful to Dean Tesluk for his contin- ued commitment to the school and university," said A. Scott Weber, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, in a memo to the university community. Strategy and innovation To align the school's vision and goals with UB's institu- tional priorities, Tesluk led the School of Management in a comprehensive strategic planning effort, resulting in a revised mission with four overarching goals: defining the future of management; forging highly capable, engaged and ethical leaders; making a positive impact on business and society; and creating a school with world-class capabilities. The goals provide a prominent focus for five key strategic initiatives: lead- ership, entrepreneurship, health care management, social innovation and global programs. During his tenure as dean, the school devel- oped educational programs that align with students' needs and help meet the growing demand for a high-tech workforce. Examples include a new Bachelor of Science program in information technology and management, a Master of Science in business analytics, and several other programs in development. In addition, the school now offers a robust and rapidly expanding set of micro-credentials and non-degree programs, and has introduced innovations in existing programs, such as converting the part-time MBA track for working profes- sionals to hybrid format. Through these and other achieve- ments under Tesluk's leadership, the school was successfully reaccredited in 2021 by AACSB. Accreditation by this presti- gious global organization is achieved by less than 5% of busi- ness schools. The school also expanded student fellowships and intern- ships while enhancing international opportunities for students, which has led to a significant increase in student engagement in experiential learning and networking opportunities. "Paul's strategic insights are evident in virtually every- thing the School of Management has accomplished over the past seven years," said Gregg Fisher, BS '92, founder and portfo- lio manager at Quent Capital, and chair of the Dean's Advisory Council. "His commitment to moving the school forward will continue to pay dividends beyond his tenure as dean." Collaboration and impact Tesluk also built partnerships with other UB schools and encouraged management faculty to participate in cross- disciplinary and university-wide initiatives. Examples include the Stephen Still Institute for Sustainable Transportation A LEGACY OF ACHIEVEMENT

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