Larry Benveniste announced Feb. 15 that he is resigning from his position as dean of the Goizueta Business School after eight years.
Following a transition to the next dean, Benveniste will maintain his position in the faculty as the Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Finance and will assume an academic leadership role in the school's Center for Alternative Investments.
Benveniste explained in an email to the Wheel that his decision to step down came at a good time for both him and the B-School.
"When I reflected on all we had accomplished in my eight years here, I felt now was a good time for me to do that and to allow the University ample time to complete a process of transition," Benveniste wrote. "Our current footing as a school is very strong and that is important when you are looking for a successor."
In a letter to the Emory community, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Claire Sterk lauded Benveniste's commitment to leadership post-resignation.
"In his tenure as dean, Larry accomplished many goals, including guiding the program through the recent economic downturn," Sterk wrote. "Despite huge economic pressures for both the school and its growing alumni – numbering more than 17,000 worldwide – Larry ensured Goizueta's ability to thrive amidst such turmoil."
Benveniste was recently featured in a Feb. 12 article on Fortune.com in which he was accredited for helping turn around the B-School by leading a dramatic overhaul of the school.
According to the article, during Benveniste's leadership the last four years, Goizueta has shown the largest growth in reported salary and bonuses among U.S. News & World Report's top 25 business schools.
The article also cited that in 2012, Goizueta did a better job placing its MBA graduates than every other top 25 business school in the country.
Business students have expressed their appreciation for Benveniste's service and expressed hope that a new dean will help push the school even farther.
"I think it is important we stick to our roots and our core mission at Goizueta, but there is always room for change and improvement," said Patrick McBride, the Undergraduate Business School Leadership Conference Chairman on the BBA Council. "I am not looking for someone who is going to come in and maintain the status quo ... At the same time, I don't want someone to come in and say, everything we've done, and everything we've worked on in the last eight years, we're going to change."
Hannah Chung, the BBA Council president, wrote in an email to the Wheel that although Benveniste's largest contributions have been to Goizueta's MBA program, the BBA program has also benefited from his leadership.
The search process for a new dean will be conducted by the Provost's office.
Benveniste said he will remain dean through the transition process and he believes that whoever is next to take on the role of dean at Goizueta will be inheriting a phenomenal school.
"From the staff to the faculty to the students to the alumni to the engaged business community, the next leader of Goizueta will be well-poised to accomplish great things during their tenure," Benveniste wrote.
Benveniste will remain in his position as dean of the B-School until a new successor is selected.
– Contact Dustin Slade at
dpslade@emory.edu
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