Dr. Marla Royne Stafford Named Interim Dean of the Fogelman College of Business & Economics
May 15, 2018 - Dr. Marla Royne Stafford has been named interim dean of the Fogelman College of Business & Economics. Stafford has been with the University of Memphis since 2001, and previously served as chair of the Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management for 13 years.
Stafford replaces Dr. Rajiv Grover, who is returning to a faculty position to continue
his research. Grover has served as dean since 2007 and emphasized forging relationships
between the college and local businesses during his tenure.
"I am honored to have been selected to lead the Fogelman College of Business & Economics
as its interim dean," said Stafford. "We have an outstanding group of faculty and
staff, and I look forward to continuing to move our college and programs forward.
The FCBE and the University of Memphis play a critical role in the Memphis community,
and I am excited to be a part of the ongoing progress in this area."
Stafford received a PhD from the University of Georgia, an MBA from Rollins College
and a BA from the University of Arizona. Prior to joining the University of Memphis,
she was on the marketing faculty at the University of North Texas.
"We are ecstatic to welcome Dr. Marla Stafford to the position of interim dean of
the Fogelman College of Business & Economics as a result of the high-quality scholarship
and commitment to the University she has embodied both as a chair and a faculty member,"
said UofM Provost Karen Weddle-West. "The college is poised for continued success,
global outreach and higher levels of academic excellence under Dr. Stafford's leadership,
which will impact and enhance the entire University and Memphis community.
"Please join us in congratulating Dr. Stafford as we look ahead to the expansion and
growth Fogelman will enjoy under her new leadership."
Before entering academia, Stafford held positions with Tupperware Worldwide, Cardinal
Industries and Philip Crosby Associates. Since joining the University of Memphis,
she has held the First Horizon Professorship and the Suzanne Downs Palmer Professorship.
Most recently, she was designated the Great Oaks Foundation Professor of Marketing.
She is a two-time recipient of the Alumni Association Award for Distinguished Research
in Social Sciences, Business and Law, and is a senior research fellow for the Methodist
Le Bonheur Center for Healthcare Economics. She is also past president of the American
Academy of Advertising and past editor in chief of the Journal of Advertising. In
2016, she was awarded the Ivan Preston Award for Outstanding Contribution to Advertising
Research by the American Academy of Advertising.
The University of Memphis has finalized search committee members for the next dean
of the Fogelman College.
Doug Edwards, UofM Board of Trustees member and president of Edwin M. Jones Oil Co., will serve as chair of the committee. Other members include: Antonio Scott, vice president of the UofM Student Government Association; Ted Townsend, UofM chief economic development and government relations officer; Bobby Prince, UofM chief development officer; Raaj Kurapati, UofM chief financial officer; Jasbir Dhaliwal, UofM chief innovation officer and vice provost for Graduate Programs; Chuck Pierce, associate dean of Academic Programs for the Fogelman College; Larry Jensen, president of Commercial Advisors; Rob Carter, executive vice president and CIO of FedEx Corp.; Chip Marston, CEO of The Marston Group; and Laurie Tucker, co-founder and chief strategy officer of Calade Partners and chair of the UofM Board of Visitors.
CONTACT
Chuck Gallina | 901.678.1756 l cgallina@memphis.edu