Jeff Tanner of Baylor University Hired as Strome College of Business Dean

January 09, 2015

Jeff Tanner

John F. (Jeff) Tanner, who brings extensive experience in business collaboration and entrepreneurship, has accepted an appointment as Dean of Old Dominion University's Strome College of Business.

Tanner, professor of marketing at Baylor University in Waco, Tex., and founder of the Baylor Business Collaboratory, will assume the role on May 25, 2015. He will succeed Interim Dean Vinod Agarwal, who was appointed July 1, 2014 to replace retiring Dean Gil Yochum.

At the Baylor Business Collaboratory, Tanner is responsible for securing funds and research opportunities for collaborative research with area businesses, yielding both actionable business results and high quality research publications.

"Dr. Tanner brings extensive leadership experience in business higher education," said Provost Carol Simpson. "Prior to founding the Baylor Business Collaboratory, he served as associate dean for faculty development and research and as acting executive director in the Center for Professional Selling. He has also served as associate dean for undergraduate programs and as interim chair of the marketing department at Baylor."

Tanner said he is "truly honored" to join Old Dominion University and lead the Strome College of Business. "The faculty and staff are making such a strong impact on the lives of ODU students and the economy; I can't think of a more exciting opportunity or a more vibrant group of people to work with," Tanner said.

Tanner holds a Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Georgia, and an M.B.A. and BA in marketing from the University of North Texas.

He holds board appointments with several companies, including director of Korcett Holdings, an Internet services backbone provider; partnership in JKTanner Inc., a research and marketing consultancy and investment company; and partnership in BPT Partners LLC, a CRM training consultancy.

Tanner serves on the Board of Governors for the Society of Marketing Advances and is co-editor of a 2015 special issue of the Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management. He is the author of 15 books, most recently Analytics and Dynamic Customer Strategy: Big Profits from Big Data, Sales Force Leadership: Shaping Future Sales Leaders 2e and Dynamic Customer Strategy: Today's CRM. He has also authored or co-authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications and more than 100 conference presentations.

Provost Simpson thanked the search committee led by Dean Jane Bray of the Darden College of Education for its "thorough and thoughtful" work selecting Tanner as the candidate to lead the Strome College as it leads Old Dominion University's efforts to grow a collaborative, entrepreneurial culture.

"Please join in me in welcoming Dean Jeff Tanner to his new role at Old Dominion University," she said.