Baldwin Wallace University names new School of Business dean

Following a national search, Baldwin Wallace University has named Dr. Frank C. Braun as the next dean of the BW School of Business, which includes a range of highly ranked undergraduate and graduate business programs.

Braun, who currently serves as department chair and associate professor of business and health informatics at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) in Highland Heights, Kentucky, brings deep industry and academic experience to his new role.

Track record of innovative leadership

Braun spent more than two decades in executive level information systems management, consulting and business development, including senior leadership positions with United Dairy Farmers, TouchScreen Systems and Klosterman Baking Company. He also was the contracted general manager for the IBM North America Technology Asset Management and Evaluation Program logistics center.

At NKU, Braun has specialized in strategic leadership practices, information security and governance, organizational change, and business analytics. His research areas include project leadership, knowledge management, organizational resiliency and entrepreneurship.

Braun is a founding advisory board member of NKU's Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Center for Applied Informatics (CAI) and the Center for Information Security, as well as faculty coordinator of the NKU UpTech Innovation Lab, which integrated student scholars within regional entrepreneurial ventures.

Building on tradition of excellence

"We are delighted to welcome Dr. Braun to BW," said Provost Stephen Stahl. "We believe his distinctive track record in business, research and higher education is perfectly aligned with the goals of the BW School of Business."

"I'm eager to leverage the variety of my experiences to build on the tradition of excellence in graduate and undergraduate business education at BW," said Braun. "I am impressed with the University's commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, experiential learning and engagement with the Northeast Ohio business community."

Graduates of the BW School of Business are in key executive roles in every Fortune 500 company in Northeast Ohio, helping to fuel the success of these companies and many more across the region.

Ohio Educated

Braun is no stranger to Northeast Ohio, earning a doctorate in management from Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management. He also holds a bachelor's degree from Miami University and an MBA from Xavier University.

Braun also served as a research fellow in both the Program for Research in Information Management at the University of Amsterdam School of Business and the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western.

Braun will assume his new role over the summer, taking over for Dean John Lanigan who is retiring on May 9.