University of Delaware Office of Public Relations The Messenger Vol. 5, No. 4/1996 Dana J. Johnson is first woman to lead UD's B&E college Dana J. Johnson, dean of the Wayne Calloway School of Business and Accountancy at Wake Forest University since 1992, became the first woman dean of the UD's College of Business and Economics in July. She replaces Kenneth R. Biederman, dean since 1990, who will return to classroom teaching after a sabbatical leave. Johnson was selected after a nationwide search that included 130 applications and nominations. Stuart L. Cooper, H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Chemical Engineering and dean of the College of Engineering, who chaired the search, said members of his committee were "impressed by Dr. Johnson's demonstrated skills as a business school dean and in fund-raising, as well as her firm grasp of the importance of computer literacy for students seeking future careers in business." At Wake Forest, Johnson was instrumental in the business school being named for Calloway, who is chairman of PepsiCo's board of directors and a Wake Forest alumnus. In U.S. News & World Report's most recent rankings, the Calloway School is ranked the 25th best undergraduate business program in the country. Also during her tenure, Johnson conducted a sweeping study of the business school's faculty, students, alumni, administration, corporate recruiters and others to determine its strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, using the results to chart its future. According to Wake Forest Provost David G. Brown, Johnson maintained a "focus upon the student and the student's needs while insisting upon the highest academic standards." At the same time, he said, she preserved "a sense of family and community within the faculty." Before joining Wake Forest, Johnson was a professor of finance at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where she also directed the master's program in business administration. During the 1991-92 academic year, she was a visiting professor of business administration at the University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business. Johnson received her bachelor's degree in business administration, her master's degree in economics and her doctorate in business administration, with a finance major and economics minor, all from Kent State University. Her research interests range from insider trading and primary equity offerings to management buyouts and antitakeover amendments. She is the author of two textbooks, Key Concepts and Problems in Finance: A Study Guide to Accompany Maurice Joy's Introduction to Financial Management and Study Guide and Instructor's Manual to Accompany C.F. Lee and J. Finnerty's Corporate Finance. A well-loved teacher, she was the recipient of many teaching awards while at Virginia Tech, including an MBA teaching excellence award in 1985; the University Certificate of Teaching Excellence, the College of Business Teaching Award and the Department of Finance Teaching Award in 1990; and the Financial Management Association student chapter's Outstanding Professor Award in 1991. Johnson also has designed and presented numerous business seminars on topics that range from capital markets and corporate finance to financial analysis and problem solving. During Biederman's tenure as dean, the college has begun construction of a new business and economics building-MBNA America Hall-and renovation of its existing home, Purnell Hall; expanded its on-campus MBA program; initiated an Executive MBA Program as well as on-site MBA programs at the DuPont Co. and MBNA; began a Ph.D. program in economics; secured funding from area financial institutions for establishment of the FORTUNE 2000 Program to assist minority students; established a dean's undergraduate scholarship fund and honors programs in all undergraduate majors; adopted and implemented a strategic plan for the college; established four named professorships; increased the role of the college's alumni board and associations; and established a college Visiting Committee of top corporate leaders. -Beth Thomas