Three finalists for the new dean’s position in the College of Business were announced on April 1, 2013. 

A lot of time and effort went into deciding the final candidates for the spot.

A search committee convened in Des Moines last week, where a large group of candidates met with the committee.

The three finalists that were announced by the college of business are: J. Chris Leach, Jay Sa-Aadu and David Spalding, senior vice president and advisor to the president, at Dartmouth College.

“We collected a whole bunch of names and then from there, worked in trying to then communicate with the people who had been nominated and let them know that they had been nominated and asked if they would please consider applying for the position,” said Pam White, dean for the human sciences administration.

There were 50 applicants for the job, either through nominations or through an interest in the advertisement posted for the position. The search committee worked for months going though all of the applications.

Meetings were held which discussed the candidates and the qualifications which made each candidate a good fit for the position.

“After everybody had been individually reviewed, the committee came to a consensus as to the ones that we would like to invite for an off campus interview,” White said.

Many people were denied candidacy for dean of the College of Business.

Eight off campus interviews were completed on  March 24 and 25. “From there, we selected our three finalists who will then come to campus for interviews,” White said.

According to a press release from the college of business, the three finalists were given short biographies of their academic positions and education.

J. Chris Leach has spent 19 years at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is the senior associate dean for faculty and research from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Leach has a bachelor’s degree in computer science, an MBA in finance, a master’s degree in management-economics and a doctorate in finance.

Spalding is expected to visit Iowa State April 4 at 3 p.m. for an interview at Stark Lecture Hall in 1148 Gerdin.

Jay Sa-Aadu has shared 32 years with the University of Iowa, where he has been the associate dean in the Tippie School of Management at the University of Iowa since 2008.

Aadu has a bachelor’s degree in land economics, a master’s degree in real estate and a doctorate in real estate and finance.

Aadu is scheduled to meet with the University April 10 at 3 p.m. in the Stark Lecture Hall, for an interview.

David Spalding is senior vice president and advisor to the president, at Dartmouth College. His professional career includes positions with Chase Manhattan, First National Bank of Chicago, GE Capital Corporate Finance Group and the Cypress Group.

Spalding has a bachelor’s degree in history and an MBA in finance. He is expected to come to be in Ames where he will be interviewed on April 8 at 3 p.m. in 0330 Gerdin.

Michael R. Crum, the current interim dean for the College of Business,  took the place of Labh S. Hira, the 2001 interim dean and 2002 appointed dean. 

Once the new dean is named, he or she “will take their own assessment of the college and see of there are things they should focus on more and focus on less and things that they can build on,” said Rob Schweers program director for the Senior Vice President and Provost.

“Everyone will share the same goal of making college of business the very best college it can be.”

White agreed that the college needs a dean who could better the school.

“We would want the College of Business dean to come in and take the college of business to the next level,” White said. “The past deans have raised the standards and we would want that to continue in the college of business.”