Veteran Prof Gets Georgia Deanship

After a 15-month national search assisted by Korn/Ferry International and seven publicly named finalists, the University of Georgia today (April 9) made something of a surprise decision in choosing a veteran insider as its new dean for the Terry College of Business, Ben Ayers.

Ben Ayers, who was not even among the four initially announced finalists for the job who came to campus in February to make public presentations, was chosen to take over the job. Ayers has taught at the school for 18 years and is currently the director of the university’s J.M. Tull School of Accounting. He succeeds Interim Dean Charles B. Knapp, who was installed after Robert Sumichrast was named dean of the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech last year. Ayers will officially assume his post on July 1.

SCHOOL PASSED ON AT LEAST SIX OTHER FINALISTS WHO WERE MADE PUBLIC

At least six other finalists were passed over for the position. In January, the school announced that the search had narrowed down to four finalists. They included Chuck Williams, dean and professor of management at the Butler University College of Business; Annette Ranft, associate dean for academic affairs at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville College of Business Administration; Robert Hoyt, head of the Terry College’s department of insurance, legal studies and real estate, and Timothy Smunt, dean of the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee Lubar School of Business.

But none of them sealed the deal. “Based on feedback from the university community and my assessment of the Terry College’s future needs, I feel that we have not yet identified a candidate who is the right fit,” said Pamela Whitten, vice president of academic affairs and provost.

Then, in April, the school announced three other finalists, a list that included winner Ayers. The other two candidates who came to campus to present their vision for the school were Matthew Myers, a marketing professor and an associate dean at the University of Tennessee College of Business Administration, and Jack Brittain, former dean of the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business and a professor of entrepreneurship.

AYER’S PLEDGED TO INCREASE THE PROGRAM’S OVERALL QUALITY AND TO INCREASE FACULTY SALARIES

During Ayer’s presentations to the search committee, he emphasized that he intends to enhance the program’s overall quality, research prowess, culture, and financial foundation. He also shared that he wanted to raise faculty salaries.

“Ben Ayers has done an exceptional job as director of the Tull School,” said Provost Whitten in a statement. “He has demonstrated an extraordinary dedication to students and has shown exceptional commitment in reaching out to work with alumni and industry…. Professor Ayers was always the perfect fit for this position, and now the timing is perfect as well.”

Ayers has overseen the Tull School since 2005, where he holds the Earl Davis Chair in Taxation. According to the university, Tull’s undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. programs have consistently ranked in the top 10 among public universities. In 2014, Tull grads ranked #2 overall in CPA passage rate according to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. Overall, Terry’s MBA program is ranked #48 by U.S. News and World Report.

Professionally, Ayers has held various posts with the American Accounting Association, including Chairperson of the Tax Doctoral Consortium Committee.

At the university, he has chaired the faculty recruitment and undergraduate admissions committees. A prolific writer, Ayers has sat on the editorial boards of various accounting and taxation research journals. The university also notes that Ayers has been listed among the most productive accounting researchers of the past half-century.

‘A GREAT OUTCOME FOR THE TERRY COLLEGE’

Ben Ayers earned a BS in accounting and a MTA in tax accounting from the University of Alabama and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas-Austin. He also worked as a tax manager at KPMG and a contract manager at Complete Health Inc. He has won numerous teaching awards at the university, including the Beta Alpha Psi Outstanding Teacher Award from the Terry College of Business.

Despite the long search, the university believes Ayers’ appointment was worth it. “Having Ben Ayers as its dean is a great outcome for the Terry College,” said President Jere W. Morehead.

Ayers himself is thrilled with the opportunity. “This is an important time in higher education and especially for the field of business,” said Ayers. “I am enthused about the prospects for the college and the university.”