Marriott School Deans Make History
Long before it became lucky, seven was celebrated by the ancient Greeks as a number of perfection. The days of the week, continents, and wonders of the world-depending on whom you ask—all came times seven. Even the brides and brothers of the beloved 1954 musical came in sevens. The deans of the Marriott School of Management are no exception.
In a scant fifty-two years, these seven deans have worked their magic to shape the school. While each dean brought with him unique skills, all seven shared a common dream: building programs that would develop men and women of faith, character, and professional ability. Surely, more deans will follow, but these “Magnificent Seven” helped transform a small College of Commerce into the award-winning school we have today.
1891 - Brigham Young Academy forms Commercial College
1901 - Commercial College offers its first four-year degree program
1921 - Maeser Building becomes home to the College of Commerce and Business Administration
1939 - First master’s degrees awarded
Weldon J. Taylor
A monumental task awaited Weldon Taylor when he was appointed dean of the newly formed College of Business. The school was non-accredited, and professors taught large classes in cramped military barracks. Instead of shrinking from the problems, Taylor threw himself into improving the school. He recruited faculty from top-notch universities, organized the MBA program, and formed the National Advisory Council to build bridges between the school and successful businesses.
Above all the other accomplishments of his seventeen-year tenure is Taylor’s vision of a school that would serve as inspiration for future leaders. He wrote, “BYU [has] a unique role to play in placing values and ethics at the forefront of business education.”
Dean Taylor
(1957-1974)
1974 Degrees Awarded: 232
BYU Presidents: Ernest L. Wilkinson and Dallin H. Oaks
Average Number of Faculty: 79
Dow Jones, 1 July 1957: 507.55
1957 - College of Business formed
1958 - First Management Conference held
1960 - Business classes moved to the newly completed Jesse Knight Building
1961 - Master of business administration program added
1966 - National Advisory Council formed
1973 - First International Executive of the Year Award given to Robert D. Lilley, president of AT&T
1974 - Bryce B. Orton becomes acting dean
Merrill J. Bateman
Leaving behind a position at candy-maker Mars, Inc., Merrill Bateman spent the next four years creating what he called, “a professional school that would allow its graduates to enter the workforce at levels comparable to the best schools in the country.”
Under his leadership, the BYU Management Society was formed, and the first $10 million was raised for the construction of the N. Eldon Tanner Building-the first BYU building completely funded by private contributions. The School of Accountancy was organized, and the Graduate School of Management was created, grouping the MBA, MPA, MOB, and MACC programs together. Bateman later served as Presiding Bishop, a member of the Presidency of the Seventy, and the eleventh president of BYU.
Dean Bateman (1975-1979)
1979 Degrees Awarded: 694
BYU President: Dallin H. Oaks
Average Number of Faculty: 96
Dow Jones, 1 July 1975: 8,771
1975 - College of Business becomes School of Management
1975 - Graduate School of Management formed
1976 - School of Accountancy created
1976 - First issue of Exchange magazine (now Marriott Alumni Magazine) published
1977 - BYU Management Society organized
William G. Dyer
The task of raising the remaining $2 million for the Tanner Building fell to Bill Dyer. The country was facing a recession, and funds were scarce. Amid the stress of financing the construction, Dyer underwent open-heart surgery. But he didn’t let that slow him down. He continued to push for funding, and the building was finally completed in 1983.
Additionally Dyer strengthened the MBA program, organized the Information Systems Department, and expanded the National Advisory Council. Dyer published extensively during his tenure, focusing on organizational behavior. Through it all, his vision of the school remained the same: create an organization that would help individuals reach their potential.
Dean Dyer (1979-1984)
1984 Degrees Awarded: 887
BYU Presidents: Dallin H. Oaks and Jeffrey R. Holland
Average Number of Faculty: 107
Dow Jones, 1 July 1979: 842
1980 - Ground broken for N. Eldon Tanner Building on 8 November—the ceremony took a dynamic turn when explosives used to remove the soil showered unsuspecting spectators with dust and pebbles
1982 - Tanner Building completed
1983 - Executive MBA program added
Paul H. Thompson
Whether it was for students, faculty, or alumni, Paul Thompson worked to provide the best opportunities possible for the School of Management. He focused on international management and made more student scholarships available. Under his leadership the National Advisory Council pledged a $10 million endowment, and the school received a sizable donation from the Marriott family. The school was named for J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott.
Thompson often worked late on projects for the school, but his daughters didn’t mind. Their favorite daddy-daughter date was coming to his office and pretending to be secretaries with Post-it notes, files, and phones. But it wasn’t always fun for Thompson when he faced the wrath of his real secretary the next morning.
Dean Thompson (1984-1989)
1989 Degrees Awarded: 819
BYU President: Jeffrey R. Holland
Average Number of Faculty: 126
Dow Jones, 2 July 1984: 1,130
1985 - Management Society hits twenty-five chapter mark
1986 - International Student Sponsor Program (now the Cardon International Sponsorship Program) formed to provide financial assistance to married LDS international students
1988 - School named for J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott
1988 - Army and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs become part of the Marriott School
1989 - Endowment tops $10 million
K. Fred Skousen
Fred Skousen’s first task was to create a mission statement: “Our mission is to attract and develop men and women of faith, character, and professional ability who will become outstanding managers and leaders throughout the world.” To achieve this vision, Skousen hired more faculty, reorganized the NAC and the NAC spouses program, and recruited more international students with help from the ISSP program (now the Cardon International Sponsorship Program).
Equally important to Skousen was providing scholarships and professorships for the school. He began with one professorship, but by the end of his tenure there were nearly twenty.
“The faculty used to say I was a good dean because I raised money and left them alone,” Skousen quips.
Dean Skousen (1989-1998)
1998 Degrees Awarded: 819
BYU Presidents: Rex E. Lee and Merrill J. Bateman
Average Number of Faculty: 126
Dow Jones, 3 July 1989: 2,453
1989 - U.S. Department of Education awards the school the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) grant
1993 - American Accounting Association honors school with the Innovation in Accounting Education Award
1993 - Organizational Leadership and Strategy Department organized
1994 - School institutes limited-enrollment policy and adds a minor in management 1998 - Institute of Public Management renamed in honor of George W. Romney
1998 - Endowment reaches $40 million mark
Ned C. Hill
Providing world-class facilities for an award-winning school was one of Ned Hill’s top priorities. Since the construction of the N. Eldon Tanner Building, the school had grown significantly and space was sorely needed. Under Hill’s direction, $44 million was raised to construct an addition to the building; construction began in May 2007.
Along with revamping the Tanner Building, Hill focused on improving programs within the school, including folding the MOB program into a track of the MBA, forming three new centers and institutes, and adding the master of information systems management degree. During his tenure the NAC grew from 100 members to 170 members, and the BYU Management Society added several new chapters.
Despite the success of the school, Hill never took himself too seriously. His bearded-performances of “If I Were a Rich Man,” humorous Christmas cards, and mornings of “bird-watching with the dean” kept students and faculty entertained.
Dean Hill (1998-2008)
2008 Degrees Awarded: 1,363
BYU Presidents: Merrill J. Bateman and Cecil O. Samuelson Jr.
Average Number of Faculty: 130
Dow Jones, 1 July 1998: 9,049
1999 - School launches new web site, marriottschool.byu.edu
2000 - Steven and Georgia White Business Career Services Center created
2001 - H. Taylor Peery Institute of Financial Services organized
2003 - Center for Economic Self-Reliance formed
2003 - Wall Street Journal ranks the Marriott School No. 2 in the new “Emphasis in Ethics” category
2005 - Information Systems Department formed
2006 - Marriott School’s undergraduate programs ranked No. 8 by BusinessWeek
2006 - Global Management Center named for former Kodak CEO Kay Whitmore and his wife, Yvonne
2007 - Endowment reaches $130 million
2007 - Ground broken for Tanner Building Addition on 25 April—this time only shovels were used
2007 - Wall Street Journal ranks MBA program No. 1 among regional schools
Gary C. Cornia
In the last fifteen months, Gary Cornia has overseen major changes in the school, starting with the dedication of the Tanner Building Addition in October 2008. The Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology was formed, and the Finance Department created. Throughout the year, faculty and students garned several awards. And in March 2009, BusinessWeek ranked the school’s undergraduate programs No. 5 in the country.
With the accolades stacking up, it’d be easy to relax. But that’s exactly what Cornia isn’t doing. Building on the foundation constructed by the six deans before him, Cornia plans to “raise the visibility of the school’s programs, improve instruction and research, make resources more available, and place students in key positions where they can influence the world for good.”
It’s a continuation of a vision that began more than half a century ago and turned a small business college into a nationally recognized school.
Dean Cornia (2008-Present)
2009 Degrees Awarded: 1,412 (est.)
BYU President: Cecil O. Samuelson Jr.
Average Number of Faculty: 134
Dow Jones, 1 July 2008: 11,382
2008 - Undergraduate information systems program among the top ten in the country
2008 - President Thomas S. Monson dedicates Tanner Building Addition on 24 October
2008 - Graduate accounting program ranked No. 1 in the nation
2009 - Marriott School’s undergraduate programs ranked No. 5 by BusinessWeek
2009 - Finance Department formed
2009 - Kevin and Debra Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology created
2009 - Management Society reaches seventy active chapters in seventeen countries
2009 - Recreation Management and Youth Leadership Department joins school
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Article written by Megan Bingham
Etchings by Mark Summers Weldon J. Taylor
