MSU promotes from within for business dean

David Meinert is officially Stephanie Bryant’s successor at the Missouri State University College of Business.

Meinert, the college’s former associate dean, over a year ago became interim dean after Bryant accepted a job as executive vice president and chief accreditation officer for the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business in Tampa, Florida. Bryant had led the college since August 2011.

The MSU Board of Governors is scheduled to confirm Meinert as COB dean at its Dec. 13 meeting, according to a news release. There were 26 applicants in the national search, officials say.

“I believe David has the right personality and many good ideas that will help build our future in the College of Business,” MSU Provost Frank Einhellig said in the release. “He has a history of good personal interactions, a firm understanding of budgetary challenges and an unquestioned work ethic.”

The college’s associate dean since 2008, Meinert has served as director of the Executive MBA program since 2008 and the Executive Master of Health Administration program since 2012. He began working at MSU in 1990 as an assistant professor of computer information systems.

MSU conducted a national search that Meinert said started in July. Bryant worked in the position through the end of 2017.

Three applicants visited campus for in-person interviews, and two were considered finalists, according to the release.

Finalists were scheduled for two-day interviews, in which they toured the community and housing opportunities, and met with faculty, staff, other MSU deans and university leaders. Meinert said his interview was Oct. 22-23. He said it was not a formality he would ultimately receive the job offer.

“That was clear from the time I applied for the interim position. MSU has a policy for doing national searches for leadership positions,” Meinert said, adding he wanted to keep the momentum going at the university over the past several months. However, he said he also wanted to be respectful of not putting someone else in a tough position, if they were ultimately named to the post instead.

“You never know until it’s over,” he said, noting he was notified and accepted the position Oct. 30. “There was a sense of relief and that was followed immediately by the excitement. I think there are a lot of opportunities here. Once you know you’re getting the appointment, you can start to lay your plan for where you want to take the college.”

His top short-term goals are growing online program options and expanding ties to local and regional businesses, he said.

Meinert’s base salary as dean is $197,375, plus $40,000 as the David D. Glass Distinguished Leadership Chair, said MSU spokeswoman Andrea Mostyn. Bryant accepted the job in 2011 for a base of $174,000, plus the same $40,000 chair appointment, and finished with a base of $197,372, according to the 2017-18 Official Manual of Missouri. Meinert earned $175,442 as associate dean, according to the Official Manual, issued by the secretary of state’s office.

The promotion makes Meinert the second person associated with the university to shed the interim title in recent weeks. After serving seven months as interim director, Rachel Anderson was promoted Oct. 19 to director of the efactory, MSU’s business incubator downtown. According to the most recent state manual, the efactory director position pays $66,000.

The COB operates the four departments of finance and general business, management and information technology, marketing and the School of Accountancy. Meinert oversees a roughly $19.7 million operating budget for the college, according to MSU’s fiscal 2018 internal operating budget.

Meinert took over as interim dean last year as the college completed its $33.8 million renovation and expansion of Glass Hall – which houses the COB – and its new Robert Gourley Student Success Center.

Enrollment in the business college has been on the rise in recent years, Meinert said, with 5,559 enrolled this fall, an increase of nearly 8 percent in the last four years. According to the AACSB – where Bryant works – MSU is the largest business school in the state when counting undergraduates and graduate students, he added.

“The economy is strong, so a lot of students are looking at making careers in business,” Meinert said. “I think also our reputation has grown.”

Facilities such as Glass Hall and the Gourley Center is also a likely contributor to draw more students to the business school, Meinert said.

“It’s a tremendous advantage having gained the new and renovated facilities,” he said. “Your first impression is often your last impression.”