New Leader for the College of Business

July 22, 2021

Dr. Tará Lopez will become the Interim Dean of the College of Business, effective July 31, 2021, upon the retirement of Dr. Antoinette “Toni” Phillips.  This appointment is subject to approval by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.

Dr. Lopez is a tenured associate professor in the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management with a promotion to professor pending Board approval in August. She is a well-respected member of the faculty with over twenty years of college-level teaching experience and numerous articles in quality academic journals.  Dr. Lopez has successfully established and maintained domestic and international initiatives. As director of the Panamá Bilingue Program, she worked with the government of the Republic of Panamá to develop a program in which Southeastern trained over 400 Panamanian students.  As co-director of Southeastern's Professional Sales Program, she was instrumental in designing the curriculum and raising significant funds from grants and private donations to support the program. 

A national search to fill the position of Dean of the College of Business on a non-interim basis was conducted in accordance with University of Louisiana System policy, but ended without an appointment.  A new search will be forthcoming.

I am confident that Dr. Lopez will provide strong leadership for the college during this interim period and I appreciate her willingness to embrace this new adventure.

My sincere thanks and admiration are extended to Dr. Phillips for her steadfast commitment to the College of Business and our university.  She has certainly been an inspiration to me and many, many others.  She is truly one of Southeastern's finest.

I know everyone in our Southeastern family joins me in wishing Dr. Lopez the very best in this new assignment and Dr. Phillips the very best in her retirement!

My best,
Tena