College of Business

2009 Distinguished Alumnus: John L. Crain

 

Dr. John L. Crain was named President of Southeastern Louisiana University on February 17, 2009 by the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System, after serving as Interim President since July 2008.

 

He served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for seven years prior to his appointment as President. His 23 years of experience on the Hammond campus includes head of the Department of Accounting, chair of the Council of Department Heads, president of the Faculty Senate, director of the Small Business Development Center, and 13 years as a full-time member of the accounting faculty.

 

A Southeastern alumnus, Dr. Crain headed Southeastern's Accounting Department from 1999-2001. As department chair, he led efforts to reaffirm the department's accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

 

He is a native of Franklinton and  a 1978 graduate of Franklinton High School. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Southeastern in 1981 and Master of Business Administration in 1984. He attained Certified Public Accountant status in 1983. He received his doctoral degree in accountancy from the University of Mississippi in 1988.

 

His scholarly accomplishments include publication of more than 50 journal articles and presentations at academic conferences. He was the 1992 recipient of Southeastern's highest faculty award, the President's Award for Excellence in Research. He was a member of the Louisiana Blue Ribbon Commission on Educational Excellence, the Louisiana Board of Regents Master Plan National Advisory Panel Work group on Retention and Completion, and chair of the Accounting Education Issues Committee of the Society of Louisiana CPAs.

 

He is a member of numerous professional, civic and academic organizations, currently serving on the Boards of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum, the North Shore Business Council, GNO, Inc., and the Committee of 100 for Economic Development. He previously served on the Board of the Louisiana Children's Discovery Museum from 2006 to 2009. He is a member of the Hammond Rotary Club.