Fairfield University professor Dr. Donald E. Gibson, chair of the Management Department, named interim dean of the Charles F. Dolan School of Business

Fairfield University professor Dr. Donald E. Gibson, chair of the Management Department, named interim dean of the Charles F. Dolan School of Business


D Gibson Fairfield University Professor Donald E. Gibson, Ph.D., chair of the Management Department at the Charles F. Dolan School of Business , has been named as interim dean of the school. He will take over the reins from Norm Solomon, Ph.D., who recently announced his decision to step down as dean after serving in the role for a decade.

A Fairfield faculty member for the past 10 years, Dr. Gibson will hold the post until a national search for a new dean is complete.

Gibson, professor of Management, credited Dr. Solomon for his outstanding leadership at the helm of the school: "Dean Solomon has well-positioned the Dolan School of Business to continue its upward trajectory. We have a solid foundation of excellent faculty, committed staff and active students. I look forward to engaging these groups in propelling the school to a new level of academic achievement."

Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., president of Fairfield University, said Gibson's leadership on campus and his collegiality, warmth, and humor are deeply appreciated by all who have the pleasure to work with him. "I know that under his guidance and stewardship, the Dolan School will continue to excel so that we will continue to provide a world-class education in the principles of business, infused with our Jesuit and Catholic emphasis on our obligation to be of service to the common good," Fr. von Arx said. "In undertaking this post, Don will be following in the footsteps of Dr. Solomon who has provided such excellent leadership to the Dolan School over the last decade."

Gibson is a leader in his field of organizational behavior research. His work on anger in the workplace and the management of emotions in corporate organizations has received national recognition. Last year, he was named the university's 2010-2011 Robert E. Wall Faculty Award winner for his research, and received the Faculty Recognition Award for Extraordinary Excellence in Research and Scholarship. He received a B.S. from the University of California, Riverside, and M.A. From San Francisco State University, and his MBA and Ph.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles.

Gibson was a professor for six years at the Yale University School of Management before joining the faculty of Fairfield in 2001. He is the editor of the Current Empirical Research section of the Organization Management Journal, and has also has served as program chair and executive director of the International Association for Conflict Management, a professional organization whose mission is to understand and improve conflict management in family, organizational, societal, and international settings. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Gibson worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, managing post-production and distribution for television shows and motion pictures at Lorimar Productions.

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Rev. Paul Fitzgerald, S.J., observed, "Given Dr. Gibson's knowledge, skills and experience as both an academic leader and as a leader in the business world, it makes perfect sense to make this appointment."

After a yearlong sabbatical next year, Solomon will return to Fairfield in the fall of 2012 to teach full-time - his first academic 'love.'

Posted On: 04-06-2011 11:04 AM

Volume: 43 Number: 270