MICHIGAN STATE EDUCATOR TO CHAIR UNIVERSITY MARKETING DEPARTMENT

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A Michigan State University professor has been hired as chairman of the marketing department at Southeast Missouri State University.

Dr. David K. "Skip" Smith Jr., an assistant professor of marketing, Fulbright Scholar and former Peace Corps volunteer, will begin his duties here in July.

The hiring of Smith was announced Monday by university officials.

Smith said: "This seems like a good opportunity and interesting group of people with whom to work. This also is a chance to marshal the energies of the people who are here and see what we can accomplish together."

Smith said he is also interested in furthering the international orientation of the marketing department.

"It is a very small world these days," he said. "What's going on in Tokyo, Frankfurt and London now impacts us here pretty dramatically."

Dr. Richard J. Schmidt, dean of Southeast's College of Business Administration, said: "We hope Dr. Smith will help the department to become more involved at the national level with national marketing associations because we not only are educating our graduates to enter the local market, but to enter the global market as well. We want to make sure our graduates will be prepared."

Smith will replace Dr. Bert J. Kellerman, who served as department chairman for 14 years. Kellerman left the post in December to return to teaching.

Smith will teach an introductory marketing course, conduct research and handle administrative duties.

"Skip currently is teaching at one of the top three marketing schools in the country," said Dr. Peter Gordon, Southeast associate professor of marketing and head of the committee that handled the search for a new marketing department chairman.

Smith holds a doctoral degree in marketing from the University of Minnesota, a master degree in business administration from Dartmouth College and a bachelor's degree in U.S. and African history from Middlebury College.

Smith brings with him the experience of working in an American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) school, Schmidt said.

"He also has an interest in taking a program like ours to the level of excellence for which we strive," said Schmidt.

The AACSB is the professional association and sole recognized accrediting agency for collegiate schools of business and management in the United States. More than 850 organizations, including about 650 colleges and universities nationwide, belong to the association.

"Dr. Smith will be heavily involved in moving the university toward AACSB accreditation," said Gordon.

Smith and his wife, Kathy, have two daughters, Sarah, 7, and Kristin, 5.