Collins College of Business Magazine

F A L L 2 0 1 5 2 3 A fter serving more than four years as associate dean of the Collins College of Business and director of graduate programs, Linda Nichols will return to teaching full time this fall. Nichols will occupy the newly established A. Charles Funai Endowed Professorship of Business. Nichols started her accounting career as an auditor with Arthur Andersen in Houston and then went to Columbia Gas Develop - ment, an upstream oil and gas company, where she was the super- visor of economics. Six years later, she left to pursue a Ph.D. degree at Louisiana State University, focusing her research and disser- tation on the oil and gas industry. She taught energy accounting, international accounting and financial accounting at Texas Tech University for 21 years before coming to TU in 2011. She was also director of the Department of Accounting and Business Law during the last five years of her career at Texas Tech. In addition to her responsibilities as associate dean, Nichols redesigned the college's MBA curriculum to include more hands-on business experience for candidates coming straight out of under - graduate programs. The program launched in August 2011 with a favorable response from both students and employers. She will continue as director of MBA programs, overseeing the program she has worked to establish during the past three years. As the college has expanded its offerings to include the Master of Energy Business and Master of Accountancy degrees, so has the need for additional graduate accounting courses. "Linda's expertise in energy accounting is well known, and she will be contributing to our accounting, MBA and energy programs through her teaching and research," said Dean Gale Sullenberger. Nichols is not only eager to once again work with students in a classroom setting, but also to spend more time on research activities. Before coming to TU, she wrote a book on upstream accounting. Currently she is associate editor of Oil, Gas & Energy Quarterly and sits on the editorial board of the Petroleum Accounting and Financial Management Journal. "One of the things that attracted me to The University of Tulsa was that I could remain active in the energy industry," she said. "It's been a great experience serving as associate dean and getting our new MBA program started, but I'll now have more time to devote to teaching. I'm looking forward to spending more time with students and focusing on my research efforts." ■ Linda Nichols named Funai Professor of Business Ralph Jackson, associate professor of marketing and chair of the Department of Management and Marketing, stands ready for his next challenge. As Linda Nichols moves to her new role as the Funai Professor of Business, Jackson will assume new duties as associate dean of the Collins College of Business. He'll soon celebrate 30 years at TU, 19 as chair of the department. Jackson notes that he's most proud of the faculty members who have been hired during his tenure as chair. "Your goal should always be to hire people better than yourself," he says. "We have brought in some phenomenal folks, and that's been pretty gratifying." He is also grateful for the time spent with students during the past three decades. "They are the ones who make this job great," he remarked. Jackson also developed the Not-for-Profit Administration Certificate to prepare students to work in or manage nonprofit organizations. This fall, the department will launch a new specialization in sports management and minor in innovation and entrepreneurship. On the decision to join the college's leadership team, Jackson says that after reflecting on his career and looking toward retirement, he contemplated what he hadn't yet accomplished. "That thinking coincided with Dean Sullen- berger approaching me about the opportunity. The timing was just right." Sullenberger said, "We could not ask for a better qualified person to serve as associate dean. I look forward to working with Ralph to continue the progress that has been made in both undergraduate and graduate programs the past few years." Jackson is also quick to acknowledge his wife, Lydia, for her support. "Without her encouragement, I might not have made this move," he says. "I was leaning toward saying yes, but I wanted to hear from her. She said, 'Absolutely, you should do it because you will do a great job.'" Larry Wofford, Davis D. Bovaird Professor of Entrepre- neurial Studies, will succeed Jackson as department chair. "Larry will do a superb job," said Jackson. "The faculty like and respect him, and that's critical. With new leadership and a fresh set of eyes on things, this department will rise to new heights." ■ Ralph Jackson named associate dean

• Cover