Doyle Z. Williams, dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, has been elected Chair of the AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. He will assume the new position on July 1, 2004.

The AACSB International is the professional association for college and university management education and the premier accrediting agency for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in business administration and accounting. Williams' election was announced made at the AACSB International conference and annual meeting in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, April 18-20.

"Dean Williams' vast experience in accounting and management education leadership roles will be invaluable to AACSB International as it ramps up globalization efforts in accreditation and other services," said John Fernandes, president and CEO, AACSB International. "Concurrently, the Walton College and the University of Arkansas will receive global exposure during Dean Williams' term as chair of the board of directors in 2004-05."

Other newly elected AACSB International officers include: Richard Sorenson, dean, Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, who will serve as vice chair/chair elect; and Paul Danos, dean, Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmouth College, who will serve as secretary-treasurer.

AACSB International membership represents a global network of 950 educational institutions and 40 corporations and nonprofit institutions. Of these, 480 are business accredited and 165 accounting programs are accredited. AACSB International U.S. educational institutions annually award over 85 percent of all U.S. degrees awarded in business and management education.

Bill Curington, Walton College associate dean for academic affairs, said, "Dean Williams' election to this leadership position in AACSB-International is an indication of the respect other deans have for him. However, his position will also make the Walton College more visible with the international community of management educators. This visibility will enhance our reputation because when these management educators look more closely at the Walton College, they will like what they see - world class faculty and innovative programs."

Williams joined the Walton College in 1993 and also became the first holder of the Sam M. Walton Leadership Chair. He was instrumental in the College receiving the largest up-front cash gift ever to a business school - $50 million from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. In October 2002, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) awarded Williams with the Gold Medal for Distinguished Service. He was the fifth educator to receive this award since it was initiated in 1944. He came to the University of Arkansas from the University of Southern California where he founded the School of Accounting, which, under his leadership, moved up to one of the top five accounting schools in the nation. He also was the KPMG Peat Marwick Professor of Accounting. The Walton College has been ranked in a tie for 28th place among the nation's public undergraduate business schools, according to U.S. News & World Report'sAmerica's Best Colleges" 2003 and 2004 rankings. Williams holds PhD and master's degrees in accounting from Louisiana State University. He received bachelor's degree from Northwestern State University of Louisiana.

In addition to serving on the AACSB board, Williams has served on the organization's various accreditation teams since 1993; as two terms as chair of the accounting accreditation committee; two terms on the business accreditation committee; chair of the audit committee, chair of the new issues committee, and member of several other committees. He has served on the board of directors since 1999 and as a member of the executive committee since 2003.

The Walton College and its accounting programs have been accredited by the AACSB since 1931. The College's first dean, Charles Fichtner served as secretary-treasurer of the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (forerunner of today's organization) from 1935-1940, vice-president the next year and president from 1941-42. He edited the Proceedings of the AACSB for five years.