This month, Brock’s Goodman School of Business welcomes Andrew Gaudes as its new Dean.

Gaudes, who started his five-year term July 1, joins the business school at a time of growth that encompasses healthy enrolment numbers and an ongoing major capital expansion project.

Hailing from University of Regina’s Hill and Levene Schools of Business, Gaudes says he was attracted to Goodman by its experiential programming.

“The international opportunities, co-op program and Service-Learning are all great examples of preparing students through experience, so they may hit the ground running when they graduate,” he said.

Prior to his position at U Regina, Gaudes was at the University of New Brunswick from 2003-2012, where he served at various times as Associate Professor, Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Dean for International Programs in the Faculty of Business Administration.

A specialist in organizational theory, Gaudes has been widely published in his field, including nearly two dozen peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings and conference papers. He has also authored or co-authored five books and contributed chapters or sections for numerous others.

Before becoming an academic, Gaudes worked in the fields of architecture and interior design, having earned undergraduate (1987) and master’s (1998) degrees in architecture from the University of Manitoba. He returned to U of M and and in 2005 received his PhD in Management from the I.H. Asper School of Business.

Gaudes looks forward to starting his term with an enthusiasm that has been matched by those he has already met at the business school.

“I have a lot to discover as an incoming dean, but I see Goodman’s greatest strength as its people,” he said. “I have been getting nothing but positive vibes from everyone I meet leading up to my arrival. There is a noticeable optimism, which I believe will be an important energizer as I assume my new role.”

Gaudes believes any business school must operate under a student-focused perspective with strong relationships to alumni and the local community.

“It is essential that we maintain a close connection to the local community, informing and contributing to the strength of the people who live and work in the region,” he said. “We should be advancing the social and economic wellbeing of our community.”

Gaudes recognizes that momentum has been building at Goodman in recent years, and is looking to use that energy to drive the business school forward.

“We will continue to position our students for successful, rich futures that are both personally and professionally fulfilling through our experiential opportunities,” he said. “Our faculty will support the educational experience through research that informs students, their colleagues and the community.”

The new dean is most looking forward to “working with everyone towards a business school that reflects the values of the community and is recognized internationally.

“Being student-focused means that all we do, all our initiatives, all the relationships we develop, are driven by the unifying objective of student success.”