Business school dean to go back to professor job
UA’s Waller stepping down from position after 8 years
FAYETTEVILLE — The Sam M. Walton College of Business, which has grown rapidly under the stewardship of Dean Matthew Waller, will need a new leader later this year, as Waller plans to step down in August.
Waller sent a letter notifying faculty and staff within the Walton College on Wednesday of his intent to return to faculty as professor of supply chain management effective Aug. 14, said John Thomas, director of media relations and core communications at UA-Fayetteville.
“Reflecting on my eight years in this role — one as interim dean and seven as dean — fills me with immense gratitude,” Waller wrote in his letter. “I am proud of the remarkable progress we have made in establishing a dynamic and creative learning and research environment. I am in awe of the tremendous growth of the Walton College of Business, which is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of our students, faculty, and staff.”
Provost Terry Martin will gather advice from Walton College faculty, staff and students regarding the process and timeline for replacing Waller, as well as the process for naming an interim dean, later this spring, Thomas said.
Martin said that Waller “has shown exceptional leadership over the past eight years as dean of the Walton College of Business; under his guidance, the college has experienced immense growth and great success. Waller established seven new master’s degree programs, named multiple endowments, launched online degree programs, and developed initiatives that encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. I’m grateful to [him] for serving the university as dean for nearly a decade, and I’m grateful he will continue serving the university as a professor.”
Waller took over as dean in the spring of 2016 after serving as interim dean since 2015. He first joined the university as a visiting assistant professor in 1994, becoming a full professor in August 2007, according to the university. He became chair of the Department of Supply Chain Management when it was established in July 2011 and served as interim associate dean for executive education.
Chancellor Charles Robinson said he was grateful for Waller’s service to the College of Business, “which is stronger than ever thanks to his leadership and the faculty and staff in the college.”
“His influence on students, faculty, and staff has helped the Walton College grow to epic proportions, not only driving our university forward, but also supporting the state of Arkansas as a leading force for business education and research,” Robinson added.
The School of Business has led the way in the university’s recent enrollment uptick, as it’s up 600 students — a far larger increase than any other UA school — this year, to 2,417 students, according to Suzanne McCray, vice provost for enrollment and dean of admissions.
In recent years, the Walton College of Business has received plaudits from U.S. News and World Report, including being named one of the “Best Business Schools” and having one of the “Best Undergraduate Business Programs,” according to the university. Gartner Inc., cited the college for having the
country’s top undergraduate program in supply chain management in 2020 and 2022.
In addition, The Princeton Review credited the university for having one of the top graduate entrepreneurship programs in the country this year, its first appearance in those rankings. It was ranked 35th among the 50 schools listed in the rankings, co-published in November by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine, and number five in the South region.
“The epic group of leaders I work with have been instrumental in the college’s successes, and I am confident that the Walton College of Business will continue to be a leading force in business education and research,” Waller wrote in his letter. “It is a privilege to have been a part of this journey and to help our students achieve their academic and professional goals. I am certain that the college will continue to reach new heights.”
Waller has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Missouri and his Master of Science and doctorate — both in business — are from Penn State, according to the university. He was a partner and co-founder of Bentonville Associates Ventures in 1996-2002 and chief strategy officer and co-founder of Mercari Technologies in 1998-2002.
Waller, 58, co-authored “The Definitive Guide to Inventory Management: Principles and Strategies for the Efficient Flow of Inventory across the Supply Chain.” An academic paper he co-authored on total quality management is one of the most cited in the journal Decision Sciences, according to the university. Waller, the Sam M. Walton Leadership Chair, received the 2020 Distinguished Service Award from the Council of Supply Chain Management and the Whitney M. Young Award from the Urban League of Arkansas for his efforts to improve the lives of underserved Arkansans.
He obtained a $10 million endowment for the creation of the William Dillard Department of Accounting, he was recognized as part of Arkansas Business Publishing Group’s 250 Most Influential Leaders of 2020 in the State of Arkansas, and he was appointed by then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson to the Governor’s Transformation Advisory Board to make the organization and processes of state government more efficient and effective, according to the university. He’s on the board of directors of the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute and Private Equity Advisory Board of Natural Capital.