Cornell appoints insider as dean

Cornell University has appointed 66-year old Joe Thomas, an operations and manufacturing professor, as dean of the Johnson school of business. Prof Thomas has been acting as interim dean since June 2007, when former dean Robert Swieringa stepped down.

Prof Thomas joined Cornell in 1967 and rose through the ranks to become a chaired professor. His teaching and research interests include supply chain integration and manufacturing strategy. He has also consulted in top US companies and conducted many executive education programmes.

The Johnson school has 86 full, visiting and adjunct faculty and more than 800 students. It has an annual budget of more than $60m and an endowment of $154m.

www.johnson.cornell.edu