Radosevich first to hold Cofrin Endowed Chair at UW-Green Bay

David_Radosevich_webAssociate Prof. of Management David J. Radosevich has been honored at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay with his selection as the first individual to hold the University’s newly created Austin E. Cofrin Endowed Chair of Business.

Radosevich, chairman of UW-Green Bay’s Master’s of Management program, will begin his term as endowed professor Jan. 1. The initial appointment extends through June 30, 2018, and is renewable on a three-year basis thereafter.

Radosevich will be presented a medallion commemorating the prestigious honor Thursday, Jan. 22, during UW-Green Bay’s mid-year convocation to open the second semester. The award will be made by Chancellor Gary L. Miller and Provost Stephen E. Fritz.

In announcing the selection, Chancellor Miller praised Radosevich’s record of achievement.

“There are high expectations for this position, not only in terms of excellence in scholarship and teaching but also in leadership and advocacy for the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business,” the chancellor said. “Dr. Radosevich is someone who is going to interact effectively and proactively with business leaders, colleagues and other key stakeholders. I am confident his work will honor the innovative legacy of Austin E. Cofrin.”

Cofrin founded the Fort Howard Paper Co. in 1919 and turned the Green Bay-based manufacturer into one of the world’s largest tissue products companies. He died in 1980 at the age of 96. Industry colleagues praised Cofrin for his visionary leadership and resourcefulness in solving problems, achieving efficiencies and anticipating new markets.

It was a desire to more fully honor Austin Cofrin that led his son, Dr. David A. Cofrin, shortly before his death in August 2009, to announce a $5.5 million gift to the University. That contribution, the largest single private gift for academics in school history, provided funding for the endowed chair and other academic enhancements, and led to UW-Green Bay renaming its business program the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business. Taken collectively, Business Administration, Accounting and the Master’s of Management account for about 1,000 students and more than 6,000 alumni, or roughly one-fifth of all current and former students.

Radosevich has been a member of the Business Administration faculty at UW-Green Bay since 2003. He has been a frequent consultant to leading companies in the areas of executive assessment, selection, training, needs assessment, and performance management. Clients have included Wal-Mart, Schering Plough, New York State Police, Bell Atlantic and several other Fortune 500 companies.

His research examines variables in personal motivation and how individuals strive for goals over time. He has published extensively in journals including the Journal of Applied Psychology, International Journal of Business Research, Review of Business Research and Innovate. Additionally, he has studied the impact of technology in the classroom on student learning and satisfaction. He has taught courses in leadership and team development, organizational change and behavior, human resource management, research methods, statistics and psychology.

Radosevich received his bachelor’s in psychology from Western Maryland College in 1994 and his Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology from the University at Albany, State University of New York in 1999.

An endowed chair is a faculty position in a focused area of importance to the University. The chair is filled by a distinguished faculty member who has a national or international reputation in his or her field. The other endowed chair at UW-Green Bay is the John P. Blair Endowed Chair in Communication, created in 2005 and filled by Prof. Timothy Meyer until his retirement in 2013, when Prof. Phillip Clampitt was named to the position.

The Austin E. Cofrin School of Business is in the process of joining a select group of national peers by pursuing accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Chancellor Miller says the addition of an endowed chair to the program, along with the excellence in teaching, research and community service exemplified by Radesovich and his colleagues, should be positive factors as UW-Green Bay prepares for AACSB review.

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