Meet the new CBA dean

D. Michael Fields recently assumed the position of the new College of Business Administration dean. This Q-and-A conducted by Joan Mathieu, writer for CMU Public Relations and Marketing, gives you a chance to learn more about his background, experience, and the impact he will have at Central Michigan University.

What defines you most as a leader?

I worked in marketing for ten years between getting my undergraduate and graduate degrees, so my background includes a great deal of business involvement. As a result of that, I have a desire to make sure faculty are very involved with the business community. I am particularly impressed that the College of Business Administration lives its mission and that those associated with the college are very much learning centered and business connected. It’s not just something that’s put on paper – it’s a thing that they live. It drives them, and that is consistent with what I want as dean of a college. So, my leadership will be mission driven – strategic planning that has a strong focus on the business community.

What is the first thing you
have done as CBA’s new dean?

I have initiated a faculty committee on strategic planning. Its members have been charged with developing key performance indicators (KPIs) that are going to drive the efforts of the college. After the committee has established the KPIs, the college will make systematic measurements relative to each of the KPIs. Corresponding divisions in the college will be asked to develop specific plans for improvement when previously established short-term goals are not met. The resulting process will help us all work together to continuously improve the college.

Outside of the Applied Business Studies Complex, where will we see you on campus?

I plan to attend as many student meetings and events as I can to make sure students understand that I am a student-centered dean, not one who operates in his office and rarely comes out. Also, I am very much a team player. I will be a strong supporter of university efforts as well as those of my colleagues in other colleges at CMU. So, you should see me all over the campus. I certainly plan for that to be the case.

How will you enhance the visibility
of CBA’s faculty, staff, and programs
among alumni and friends?

My impression when I came back from my first visit to CMU was that CBA was a well-kept secret, a diamond-in-the-rough. I don’t think enough businesses, friends, and alumni understand how good this college is, so my key role will be to establish new relationships, nurture current ones, and undertake promotional efforts to help our stakeholders come to realize that our college is more than just a good college – it is truly a special place. That is a term you are going to hear often. I have come to believe it, and I want others to realize it as well.

What experiences qualified you for this job?

As I noted previously, I spent 10 years in industry before I went back to graduate school, so that has always made me very business connected, and that’s where I feel a real closeness and connection to this particular college. In addition, what has given me the greatest sense of professional satisfaction to this point in my career has been the development of innovative programs that have harnessed resources in new ways. I have been fortunate to have several successes of this type. The common thread of these programs was that each produced a “win” for all parties involved. Business colleges in general will be facing a difficult era in the next 10 years because of faculty shortages, competition with colleges with large endowments, and cuts in state funding.
It will be a particularly difficult time for us, and we can’t do business as usual. We must look for ways to be innovative and to get into the marketplace with new programs that add value to each partner and result in bringing more funds into the college.

How would you like to be thought of?

Very active, energetic, and focused. I want people to say of me that I have a clear sense of direction, a sense of urgency, and that I am trying to organize our resources relative to that sense of urgency.

What are some of your daily habits that
contribute to your well-being?

I get up early. I like quiet time to move into the day. I eat well and exercise. So, my wife and I will likely be frequent visitors to the SAC. The result, I believe, is that my cognitive age is younger than my chronological age. I think a key contributor to this is striving for balance in my life. Probably the best thing I have done for balance has to do with volunteering. On two different occasions, but most recently for the 16 months prior to moving to Mount Pleasant, I served as a weekly volunteer for Meals on Wheels. Delivering meals weekly to individuals who, in some cases, could not get out of bed helped me realize that, while I might have been facing some particularly difficult issues at work, I wasn’t really having a bad day. I am on a very steep learning curve right now that will temporarily take a big portion of my time, but I expect volunteering will be a part of my schedule in the future. Finally, for relaxation I play golf. I was pleasantly surprised to learn there are seven courses in and around Mount Pleasant. Now, I will just have to try to find the time to play.

D. Michael Fields’ career highlights:

• Associate dean of the College of Business Administration at Missouri State University

• Director of Missouri State University’s M.B.A. program

• Experience in sales, buying, management, and operations for Goldsmith’s Department Store, Kroger Co., Campbell Taggart, and a family supermarket chain