Tim Mescon‚ Dean of the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University‚ has promoted four professors to chair the school’s departments and programs. The changes became effective January 1.

Richard Franza‚ Ph.D.‚ (Ga. Tech) is the new Chair of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship. He has been serving as acting chair of the department for several months. His research and expertise cover a variety of business topics including operations management‚ management of technology‚ process improvement‚ and project management. A retired United States Air Force officer‚ he managed research and development programs for the Strategic Defense Initiative or “Star Wars” program.

Govind Hariharan‚ Ph.D.‚ (SUNY Buffalo) becomes Chair of the Department of Economics‚ Finance and Quantitative Analysis. Hariharan has produced groundbreaking research on the cost of regulations‚ the economics of addictive behavior and the estate tax. He is on the Board of Advisors for the WellStar Institute of Better Health‚ and is a member of the American Economics Association and the International Health Economics Association.

“Rick and Govind have done an excellent job and have proven themselves to be true leaders‚” said Coles College Dean Tim Mescon‚ Ph.D. “We enthusiastically welcome them to their new positions.”

Two individuals with key positions related to the Coles College Executive MBA and executive education programs are taking permanent spots as well.

Larry Bell was promoted to Managing Director of the Coles College Executive Education Programs. He has served the past year as Acting Managing Director. A former AT&T executive‚ Bell has also served as Executive−in−Residence at the Coles College‚ and serves on the Coles College Executive Education Programs Advisory Board and the Coles College Advisory Board. He manages marketing functions‚ relationships with corporate sponsors and student prospects‚ and ongoing alumni programs.

Entrepreneur and business veteran Mike Salvador‚ Ph.D.‚ (Case Western) became Chair of the Department of Leadership & Professional Development‚ the core faculty dedicated full−time to Coles College Executive Education Programs. He has been Acting Chair for the past year. Salvador has overall responsibilities for program development and delivery‚ as well as the growth of future Executive Education Program offerings at the Coles College.

“In addition to doing an excellent job with our Executive MBA program‚ Larry and Mike have also spearheaded a new Masters Certificate program with IBM‚” Mescon said. “We anticipate more executive education programs benefiting the business community in the coming years.”