Cliff Allen, associate dean of graduate programs at Portland State University’s School of Business Administration, has been appointed the new dean of the school. The announcement was made Monday by Sona Andrews, PSU’s provost and vice president for academic affairs.
Allen succeeds Dan Connolly, who leaves the post at the end of June. He will lead the school as it completes an expansion to triple its size. The new building – the Karl Miller Center – is scheduled to open in September 2017.
“We are poised to build upon our reputation as a great school with our fantastic faculty, revised curriculum and community engagement,” Allen said.
Allen has been with Portland State since 2008, first as an assistant professor, then developing new programs and recruiting faculty. He started the successful master’s program in Global Supply Chain Management, which was named by US News and World Report as one of the top 20 online graduate business programs in the country. He also started a program in Business Analytics and oversaw major curriculum updates to PSU’s MBA and MTax programs. He currently oversees seven graduate programs, international programs and admissions and recruitment staff at the SBA.
“It is wonderful that we have internal talent to step right into this role and continue the positive, forward momentum of the School,” Andrews said. “Cliff's industry and academic experience make him ideal for this position.”
Before coming to PSU, Allen was a supply chain specialist in private industry. He was a senior vice president at General Dynamics in Spokane, WA, and a vice president at 3Com Corporation in Salt Lake City. He also has been a supply chain and leadership consultant for companies such as Blount Industries, Hanna Andersson, The Standard Insurance, Fred Meyer Jewelers and the Bonneville Power Administration.
“Cliff is a prime example of what the SBA does best in that he combines real-world business experience and industry connections with a passion for education. It’s that combination that is helping PSU create the next generation of business leaders,” said PSU President Wim Wiewel.