Two finalists announced for dean at Leeds

David L. Ikenberry

Kenneth A. Kavajecz

Two finalists have been named for the position of dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

David L. Ikenberry of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Kenneth A. Kavajecz of the University of Wisconsin-Madison were announced by William Kaempfer, chair of the search committee and vice provost and associate vice chancellor at CU-Boulder.

The position is expected to be filled during spring 2011.

Ikenberry, who will visit campus Nov. 17-20, is the associate dean of the College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His academic experience dates back to 1990, and he has held faculty and administrative positions at Rice University, the University of Washington and the University of Illinois. He has sat on several external boards and committees. He earned his doctorate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Ikenberry teaches investment and corporate finance and has been recognized for his excellent work in the classroom as a professor. In 2002, he was named as one of the best instructors in the nation by Business Week.

Kavajecz, associate dean for full-time master's programs and associate dean for the undergraduate program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Wisconsin School of Business, will visit campus Nov. 30-Dec. 3. A former assistant economist with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System's Division of Monetary Affairs, Kavajecz' academic experience dates to 1996. He has held faculty and administrative positions at Northwestern University, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned his doctorate at Northwestern University.

Kavajecz has been recognized for excellence in teaching and research. He received teaching awards for undergraduate and graduate level courses at Northwestern University and at The Wharton School.

Besides Kaempfer, search committee members include: Michael Stutzer, professor of finance; Phil Shane, professor of accounting; Kai Larsen, associate professor of information systems; Page Moreau, associate professor of marketing; Cathleen Burns, senior instructor of accounting; Victor Fleischer, associate professor of law; Aswad Allen, director of the Leeds School of Business Office of Diversity Affairs; Toni Blodgett, junior accounting major; Aaron Schlagel, master of business administration candidate; Peter Burridge, president and CEO of Greenhouse Partners and member of the Leeds School of Business Board; and John S. Fischer, CEO of Breakthrough Energy LLC and member of the Leeds School of Business Board.

Manuel Laguna, professor of operations and information management, is currently serving as interim dean of the Leeds School of Business. Laguna succeeded Dennis Ahlburg, who accepted the presidency of Trinity University in San Antonio.