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A New Dean in Town

Posted on Jan 22, 2008 in News

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David R. Klock, PhD, currently the dean of the College of Business Administration at California State Polytechnic University- Pomona, will become the new dean of UAB’s school of business on Mar. 1, 2008.

“Dr. Klock brings extensive experience in both the business and academic environments. He is a strong academic leader as well as a business entrepreneur. He built a health benefits company that became very well established in the industry standard.

Our school of business has a long tradition of being on the leading edge of both business, practice and education. His background makes him a perfect fit,” said Eli Capilouto the UAB provost.

Dr. Klock is more than qualified for the position as he as spent 11 years as chairman and CEO of CompBenefits Corp., a health care benefits provider that has become a staple in the health benefits market.
He joined the company in 1991 as president and led it to become a publicly traded company with over 800 employees and over three million dollars in revenue.

Klock’s prestigious academic career began as assistant professor of finance at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, VA. “Like our entire campus, our school of business has a long history of providing students with experiential learning opportunities and interaction with industry leaders. Dr. Klock is the perfect choice to continue this tradition,” said Capilouto.

He was employed by Texas Tech University and the University of Florida before finally spending ten years at the University of Central Florida as a professor of finance, chair of the finance department and fellow of the Phillips Institute for the study of American Business Activity.

Klock also served on numerous corporate boards including the Cheesecake Factory, Province Healthcare and other local organizations. He has been both an author and a co-author for several books, and journal articles and is active in numerous professional associations.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from the Northeastern University in Boston, and his master’s and doctorate in finance from the University of Illinois.

“The school of business at UAB is a place of excellence that creates opportunity for student growth, and for faculty research that can make a material long-term contribution to business and community growth,” said Klock.

With more than 2,000 students from all over the world attending the school of business, the program has certainly flourished and garnered a lot of respect for the University. All seven of the majors offered by the school of business can expect the same quality education to continue in the coming years under the guiding influence of Dr. Klock.

“The majors in the school of business are continually reviewed to be sure they meet the needs of students and employers by maintaining the highest relevance and innovation in curriculum, instructional methods, scholarships and professionalism,” said Capilouto.

It does not seem that this quality program needs any sort of overhaul or dramatic changes, and students can continue to expect the highest quality of education available.

UAB’s tradition of excellence will continue to flourish with Dr. Klock’s influence and example of success, which result from his history in business and education careers.