Amy Kristof-Brown
Amy Kristof-Brown, who has served as interim dean of the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business since March 1, will become the college’s permanent dean, UI officials announced today.
Ms. Kristof-Brown, also a Henry B. Tippie Research Professor of Management, will assume the new role Dec. 1. She succeeds Sarah Gardial, who was named dean of the Massey College of Business at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, in March 2020.
“Dean Kristof-Brown has demonstrated tremendous talent as interim leader of Tippie, and I know she will continue to move the college forward as its permanent leader,” said Kevin Kregel, interim executive vice president and provost, in a release. “I am delighted that she has agreed to serve the college and university in this way.”
Ms. Kristof-Brown was one of three finalists who participated in virtual campus visits in October and November – the second round of campus visits by prospective candidates after the University of Iowa relaunched an external search in June to “recruit a new and diverse pool of strong candidates.” After hosting virtual forums with three candidates in April and May, the university paused the search. In addition to Ms. Kristof-Brown, the UI hosted Paolo Volpin, who leads the Cass Business School at City University of London and Tom Steenburgh, senior associate dean for the University of Virginia-Charlottesville’s Residential MBA Program.
Ms. Kristof-Brown joined the Tippie faculty as an assistant professor in the Department of Management and Organizations in 1997. She served in numerous roles since, including director of the department’s graduate studies and department executive officer. She was named senior associate dean of the college in 2017.
She earned an undergraduate degree in psychology and business administration from the University of Richmond and a Ph.D. in organizational behavior and human resource management from the Maryland Business School at the University of Maryland. Her research interests focus on the compatibility or fit between individuals and their work environments. She is co-editor of the book “Organizational Fit: Key Issues and New Directions,” and has published more than 20 articles in academic journals, as well as several book chapters.
Ms. Kristof-Brown has served on 30 doctoral and master’s thesis committees. She is a past associate editor of the Journal of Applied Psychology and of the Journal of Business and Psychology, and is a fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the American Psychological Association.
She presents regularly to companies and student groups on topics including finding a good fit during the job search, the millennial and Gen Z workforce, managing change, and negotiating for what you need.
“Working through the challenges of 2020 with my colleagues in the Tippie College and at the University of Iowa has been truly inspiring,” she said. “I am excited to continue to develop our research reputation, build meaningful learning experiences for students, and engage deeply with our corporate and non-profit partners. I’m ready to lead Tippie to the next level as a destination business school for faculty, students, professionals, and life-long learners.”
Ms. Kristof-Brown will receive an annual salary of $450,000. Her appointment must be approved by the Iowa Board of Regents. CBJ
