Stanislaus State names new dean of business

TURLOCK — The new business dean at California State University, Stanislaus knows her wine.

Linda Nowak, executive director of the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University, will take over as the new dean for the College of Business Administration on March 1.

"Dr. Nowak has a strong track record in strategic planning, curricular and fiscal management, fundraising, program review and development, accreditation, recruitment, continuing education, and endowment and advisory board management," Stanislaus State President Hamid Shirvani said in a news release. "She has demonstrated her leadership ability at various levels. We are pleased to have her at CSU Stanislaus."

A marketing professor, Nowak has worked at Sonoma State since 1996. She was looking at homes in the Turlock area Wednesday and could not be reached.

"Linda is great to work with," said Annemarie Brown, administrative manager at Sonoma State's School of Business and Economics. "We are going to miss her, but we are very happy for her."

Brown said Nowak developed strong relationships with community members and businesses. "Internally, the staff that have worked for her have always felt very supported."

Nowak has 15 years of industry experience in asset management, finance, development and marketing. The news release said her new duties include managing a major endowment fund, an executive advisory board, fostering relationships in the community, fund raising, program development, and undergraduate, graduate and continuing education programs.

At Stanislaus State, Nowak made a good impression when she met with some of the faculty.

"Pretty much from the departments to the president, she was the preferred candidate of the three we met," said Al Petrosky, chairman of the department of Management Operations and Marketing. "With her background, she might help us be a little more entrepreneurial."

Nowak holds a doctorate in business administration from St. Louis University, a master's degree in business administration from Mercer University and a bachelor of science degree from California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo.

She takes over for interim Dean Thomas Sandman, appointed in September when Nael Aly resigned from the post after two years. Aly and his colleagues said he was forced to resign, but interim Provost Herman Lujan and the administration said it was Aly's choice to return to the faculty, and that the interim dean was hired after that decision.

Petrosky said the department is focused on the future.

"All of us are looking forward to meeting her and learning what her ideas are for us."

Sonoma State's Brown said the faculty there understood a dean's position would be the likely next step for Nowak and supported her in her search.

"We were equally excited when she called with the news," Brown said. "We wish her good luck and hope she'll come back to visit."

Bee staff writer Patty Guerra can be reached at pguerra@modbee.com or 578-2343.