Dr. Elisha "Bear" Baker accepts permanent position of dean for CBPP

Dr. Elisha "Bear" Baker has accepted the permanent position of dean for the College of Business and Public Policy (CBPP).

Bear has served as interim dean since March 2008. His leadership in securing the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation has been critically important. The CBPP advisory board he formed is an important asset that helps sustain strong community connections and fundraising momentum. Bear's ongoing work statewide on behalf of the Center for Economic Development and with the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) CEO's education committee are just a few examples of Bear's leadership in connecting CBPP expertise with Alaska's needs. Read more.

Bear joined the CBPP faculty in 2002 as a professor in the Department of Logistics. A recipient of the University of Alaska Foundation's Harold T. Caven Professorship, Bear has also served as the director for the Alaska Center for Supply Chain Integration, and as associate dean for CBPP. The respect Bear enjoys broadly from faculty and staff is well-deserved.

Bear has more than 30 years of operations, project and enterprise leadership experience within engineering and management consulting, technology, manufacturing, distribution and higher education. Prior to coming to UAA, Bear served in executive and management positions with Amec, Fluor Daniel, Inc. and Kayburn, Inc., and worked as a consultant to Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, and Michelin Tire, among others. In addition, Bear has been an academic dean for the School of Engineering and Industrial Technologies at Oregon Institute of Technology, and a faculty member at UAF and Clemson University.

The continuity of Bear's leadership serves CBPP and UAA well. Please join us in celebrating this appointment. Congratulations, Bear.