Ira W. Bates, an associate professor of Accounting and Chair, Accounting & Finance and Business Law, has been interim dean of the FAMU School of Business and Industry. Bates will officially assume his new role on September 13th, following a public announcement made by FAMU Chief Operating Officer Donald Palm via a Friday afternoon Zoom meeting with the SBI community.
During the meeting, Palm read extensively from a prepared statement, outlining the transition and the university's plans to launch a national search for a permanent dean during the 2024-25 academic year. Palm was joined on the Zoom call by current SBI Dean Shawnta Friday-Stroud, who will transition into a new role as the Sybil Collins Mobley Endowed Chair and Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development within the school.
Bates, who joined the FAMU faculty in 2001 and became chair in 2008, holds a Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Arkansas, an MBA from the University of the Philippines, and a Bachelor of Science in Management from the University of Maryland. His extensive experience and leadership within the SBI community have earned him respect and admiration both within the school and across the university.
"Bates is an outstanding leader who has earned respect and admiration within the SBI community and across the university," Palm said. "His deep knowledge of the school will be an asset that will enable him to build on the school's success, and I look forward to seeing his vision implemented."
Palm also highlighted Bates' deep ties to the SBI community and his personal connections with the school's stakeholders, noting that he embodies the perfect blend of academic prowess and corporate engagement.
As interim dean, Bates is expected to continue the school's trajectory of success and implement his vision for the future of SBI, leveraging his extensive experience and leadership within the academic and business communities.