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Smeal College Announces
New Associate Dean For Executive Education

The Smeal College of Business Administration has named Dr. Christopher von Schirach-Szmigiel as Associate Dean for Executive Education.

Schirach-Szmigiel's responsibilities include creating and delivering new customized executive education programs, and promote the portfolio for educational programs to customers. He will identify corporate opportunities that lead to research partnerships and work with the College's Research Center Directors, faculty and staff to generate and respond to business opportunities in the areas of executive and management development and education. He will assume his new responsibilities on March 1, 2001.

"We are thrilled that Dr. Schirach-Szmigiel is joining Smeal College. Christopher has been at the forefront of knowledge management for the global economy and brings a deep international experience. He has led the design, marketing, and delivery of executive and custom programs for major corporate leaders," says Judy Olian, Dean of Smeal College.

He is currently Director of Ericsson Corporation's Management Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. During his five years at the Institute, Schirach-Szmigiel developed and directed numerous programs, including The Ericsson Executive in Global Perspective Program; The Advanced Ericsson Strategy Program; The Business Intelligence Program; and the Ericsson Partnership Program. Prior to his arrival at the Ericsson Management Institute, Schirach-Szmigiel was Director of Unilever's Management Programs from 1992-1996.

"I am looking forward to my new role and to further advancing Smeal College's reputation as a global developer of strategic competence for corporations and public institutions," says Schirach-Szmigiel.

He notes that key topics for future programs will include globalization, corporate restructuring, e-business, information management, and creating growth through new business models.

"Dr. Schirach-Szmigiel will further advance our international reputation in executive education and for building organizational competitiveness and leadership effectiveness," says Jeffrey L. Spearly, Director of Penn State Executive Programs in the Smeal College of Business Administration.

Schirach-Szmigiel actively teaches in the areas of corporate strategy and international management in corporate and university executive programs throughout the world. His distinguished career includes serving as visiting professor at the Stern Graduate Business School in New York and the Internal Executive MBA Program at Kasetsart University in Bangkok. He was associate professor at the Stockholm School of Economics, too.

In addition to his career in higher education, Schirach-Szmigiel has served as an advisor to the Government of Sweden and Ministry of Transportation and Communication, the Swedish Trade Council, and as a strategic consultant for corporate development at Audi-Volkswagen. He has authored numerous books, research papers and articles.

Penn State Executive Programs and the Smeal College of Business Administration are leaders for building organizational competitiveness and leadership effectiveness.