To his long list of Clemson University roles – from student to Clemson Dad — Professor Emeritus and BB&T Scholar of Economics Bobby McCormick will now add the title of interim dean of the College of Business and Behavioral Science, effective July 16. McCormick will succeed Charles Watt, who is taking on a new assignment as founding director of the Watt Family Innovation Center – currently under construction.
In announcing the appointment, President Jim Clements said McCormick enjoys the confidence and respect of the faculty, staff, students and alumni of the college and will provide strong leadership to enhance the college’s reputation, increase external support and engage faculty and staff in preparing for a permanent leader.
“I am humbled and proud to be given a chance to work with the people of my place, Clemson,” he said. “President Clements is engaged and excited about the future of our college. He has great faith in our faculty, students, curriculum, and most importantly, our future.”
McCormick said that in his role as an interim, he commits to three basic tenets: “Make sure the trains run on time, enhance visibility and exposure for the whole college, and prepare an audit for a new launch so the new dean can hit the ground running.”
McCormick earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Clemson and doctorate in economics from Texas A&M University. He currently serves as Senior Fellow at the Property Environment Economy Research Center in Bozeman, Montana, and also does consulting in a number of areas of expertise, including corporate financial affairs, business planning and development and environmental matters. He is currently an associate editor of the Journal of Corporate Finance. He also serves on the executive committee of the Will to Lead capital campaign.
As a faculty member in the Walker School of Economics at Clemson, McCormick earned numerous teaching awards, including the Prince Innovative Teacher of the Year, the Alumni Professor of the Year, the MBA Professor of the Year and the National Scholars Mentor Award.
“I’m pleased that Dr. McCormick has agreed to serve in this capacity, which will allow Dr. Watt to focus on developing the programs and partnerships that will make the Watt Family Innovation Center a success,” Clements said. “Dr. Watt has served the college well, but we know the Watt Center is his passion.”
