Executive director of entrepreneurship center to leave SU, become dean at Lynn University
In the dynamic world of business, mergers and acquisitions happen daily. Companies change, brands change, and most importantly, its leaders change.
Such is the case for Tom Kruczek, whose post at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management will end Aug. 1. The executive director of the Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship will transition to Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., as dean of its College of Business and Management.
‘This is just the right thing to do at the right time,’ Kruczek said.
Kruczek first began looking into Lynn in late March. After a yearlong, national search for a dean who would best fit Lynn’s culture, Kruczek was chosen by the university’s senior management and college deans, said Joshua Glanzer, director of public relations at Lynn University. One of Lynn’s biggest strengths lies in its involvement with the local community, and Kruczek has proven his interest in building a strong bridge between the two, Glanzer said.
‘We were looking for a dean of business who wouldn’t sit back in higher academia and not get involved,’ Glanzer said. ‘Kruczek really believes in applying the concepts and theories taught in business school to the real community.’
When Kruczek joined Whitman in February 2009, he was drawn to the energy of its students and the potential of Syracuse, he said. Though he had not planned on leaving SU, Kruczek saw the career opportunity and felt it was a good move for him, both personally and professionally.
Popular among students, Kruczek moved a couch into his office during his first weeks at SU. He wanted the world’s future entrepreneurs to feel comfortable talking to him about their intricate, sensitive ideas. One such student, Ryan Dickerson, founded his company Rylaxing LLC in November 2009 at the Falcone Center’s Couri Hatchery, an entrepreneurship haven for students to start businesses. Dickerson graduated in May with a major in economics and will return in the fall to pursue his MBA and masters in entrepreneurship. Kruczek was a key component to his success throughout college, he said.
‘For the past three years, I have been meeting with Tom every week, with no set curriculum or agenda,’ Dickerson said. ‘There was no homework, there was no text book, no schedule; Tom was just always there to listen to my ideas.’
Kruczek was an asset to the school, Dickerson said, known for relating to students, advocating their business plans, and involving the community.
‘Tom helped me connect with people, he helped me make sense of a business, and he helped me navigate the business world as a 19-year-old,’ Dickerson said. ‘I created my dream job with Tom’s help.’
The decision to leave was not an easy one, Kruczek said. SU brought him bright students, great faculty and an energized locale, all of which he’ll miss. ‘Syracuse has a great community with good, smart and giving entrepreneurs,’ Kruczek said. ‘We’ve got such a wonderful network here.’
Kruczek plans to transfer his successes from SU to Lynn. As dean, he hopes his ‘open-door’ policy will resonate with students, alumni and parents. Additionally, Kruczek said he will capitalize on Boca Raton’s business-centered community to engage the university with company leaders. Boca Raton is home to more than 25 company headquarters, including those of Office Depot, Tyco and NCCI Holdings Inc.
The search for a new executive director will begin within a few weeks, said Randy Elder, senior associate dean. Until then, it is likely that an interim director will be appointed, Elder said, but the specifics have not been discussed. Due to the strength of the administrative infrastructure within the Falcone Center, Elder assured there would be no external effect on students due to a temporary absence of a director. As the fall semester approaches, Elder said he would have a better idea of the next steps looking forward.
Currently, Whitman’s entrepreneurship program is ranked ninth by U.S. News & World Report. As for the maintenance of Whitman’s reputation and its flagship entrepreneurship program, Kruczek is not concerned.
‘It won’t be hard to find a replacement with a program like this,’ Kruczek said. ‘There are a lot of people looking to work in this environment, where the university really supports entrepreneurship.’
Kruczek’s departure marks the second entrepreneurship transition since June. Assistant professor Neil Tarallo will begin his tenure as academic director of the Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship at Cornell University in the fall, according to a news release from the university’s School of Hotel Administration.
‘The entrepreneurship department is in an evolutionary stage,’ Dickerson said. ‘Tom’s replacement must ultimately inspire action, support perseverance and resiliency, and have an underlying love and passion for the journey of entrepreneurship.’
Published on July 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm
