Meet the Dean

Headshot of Dean Horan

H. Jess and Donna Senecal Endowed Dean’s Chair and Dean of the Business School at University of Redlands.

A Message from the Dean

Why? It’s such a simple question, but a critical one.

For the University of Redlands School of Business & Society, our defining answer both builds upon the traditions of the past and looks ahead to the future.

What is the why of business education and the Redlands School of Business & Society?

We believe that people with business education demonstrably improve both an organization’s bottom line and add important social value. We live in a highly connected era in which businesses do not operate in isolation but are immersed in relationships with employees, customers, suppliers, and communities. This holistic view of business is grounded in the liberal arts tradition but focused on the practical aspects of business success.

At the Redlands School of Business & Society, we are keenly focused on empowering our students to succeed through what we call 21st century business skills. Survey after survey reveals that employers recruit and promote professionals who have these particular broad technical, organizational, and people skills that allow them to work effectively in diverse situations.

We are organized to deliver these valued skills. Our centers and initiatives, including the Banta Center for Ethical and Purposeful Leadership, the Purposeful Leadership Initiative, the Center for Spatial Business, and the Spatial Business Initiative further distinguish our educational approach in technical and ethical dimensions.

This purpose builds on a rich tradition of creating opportunities for working professionals. University of Redlands was on the forefront of professional education when it created what was then called Whitehead College. Whitehead College eventually became the Redlands School of Education and the Redlands School of Business & Society. In the ensuing decades, the Redlands School of Business & Society has graduated more than 30,000 students. We are proud of this tremendous accomplishment and determined to reach ever-greater levels of achievement.

I am personally inspired by our mission and the commitment of members of our diverse student body, the great majority of whom are pursuing their degree while working full time. I am inspired by our dedicated faculty, who carry heavy teaching loads and often travel among campuses. Thus, my responsibility as dean is to work collaboratively with our faculty and staff to foster the best in teaching, research, and public engagement so that our students can achieve their aspirations.

Sincerely,

Thomas Horan
Dean, School of Business & Society
University of Redlands
Contact Dean Horan
909.748.8041
thomas_horan@redlands.edu

About Dean Horan

A nationally recognized scholar and innovator, Thomas A. Horan, the H. Jess and Donna Senecal Endowed Dean of the School of Business & Society, is leading the University of Redlands into a new era of business education.

As dean, Horan has created a strategic approach to advancing the school’s mission and has led a new set of initiatives and programs to enhance student-centeredness and success, embrace corporate and pathway partners, and implement new programs in leadership and spatial analytics. The quality of his leadership has already been recognized, as he played a crucial role in securing the School of Business & Society’s accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs in early 2018.

A New England native, he moved to California after finishing his B.A. (Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of Vermont to pursue an M.A. and Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Claremont Graduate University. After completing his Ph.D. in 1988, he spent five years as a senior analyst at the U.S. General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C., and two years as a senior fellow at George Mason University. He returned to Claremont Graduate University in 1995.

Over the following 23 years, Horan first rose to full professor, then dean of the School of Information Systems and Technology, followed by dean of the Drucker School of Management.

Over the course of his career, Horan has made a substantial impact on research and practice. He has:

  • Directed over $10 million in research and led centers in health informatics and spatial analytics
  • Published more than 130 articles and two books, as well as served on over 30 dissertation committees
  • Testified before the U.S. Congress and served as a technology consultant for the U.S. Department of Transportation
  • Served in the U.S. government as health informatics appointee to the American Health Information Community by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and was twice recognized by the White House for his health and safety innovations using GIS
  • Served in the private sector as a researcher and consultant to numerous entities, including Salesforce, Mayo Clinic, Continuum Development, Smart Traveler, Vital Data Technology, and Inland Empire Health Plan, and several of his innovations have improved health care and emergency response practices

Horan’s relationship with Esri, the global market leader in geographic information systems (GIS), spans 20 years and includes numerous research studies and collaborations in health, technology, supply chain, and economic development.

Horan has also been a visiting scholar at Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Hawaii, and University of Minnesota. Most recently he served as a visiting scholar at Hong Kong University’s Centennial College, where he helped lead the development of a master’s degree in management as a liberal art.