The University of Lethbridge is excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Kerry B. Godfrey as the new Dean of the Dhillon School of Business.
“We’re very excited to welcome Kerry to the U of L and I know he’s eager to assume the role of dean at such an important time for the Dhillon School of Business,” says U of L Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Dr. Andy Hakin. “Kerry, in addition to bringing a wealth of experience with him, is very forward-thinking and keen on driving innovation. He is also very adept at establishing ties with the business community and creating a vibrant academic environment for faculty.”
Godfrey’s appointment is the latest of a number of major developments for the Dhillon School of Business in recent months, including the renaming of the school in March and accreditation recognition from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International and the Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) for the Bachelor of Management in Human Resources Management and Labour Relations program
“I am really looking forward to working with all the great people in the Dhillon School, both in Lethbridge and Calgary, and collaborating with colleagues right across the U of L and beyond,” says Godfrey. “I am a strong believer in educational innovation, and I’m quite keen to see how we can further leverage the School’s excellent track record, recent AACSB accreditation, and the tremendous naming gift from Mr. Dhillon to push the boundaries of learning opportunities available to all students and the community.”
Godfrey comes to the U of L from the University of Guelph where he served as Associate Dean (Academic) since 2012, and recently as Acting Dean of the College of Business and Economics. Previously, he was the Director of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Guelph from 2008 through 2012.
Originally from British Columbia, Godfrey earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Victoria, a Master of Science from the University of Surrey, UK and a PhD from the School of Planning, Oxford Brookes University, UK. He also obtained an Advanced Certificate in Educational Leadership and an MBA in Educational Management from the University of Leicester, UK.
Godfrey began his academic career at Oxford Brookes University, initially serving as Director of Graduate Programs in the School of the Built Environment. He then served as the inaugural Dean of Business at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland before returning to Canada in 2008 to join the University of Guelph.
In addition to his various roles in education, Godfrey has also been a non-executive director for FUSION, a company focused on supporting entrepreneurial innovation in the north of Scotland, as well as serving on numerous advisory panels and steering groups concerned with business education and enterprise productivity. His professional experience has primarily focused on Europe with project work in the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia, Cyprus, Malta, Finland, Canada and Thailand. Prior to returning to Canada, he was also a special advisor for the Cultural Heritage Division of the Council of Europe.
Godfrey became a Fellow of the UK's Chartered Management Institute in 2007 and has extensive experience in academic administration and strategic leadership, curriculum planning and development, faculty development initiatives, interdisciplinary programming, developing external professional accreditation and Internationalization.
Godfrey’s appointment is effective October 1, 2018 to June 30, 2023.
Associate Dean Dr. Shamsul Alam is currently serving as Acting Dean and working closely with Assistant Dean Dan Kazakoff to provide leadership, direction and continuity to the Dhillon School of Business.