School of Business > UPDATE > Fall 2001 > Article

Message From the Chancellor

The University of Wisconsin–Madison has spent months searching for a School of Business dean who has the character, background and vision to take the school to a new level of prominence in the world of higher education and business. I am grateful to the search and screen committee and its chair, Professor James Johannes, for spending many hours sifting through an outstanding pool of candidates before narrowing the search to four finalists.

Chancellor Wiley

Each finalist possesses many strengths in a variety of areas. They have all been great leaders at their institutions and would have been capable of successfully leading the School of Business at UW–Madison.

However, one person stood out as a scholar and administrator best suited to lead the School of Business at this time. That person is Michael Knetter.

Michael is a Wisconsin native, who grew up in Rhinelander and completed his undergraduate studies in economics and mathematics at UW–Eau Claire. He completed his Ph.D. in economics at Stanford University before joining the faculty at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH, where he is a professor of international economics and the associate dean of the Amos Tuck School of Business.

Michael also has served as a senior staff economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisors for former presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton and is currently a research associate for the National Bureau of Economic Research.

His commitment to teaching and research and his willingness to use his knowledge for public service exemplifies the Wisconsin Idea. He will find himself in an excellent position to lead the School of Business at UW–Madison and will be able to build on the many improvements made by former Dean Andrew J. Policano.

Andy was recognized as one of the most innovative business school deans in the country and I am grateful to him for the decade of service and leadership that he provided to the school and institution. He oversaw the opening of Grainger Hall in 1993 and the Fluno Center for Executive Education in 2000. He also developed Executive MBA and Evening MBA programs and re-designed the school’s full-time MBA program. Under his direction, the school developed a unique undergraduate program in international business, and, in 1998, UW–Madison was named a Center for International Business Education and Research with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Just as important, Andy worked with School of Business alumni and friends around the world to increase the school’s endowment from $6 million, when he started, to almost $100 million today.

When he stepped down Sept. 1, Andy Policano left behind a solid base from which Michael Knetter can continue to enhance the reputation of the UW–Madison School of Business.

I know that Michael Knetter will quickly acquire the trust and admiration of all faculty, staff, students and alumni and I ask that you join me in welcoming Michael to UW–Madison.

John D. Wiley
Chancellor