Leading the Walton College into the Future with Brent Williams
For his last episode as host of the podcast before transitioning the hosting duties, Matt sits down with incoming interim dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business, Brent Williams, to discuss the future of the Walton College and Brent's experience that has prepared him for this role. They begin the episode with Brent discussing his broad range of experiences at the Walton College and Matt and Brent's relationship for 20+ years that began with Brent as a Walton College student. They then move into a discussion around the future of the Walton College and what Brent's focus will be. Brent hopes to instill in students at the College a mindset of solving business problems at the intersection of technology, data, people and processes to prepare them for the future. Brent also shares details of the Walton College's strategic plan that was recently revised with an emphasis on developing the student experience, growing graduate programs, and increasing research impact. He also discusses the College's connectivity throughout the state of Arkansas, our unique connection with industry and how the optimism in Northwest Arkansas acts as a tailwind for the College.
Transcript
When our students are solving business
Brent Williams:problems, they're managing their leading, they're solving
Brent Williams:business problems. They're trying to innovate within a
Brent Williams:company. I think they've got to do that at an intersection of,
Brent Williams:of technology, data, people and process.
Matt Waller:Excellence, professionalism, innovation, and
Matt Waller:collegiality. These are the values the Sam M. Walton College
Matt Waller:of Business explores in education, business, and the
Matt Waller:lives of people we meet every day. I'm Matt Waller, Dean of
Matt Waller:the Walton College, and welcome to the be epic podcast. I have
Matt Waller:with me today, Brent Williams, who is the interim dean of the
Matt Waller:Sam M. Walton College of Business. And he has been with
Matt Waller:the University of Arkansas for many years. He actually got his
Matt Waller:master's degree from the University of Arkansas, in
Matt Waller:logistics and supply chain. And then he got his PhD in 2008,
Matt Waller:from the University of Arkansas, and then he went to TCU, Texas
Matt Waller:Christian school, university, which is the Neeley School of
Matt Waller:Business. And then he was at Auburn University. And then he
Matt Waller:came here to the Walton College once again, back in 2011. He has
Matt Waller:also served as chair of the department of supply chain
Matt Waller:management, he served as interim Chair of the Department of
Matt Waller:Marketing, Associate Dean, and now interim dean. So Brent from
Matt Waller:being a master student to a PhD student to lots of different
Matt Waller:administrative positions and faculty positions, including in
Matt Waller:two different departments. And then associate dean, you've had
Matt Waller:a wide range of responsibilities in your, in your career here. So
Matt Waller:you're, you're you're very well prepared to be interim dean. But
Matt Waller:thank you for letting me interview you.
Brent Williams:Well, thanks for having me. And a lot of that
Brent Williams:opportunity to get a real broad set of experiences is due to
Brent Williams:you. You've always allowed me the ability to try new things
Brent Williams:and and be a part of the new initiatives that we're taking on
Brent Williams:so you deserve most of the credit for that.
Matt Waller:Well, I have to say, I always look for people
Matt Waller:who are high performers and have lots of ability and deliver. And
Matt Waller:you have done that the entire time I've known you going back
Matt Waller:20 years.
Brent Williams:I know.
Matt Waller:Can you believe it? No, I remember clearly still to
Matt Waller:this day, when you and Jennifer came to my office considering
Matt Waller:getting a master's degree.
Brent Williams:And and and you still let me in after that after
Brent Williams:that conversation.
Matt Waller:That was really it was it was clear to me that you
Matt Waller:would be a great choice. I I actually was already thinking at
Matt Waller:that point. I think I even told Suzanne, afterwards that I
Matt Waller:thought you would be a good professor so.
Brent Williams:Well, you are right, that, you know, it's kind
Brent Williams:of rare, particularly in one institution, I have, you know,
Brent Williams:been at a couple of other institutions. But to get to be a
Brent Williams:student, to be a faculty member, to be a department chair, to be
Brent Williams:Associate Dean, senior associate dean and now interim dean.
Brent Williams:That's, that's pretty rare to get to see an organization from
Brent Williams:that many dimensions.
Matt Waller:Yeah. And, of course, working together over
Matt Waller:the years. I mean, I have brought you into my most
Matt Waller:strategic endeavors everywhere. I mean, even when you were a
Matt Waller:student, and we worked on the big project with General Mills
Matt Waller:and Walmart, you were the one really doing the work and from
Matt Waller:the very beginning,
Brent Williams:Well, I've I've loved those challenges, but it's
Brent Williams:been particularly fun to work with you. And in some ways this
Brent Williams:change is going to be a really big change for probably both of
Brent Williams:us. We've worked very, very closely together for 20 years.
Matt Waller:Absolutely. Well, and you also have helped a lot
Matt Waller:with the accreditation of the college, the strategic planning.
Matt Waller:You've led these things, but you've also taken leadership
Matt Waller:roles in the founding of the McMillon Innovation Studio. And
Matt Waller:if you're listening, you don't know what that is. You should
Matt Waller:look it up. It's an amazing offering that we have. We also
Matt Waller:have Walton College at 2nd and Main in downtown Little Rock
Matt Waller:where we offer exec ed. You headed that up. And you've done
Matt Waller:many other things but in addition to that, You've been a
Matt Waller:great researcher, you've published in top journals like
Matt Waller:Journal of Business Logistics, Journal of Pperations
Matt Waller:Management, Production Operations Management, Decision
Matt Waller:Sciences, and other top journals in our field. So again, you've
Matt Waller:done so much to prepare you for this, that most Dean's, in my
Matt Waller:opinion, and I'm aware of Dean's getting positions all the time,
Matt Waller:haven't had the breadth of experiences you've had, and are
Matt Waller:successful researchers, because you can find some that have a
Matt Waller:lot of experience broadly. But they're not great researchers or
Matt Waller:vice versa, you've been able to do both, and we need that in a
Brent Williams:You know, I think that one reason, there's a
Brent Williams:leader.
Brent Williams:couple of reasons for that, I think one of having great co
Brent Williams:authors and an excellent network. And, and we've got a
Brent Williams:we've got a track record of great PhD students coming
Brent Williams:through the department of Supply Chain Management, you know,
Brent Williams:that, and, you know, being able to work with PhD students, even
Brent Williams:as a department chair or an Associate Dean, or in your case,
Brent Williams:Dean, you know, that gives you the ability to really stay
Brent Williams:engaged. But also and you you taught me this, you it was maybe
Brent Williams:inadvertently, but you taught it to me, you taught me that
Brent Williams:working with industry and research could create synergies.
Brent Williams:And sometimes that gets missed in our industry, right? We did
Brent Williams:lots of projects, starting when I was a master student,
Brent Williams:particularly when I was a doctoral student, and since
Brent Williams:then, with industry partners that that I think, created
Brent Williams:thought leadership, I think it it helped our partners improve
Brent Williams:their businesses, and we've published them. And you know, I
Brent Williams:don't know, I think that's been that's been probably the secret
Brent Williams:sauce, probably for both of us as researchers.
Matt Waller:Definitely I, you know, I always part of the
Matt Waller:reason I've always had that orientation is that, you know,
Matt Waller:in academics, we're supposed to be building theory, a lot of
Matt Waller:times when people hear theory, they think that means something
Matt Waller:that's not relevant, but it really means an ability to
Matt Waller:explain, describe, and predict, whatever the phenomena is, could
Matt Waller:be forecasting could be supply chain design, it could be
Matt Waller:marketing, whatever it is, theory is actually good theory
Matt Waller:is helpful. I think the challenge is so much theory
Matt Waller:tends to be built in a vacuum. Whereas what we're trying to do
Matt Waller:is to be engaged with the real world, and solve real problems
Matt Waller:and develop theory, in areas that are where it's really
Matt Waller:needed to solve problems.
Brent Williams:I couldn't agree more. You know, and, Matt, I
Brent Williams:believe, I think you believe the same. We have a lot of
Brent Williams:advantages as the Walton College of Business, but maybe the most,
Brent Williams:you know, our best competitive advantage is our connection to
Brent Williams:industry. And, you know, there's some universities and business
Brent Williams:schools in bigger markets than we're in. But the connectivity
Brent Williams:of business in this community and the openness to collaborate,
Brent Williams:is a real advantage.
Matt Waller:It is. It's unusual. I had a dean at a
Matt Waller:really high, highly ranked business school that isn't close
Matt Waller:to a lot of business. They're close to some big cities. But
Matt Waller:you know, he told me, If you all could just have our buildings,
Matt Waller:and we could have your connections to industry. And I
Matt Waller:thought, wow, I would rather have my connections to industry
Brent Williams:That's exactly right.
Matt Waller:It not only helps us do a better job in research,
Matt Waller:but it also helps us do a better job of teaching. And it helps us
Matt Waller:do a better job of placing students in great jobs.
Brent Williams:I couldn't agree more. And again, synergies
Brent Williams:amongst those things, but as you know, you know, critical to our
Brent Williams:mission is, is transforming lives. You know, we say in our
Brent Williams:vision statement, we're a catalyst for transforming lives.
Brent Williams:We, we don't say that we do it alone, right? I mean, that
Brent Williams:catalyst word is something I've been thinking a lot about
Brent Williams:lately. You know, and we, we create the platform for it to
Brent Williams:happen. But you know, faculty and industry partners are a
Brent Williams:really, really key part of that equation.
Matt Waller:You know, Brent, I want to shift gears here and
Matt Waller:look ahead a little bit. And people always say, as long as
Matt Waller:I've been around, the world is changing. Business is changing,
Matt Waller:and it's changing faster than it used to be. And so you could
Matt Waller:say, well, then, people always think that whatever stage
Matt Waller:they're in. And I won't belabor the point. But there's lots of
Matt Waller:evidence that the rate of change has been steadily increasing
Matt Waller:since the Industrial revolution. And you know, many people think
Matt Waller:we're entering into a another industrial revolution because of
Matt Waller:certain technologies that are being created. These changes
Matt Waller:create a new situation. And I think as a business school, I
Matt Waller:know you have been giving this a lot of thought, you've been
Matt Waller:thinking about, how should a business school change in light
Matt Waller:of the changes that we're seeing in the economy? Would you mind
Matt Waller:speaking to that a little bit?
Brent Williams:Yeah, as you as you know, I agree completely
Brent Williams:right, that we are entering into a new phase of change, even more
Brent Williams:rapid, rapid change. And, you know, if I just stop and pause
Brent Williams:on students, and how do we prepare them? I guess that's
Brent Williams:really what's on my mind is not only how do we prepare them for
Brent Williams:the first job, but how do we really prepare them to succeed
Brent Williams:in the long run? And I believe, as we as we think about our
Brent Williams:roles in that, I think that I think currently and particularly
Brent Williams:in the future, when our students are solving business problems,
Brent Williams:oh, I would say, you know, they're managing their leading,
Brent Williams:they're solving business problems. They're trying to
Brent Williams:innovate within a company. I think they've got to do that at
Brent Williams:an intersection of, of technology, data, people and
Brent Williams:process, you know, and I think maybe it hasn't been that long
Brent Williams:ago that we our mindset. And I think it's mindset that's going
Brent Williams:to be critical for our students. But I think, you know, you could
Brent Williams:think about solving business problems at the intersection
Brent Williams:often of process and people. But we know today that you have to
Brent Williams:intersect with that technology and data. And and oh, yeah, by
Brent Williams:the way, I don't think you can think about solving a business
Brent Williams:problem purely with technology and data absent of people and
Brent Williams:process. And so I think it's really teaching students to
Brent Williams:lead, manage, and solve problems at that intersection is what's
Brent Williams:going to be so critical. And, you know, I don't know that that
Brent Williams:means that we can teach them every emerging technology, but
Brent Williams:we have, they have to have a mindset, you know, to where they
Brent Williams:get exposure with us. They understand how it's being
Brent Williams:applied. And then they have the curiosity to go learn and apply
Brent Williams:in new ways that either they've not seen or really haven't even
Brent Williams:been invented yet. And then as leaders of people, and most of
Brent Williams:our students will lead people in some way, shape or form. I think
Brent Williams:they've then got to think about how do they bring people
Brent Williams:alongside that change, you know, and help the people harmonize
Brent Williams:with the technology in a way that that improves the life of
Brent Williams:that person and improves the overall profitability of the
Brent Williams:organization.
Matt Waller:You know, Brent, your point is so spot on, you
Matt Waller:know, and sometimes you see business schools saying, well,
Matt Waller:we don't want to teach current technology, because it's going
Matt Waller:to go away. But I've always thought, well, no, you do
Matt Waller:because that technology might go away. But the ability to learn a
Matt Waller:new technology and then apply it to a new problem is valuable.
Brent Williams:Yeah. I was telling this story yesterday,
Brent Williams:that before I started the master's program, I don't know
Brent Williams:if you remember this. I'm sure I went through a university
Brent Williams:orientation. I don't exactly remember that. What I do
Brent Williams:remember, is you making sure that I went and spent time at
Brent Williams:Walmart, learning the processes and technology. I shadowed
Brent Williams:basically, and that technology is not used anymore. Was that
Brent Williams:valuable for 20 years for me? Yes. Right. Because I started to
Brent Williams:see how the technology the people and the process, were
Brent Williams:interacting with one another. So I think I think that's a flawed
Brent Williams:way of thinking of just because the technology, maybe it doesn't
Brent Williams:stick or maybe it ends up getting applied in ways that we
Brent Williams:don't think it's going to be applied today. Again, I think
Brent Williams:it's about that mindset, you know, have at that intersection.
Matt Waller:Well, you know, when you went and I remember
Matt Waller:when when I asked you to go to Walmart and spend time in
Matt Waller:replenishment. At that time, we were doing research on
Matt Waller:replenishment, I had been doing research on it as well. And I
Matt Waller:had the benefit of all, I had been in so many situations where
Matt Waller:I had actually been involved with a company touching the
Matt Waller:technology, trying to figure out how to improve what they're
Matt Waller:doing. And so when you spent time at Walmart in
Matt Waller:replenishment, it is true, you were exposed to a technology
Matt Waller:that isn't being used now. I would argue it probably is one
Matt Waller:of the best technologies still out there for for replenishment.
Matt Waller:And, you know, one good thing about learning a new technology
Matt Waller:like that, and seeing how people interact with it, I remember,
Matt Waller:one of the things you learn from it again, this is over this is
Matt Waller:20 years ago about but was that the users, this is an important
Matt Waller:point, many of the users of that great technology for
Matt Waller:replenishment forecasting didn't because they in some cases, they
Matt Waller:really understood the theory of inventory management forecasts
Matt Waller:are they could play well. But there were some people in any
Matt Waller:organization that's using replenishment and forecasting
Matt Waller:technology, they don't understand the theory behind it.
Matt Waller:And as a result, they're kind of like a mindless, they'll say,
Matt Waller:Oh, if I change this variable, maybe if I increase the time
Matt Waller:between replenishments, we'll have fewer stockouts. And it's
Matt Waller:true. But you don't want to increase safety stock that way,
Matt Waller:which is essentially what it's doing, it's forcing safety
Matt Waller:stock, but then it's throwing off all kinds of other
Matt Waller:variables. And so if you really understand the theory, think,
Matt Waller:okay, I could have more inventory in between
Matt Waller:replenishments, that'll increase my fill rate through for the
Matt Waller:year, or I can increase my safety stock where I could make
Matt Waller:the lead times shorter, or I could in the real world, not in
Matt Waller:a system. But I remember you really understood that after
Matt Waller:having gone through that, that process. Whereas, you know, and
Matt Waller:I think that then as the benefit to us as professors, is it helps
Matt Waller:motivate us to teach this material, because we realize,
Matt Waller:oh, they really need to understand this, because you see
Matt Waller:people misapplying these ideas in practice so often.
Brent Williams:Yes. And I think that when you think about our
Brent Williams:student experience, this why I think, you know, I think our
Brent Williams:College of Business, at least I'm going to speak for, I think
Brent Williams:creates tremendous value. Now, I think that students can some get
Brent Williams:more value out of that opportunity in the other. But
Brent Williams:when I think about the real sweet spot, you know, I think
Brent Williams:about a student who is getting the most out of the classroom,
Brent Williams:you know and hey, some of those concepts may have held true for
Brent Williams:decades.
Matt Waller:Yeah,
Brent Williams:You know, and then take that into a work
Brent Williams:environment. And more and more we find our students are working
Brent Williams:while they're in school, which I encourage and I know you do,
Brent Williams:too. We want them in internships, we want them in co
Brent Williams:ops. But really what we want is the ability to take what's being
Brent Williams:learned and apply it and understand it in application,
Brent Williams:whether that application succeeds or fails, and then
Brent Williams:bring that back into the classroom in a way that informs
Brent Williams:the learning. And now you have a loop that is really, really
Brent Williams:meaningful. And so I think I learned that not only in that
Brent Williams:experience, but I learned it doing internships, and I've
Brent Williams:learned it throughout my life in terms of learn, apply, learn,
Brent Williams:apply. And I think it's just a really important part of the
Brent Williams:experience that our students have the ability to access.
Matt Waller:Well, you know, the other thing that's interesting
Matt Waller:that I think sometimes people don't think about, but when
Matt Waller:you've got a Dean, who not only has been involved in the school,
Matt Waller:but he's been involved in industry. I mean, you know,
Matt Waller:executives, all these companies around here are the suppliers,
Matt Waller:the big three, Big Four, counting them ArcBest and
Matt Waller:others. I mean, that helps glue, bring the glue to the school if
Matt Waller:you were if you didn't have that experience, you wouldn't even
Matt Waller:know necessarily what the size of the opportunity was in terms
Matt Waller:of internships. I know internships are really important
Matt Waller:to you.
Brent Williams:They are they are and that's something that
Brent Williams:has grown and developed for me over time. And I think I think
Brent Williams:it's, I think it's the experience of teaching, engaging
Brent Williams:with students, mentoring them. But then being out in industry,
Brent Williams:you know, every single week in some way, shape or form, both of
Brent Williams:us have been, you know, you get to see, you get to see those in
Brent Williams:industry talking about, you know, the contribution that
Brent Williams:those students can make. You know, and I'll say, my, my time
Brent Williams:at the Walton College, it has allowed me to work with all the
Brent Williams:companies here in Northwest Arkansas, the large companies,
Brent Williams:and you're right, we've got relationships with all of them.
Brent Williams:When I think back to our decision to found Walton College
Brent Williams:at 2nd and main, in Little Rock. This was a great experience for
Brent Williams:me, I'm from Arkansas, I grew up in Arkansas. And you know, so
Brent Williams:it's probably something I wanted to do intrinsically, I think I
Brent Williams:was intrinsically motivated by it. I think the benefit that I
Brent Williams:don't know, that I anticipated, was the ability to now have
Brent Williams:those relationships in Central Arkansas and throughout the
Brent Williams:state. So, you know, you think about the Stephens organization
Brent Williams:in Little Rock that has been so meaningful to this state,
Brent Williams:Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, the hospital systems, you know,
Brent Williams:I could keep going on and on. But that's really important. And
Brent Williams:then, you know, what, there's some great businesses
Brent Williams:particularly agriculturally focused in the Delta of
Brent Williams:Arkansas, and, you know, I want our students connected to all of
Brent Williams:that in some way, shape, or form. And I think work
Brent Williams:experiences and internships is if, if, if an executive asked
Brent Williams:me, how can I help the Walton College, there's lots of ways,
Brent Williams:but probably my first ask is going to be hire an intern.
Matt Waller:I agree with you. And, you know, if you have kids
Matt Waller:that are in college, or going to be in college soon, you have
Matt Waller:this feeling, I mean, what parent doesn't want their kid in
Matt Waller:great internships. Right? And I, I was just, I was just talking
Matt Waller:to a parent who has a kid at not not in the Walton College, but
Matt Waller:at a another SEC business school. And she was relating to
Matt Waller:me, because they also have a kid here, the difference in terms of
Matt Waller:the ability to get great internships with unbelievable
Matt Waller:companies, or even an internship with a early stage company,
Matt Waller:because we have the venture intern program, if you're
Matt Waller:listening to this, and you know, someone that might be
Matt Waller:interested, you can look that up the venture intern program,
Matt Waller:which I love, because, I mean, it's wonderful. If you can get
Matt Waller:an experience with an early stage company and a big company.
Brent Williams:Absolutely.
Matt Waller:And I remember back to the Little Rock thing,
Matt Waller:something that needs to be said is I was trying to figure out
Matt Waller:where to put my effort geographically because I can't
Matt Waller:remember how this happened. But somehow I realized, the Walton
Matt Waller:College is doing great in Northwest Arkansas, but we need
Matt Waller:to venture outside of Arkansas. And you actually were the one
Matt Waller:that said I would really focus on Central Arkansas to start
Matt Waller:with and I thought, well, that would be great. But how? And
Matt Waller:then of course, I had that meeting with Warren Stephens.
Matt Waller:And he really opened the opportunity for us to do that.
Brent Williams:He did. He truly did. I think he saw an
Brent Williams:opportunity for us, you were willing to take the risk and say
Brent Williams:yes, and and then I was in a position to be able to help make
Brent Williams:it happen.
Matt Waller:Yeah.
Brent Williams:And, and that, if you recall, it started with
Brent Williams:building relationships. And, you know, in doing that, you know, I
Brent Williams:think we've gotten more of our students hired.
Matt Waller:Yes.
Brent Williams:I know, we've succeeded in executive
Brent Williams:education, which which is our main focus there. We are
Brent Williams:providing noncredit education and working directly customizing
Brent Williams:programs with companies using the expertise in the Walton
Brent Williams:College. And and I know it's worked, because we increasingly
Brent Williams:engage with organizations that I actually probably never would
Brent Williams:have thought possible. Many of them are our state, governmental
Brent Williams:organizations that we've had a chance to assist, which makes
Brent Williams:our state better off but also, you know, many, many companies
Brent Williams:there but it does all come back to building those relationships
Brent Williams:and and Mr. Stephens was was truly the one that made that
Brent Williams:happen.
Matt Waller:You know, and I remember early on, we got a new
Matt Waller:client in Little Rock a big one and I was talking, I can't
Matt Waller:remember who I was talking to. But one of the executives,
Matt Waller:you'll know this story, maybe you were there. And I said, how
Matt Waller:did you find out about us? And they said that they were just
Matt Waller:walking down the street and saw Walton College, the 2nd and main
Matt Waller:and thought, what is this? I don't remember if they went in,
Matt Waller:or they Googled it, but somehow they found out about it, that
Matt Waller:led to one of our biggest clients.
Brent Williams:That's exactly right. You know, so I think
Brent Williams:it's, I think, you know, and for us, it's probably a lesson for
Brent Williams:us as administrators and leaders of colleges. I mean, it is very,
Brent Williams:very important to be present, you know, throughout our state
Brent Williams:and engaged with business. Because you just never know what
Brent Williams:opportunity that that's going to lead to.
Matt Waller:You really don't. And that gets to another point.
Matt Waller:You know, we've talked about technology and the future, but
Matt Waller:you, you've been leading our strategic planning, development
Matt Waller:and would you mind speaking to that a little bit, just in terms
Matt Waller:of how you went about it? And then what we're going to be
Matt Waller:doing in the future?
Brent Williams:Yeah, absolutely. We did revise our
Brent Williams:strategic plan, about a little over a year ago. And, you know,
Brent Williams:we decided too that we thought the best thing to do to move
Brent Williams:forward was to develop a stakeholder focused plan, that
Brent Williams:was really relatively short term in nature. And so, you know, in
Brent Williams:doing that, we really looked at key stakeholders, our students,
Brent Williams:our faculty, our business and alumni partners, and then
Brent Williams:society at large, and, and, and identified with, with a fairly
Brent Williams:extensive group of faculty and staff that were served as
Brent Williams:conduits to all the departments and units of like, what were
Brent Williams:really some important things that we could accomplish, that
Brent Williams:would, that would make the Walton College even more
Brent Williams:valuable to our stakeholders. And those, as you will know,
Brent Williams:right, those stakeholders abroad, you know, it's our
Brent Williams:faculty and staff, it's our students, it's our parents, it's
Brent Williams:our alumni. And it's the businesses throughout the state.
Brent Williams:And, you know, it's the state of Arkansas. So there's a broad set
Brent Williams:of stakeholders that we serve. And, you know, I think, Matt, as
Brent Williams:we go into, as we go into next year, there's really a few
Brent Williams:things that were from that strategic plan that we're really
Brent Williams:going to focus on, over the next year. And we've already talked
Brent Williams:about one of those. And it's, it's, it's that student
Brent Williams:experience in making sure that, that internships and work
Brent Williams:opportunities and experiential learning opportunities are there
Brent Williams:for our students that complement what's happening in the
Brent Williams:classroom, you know, it, those things complement each other. So
Brent Williams:when you got a wonderful faculty, like we have, and then
Brent Williams:and then you have these experiences, I really think you
Brent Williams:truly create value for students and families. And then, you
Brent Williams:know, I really want us to be able to build on the platform
Brent Williams:that I feel like you've established and that's our
Brent Williams:graduate programs, as you know, well, know, you you made this
Brent Williams:happen. We've been able to stand up many masters programs that
Brent Williams:are specialized, and that provide working professionals
Brent Williams:with skills they need, whether that be in analytics, supply
Brent Williams:chain marketing, coming up soon product innovation, and that
Brent Williams:goes alongside an amazing Executive MBA program that is
Brent Williams:remarkably healthy, that serves professionals, not only in
Brent Williams:Northwest Arkansas, our state and actually beyond that, and
Brent Williams:our full time MBA program. I just, I think in our graduate
Brent Williams:programs, we have the opportunity now to take that
Brent Williams:platform and grow it and share it with more people. And I
Brent Williams:think, particularly, you know, you go back to the rate of
Brent Williams:change in business. I think these master's programs offer a
Brent Williams:wonderful opportunity for professional that it may have
Brent Williams:been a while, you know, so since they've been in college, they're
Brent Williams:probably learning all on their own along the way. A graduate
Brent Williams:program can accelerate that learning. And so that's really
Brent Williams:important. I think a third thing that's really important for us
Brent Williams:is to grow our research impact um and I didn't necessarily say
Brent Williams:grow you know, our research, I really think that research is
Brent Williams:the core of who we are as, as faculty members. And you know,
Brent Williams:there's ways we can share that. And you mentioned theory
Brent Williams:building. And that is remarkably important. And that's why we
Brent Williams:publish in academic journals. It's why we want that work to be
Brent Williams:cited and be built upon. And we are knowledge builders, as
Brent Williams:faculty. But there's other ways to let that research have an
Brent Williams:impact. And I'm thinking about this, now, you've done all of
Brent Williams:these. And so have I, you know, our faculty are a tremendous
Brent Williams:resource to businesses in our area for consulting when needed
Brent Williams:if they need specific expertise. We've talked about executive
Brent Williams:education, you know, executive education really can't happen
Brent Williams:without the deep expertise in the college. So you're actually
Brent Williams:utilizing the research as the base that creates expertise that
Brent Williams:now gets shared through consulting, executive education,
Brent Williams:through our publishing, through funded research projects with
Brent Williams:companies. So I think just continuing to broaden the
Brent Williams:research impact, those are the three things that I think are
Brent Williams:really important for us right now.
Matt Waller:Well, you know, Brent, you're taking over
Matt Waller:leadership of college at a time when Northwest Arkansas is
Matt Waller:booming. Business here is succeeding in many, many
Matt Waller:different ways, many, many different ways. And a time when
Matt Waller:the population is growing. It's hard to buy house here, it's
Matt Waller:hard to build a house here. But people are optimistic here. You
Matt Waller:know, you compare it to so many places, I go in the United
Matt Waller:States, you know, and a lot of places you go, people don't feel
Matt Waller:an identity with the place they live. Here they do. And, but the
Matt Waller:level of optimism out there, shocks me. And that's something
Matt Waller:you can't conjure up. What do you think about that, and how
Matt Waller:that affects the college?
Brent Williams:I think it's a tailwind for us. I really do. I
Brent Williams:agree with you. I couldn't agree more, that there is an optimism
Brent Williams:here. You know, and, and there's a pride here. And, and I think
Brent Williams:that's true about Northwest Arkansas and our state, you
Brent Williams:know, and we benefit, there's absolutely no doubt that, you
Brent Williams:know, we've talked about all the things we try to do. But the
Brent Williams:community and the state around us is a tailwind. And this place
Brent Williams:is growing. And it's increasingly a wonderful place,
Brent Williams:not only to work, but to live, you know, the amount of outdoor
Brent Williams:recreation opportunities that exist. My, you know, a few miles
Brent Williams:from in where any of us where we live, and actually right outside
Brent Williams:this building, there's a mountain biking trail, right?
Brent Williams:And that, that we can hop on and ride the Greenway is literally
Brent Williams:steps from here that we could ride 40 miles, if we want to,
Brent Williams:and there's opportunities to climb and paddle, and all of
Brent Williams:those things. And, you know, I believe that people want to be a
Brent Williams:part of this place. And I think that that's part of success in
Brent Williams:attracting great faculty and staff. People increasingly,
Brent Williams:know, this is a wonderful place to live and be and then, you
Brent Williams:know, young people and their families realize this is a great
Brent Williams:place to spend your college career. So it you know, we,
Brent Williams:Matt, I feel like the Walton College is tremendously
Brent Williams:fortunate to be a part of this region and state.
Matt Waller:Well, you know, and you, I've talked about all the
Matt Waller:things you've done in Northwest Arkansas, in college and Little
Matt Waller:Rock, but you grew up in Newport. And you went to Lyon
Matt Waller:College, in Arkansas. So really your experience and preparation
Matt Waller:for leading the college in the state. You know, there could be
Matt Waller:other people prepared, but you're prepared in this state,
Matt Waller:you know, this state. And I know that I mean, I'm not from here.
Matt Waller:I grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, moved here from
Matt Waller:Michigan and lived in Pennsylvania before that. And
Matt Waller:you still know more about the state of Arkansas than I do. And
Matt Waller:I've lived here for 30 years. And I love it. I mean, it's
Matt Waller:wonderful. But I know you've got ideas about how to even reach
Matt Waller:out to the rest of the state, not just and you've already been
Matt Waller:doing. You've already been engaged in it. Would you mind
Matt Waller:speaking to that a bit?
Brent Williams:Yeah, I think I think you're right. You know,
Brent Williams:I'm fortunate to be from here. I love it. You know, I grew up in
Brent Williams:a small town in East Arkansas in an area that, you know,
Brent Williams:Northwest Arkansas is beautiful. In my opinion, you know, that
Brent Williams:area of Arkansas has its own has its own unique beauties. And,
Brent Williams:you know, the economy there is quite different, you know, and
Brent Williams:the areas like, like agriculture and the steel industry that's
Brent Williams:emerging in Northeast Arkansas, you know, are vibrant, and you
Brent Williams:have the forestry industry in, in South Arkansas. So, you know,
Brent Williams:I think there's ways for us to increasingly connect to those
Brent Williams:industries. And, you know, the fortunate thing for us, you
Brent Williams:know, we talked about the tailwinds of Northwest Arkansas
Brent Williams:and our state, our alumni are truly a tailwind as well.
Matt Waller:Yes.
Brent Williams:They care.
Matt Waller:They do
Brent Williams:They care about the success of this institution.
Brent Williams:They care about the success University of Arkansas, and I
Brent Williams:think ultimately, they care about our students success. And
Brent Williams:I think the connectivity of this state is pretty rare. You know,
Brent Williams:the ability for you, Matt, as having been the dean of the
Brent Williams:Walton College for eight years, to probably reach any person in
Brent Williams:this state so easily is is a really rare thing. And so I hope
Brent Williams:to be able to capitalize on those relationships as well.
Matt Waller:Absolutely. Well, Brent, thank you for all your
Matt Waller:service to the college over the past, I was gonna say years, but
Matt Waller:it's been longer than that, because you've really been here
Matt Waller:for 20 years. It's things you did, even as a student,
Matt Waller:contributed to where we are today and the successes we've
Matt Waller:had. But thank you for all you've done, and I look forward
Matt Waller:to serving as a professor under your leadership.
Brent Williams:You've been a huge reason for any success I've
Brent Williams:had. So thank you, Matt.
Matt Waller:On behalf of the Sam M Walton College of
Matt Waller:Business, I want to thank everyone for spending time with
Matt Waller:us for another engaging conversation. You can subscribe
Matt Waller:by going to your favorite podcast service and searching be
