Clemson's Caron St. John to become dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Alabama at Huntsville
Fifteen years ago or so, Jerry Trapnell, a few deans back of the Clemson College of Business and Behavioral Science, dropped by my office to visit with a mentor of mine, Jim Cockman, to share a vision for creating a entrepreneurial center at Clemson. That vision ultimately became the Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, and Dr. Caron St. John became became its first director.
You are reading Swamp Fox because a decade ago, I dropped by Caron's office at Clemson to discuss my travels around the state talking with many folks about developing South Carolina's economy. She told me we needed a resource of record for innovation and entrepreneurship, and this website is my effort at achieving that vision.
Caron has become a dear friend. We worked on Spiro Institute projects together, and I've taught a Clemson MBA class on start-ups several times because she was also Director of the Clemson MBA program. She helped me with the Carolina Crescent Coalition, which was a precursor to InnoVenture, and she was instrumental in making InnoVenture itself successful. We've worked together on numerous other initiatives to grow an innovative and entrepreneurial culture in the region.
Caron has been selected as the new dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Alabama at Huntsville and will be resigning her Clemson post in March. We are excited for her at this advance in her career, but both her leadership and her friendship will be sorely missed, especially by me.
The current Dean of the College of Business and Behaviorial Science noted:
- For over 21 years, Caron has served Clemson students and the Upstate community through her dedication to teaching, research and economic advancement. She has worked on countless boards, helped to raise money to fund both student and outreach programs, and, along with dean emeritus Bruce Yandle, first brought Clemson’s business initiatives into downtown Greenville.
- During Caron’s tenure at Clemson, she has worked as a professor, researcher, reviewer, director and associate dean. Almost as numerous as her titles are the initiatives she’s started or led. The full-time and part-time MBA programs, Arthur M. Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Renaissance Center in downtown Greenville, Professional Advancement and Continuing Education, regional office of the Small Business Development Center, Upstate Coalition for Entrepreneurial Development (now NextStart), and InnoVenture have flourished under her guidance and involvement.
- She has served on the Clemson University Research Foundation Board, has chaired Clemson’s Intellectual Property Committee and the University’s Executive, Continuing & Professional Education Steering Committee, and, most recently, has participated in two of Clemson’s strategic budget task forces.
- Caron has developed several new academic courses while at Clemson, including classes in operations strategy, technology entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship, a technology entrepreneurship certificate program, and an entrepreneurship minor.