Minnesota State Mankato Names Seung Bach Dean of College of Business
Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Mankato Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs David Hood announced that Seung Bach (pictured) has been named dean of the University’s College of Business, effective July 1, after a national search.
Bach is currently the interim dean of the School of Business and Public Administration at California State University, Bakersfield, a position he has held since September 2022. He served as the school’s associate dean from July 2019 until his current appointment. He has served as executive director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at CSU Bakersfield since January 2022 and as a professor of entrepreneurship and strategic management since July 2019.
“Dr. Bach brings a commitment to student success and equitable outcomes for all, and a strong foundation in teaching and learning, academic leadership and community engagement,” said Hood. “His broad base of experience in administrative roles, and faculty appointments ranging from private institutions in Ohio to leadership roles at large state universities, has provided him with knowledge of the many challenges and opportunities influencing higher education today.”
Under Bach’s leadership, the CSUB School of Business and Public Administration has streamlined and broadened its academic portfolio. Bach was instrumental in developing the university’s master of science degree in accountancy and restructuring its first-year seminar for business students.
Bach played the lead role in establishing two new centers and fellowship grant programs at CSU Bakersfield, raising approximately $7 million in endowments for the School of Business and Public Administration.
According to Hood, Bach also transformed the CSUB School of Business and Public Administration culture to embrace a spirit of diversity and inclusion. Hood said Bach was instrumental in fostering gender equality and disrupting prejudices based upon ethnicity and race.
Prior to joining CSU Bakersfield, Bach held academic and administrative positions from 2002-2019 at Sacramento State University in Sacramento, California, and Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Bach earned a doctorate in business administration from the University of Tennessee, master’s degrees in business administration from both George Washington University and Hanyang University in Seoul, Korea, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Hanyang University.
Bach will succeed Brenda Flannery as dean of Minnesota State Mankato’s College of Business. Flannery, who has served as dean since July 2011, plans to return to the Minnesota State Mankato faculty after an earned sabbatical.
Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 14,482 students, is part of the Minnesota State system, which includes 30 colleges and seven universities.
