The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has named Christopher Stone as the new Chair of the Management Department. Dr. Stone, a faculty member since 2018, has served as an Associate Clinical Professor of Management at the Barton School. He succeeds Gery Markova, who has served as Chair since 2021 and has been instrumental in leading the department and initiating new programs, among other achievements.

“Chris brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to our Management Department,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, Dean of the Barton School. “His distinguished record as an educator, researcher, and mentor will be invaluable as we build on the department's strong foundation. I am excited to see how Chris will drive the department forward, fostering innovation and excellence while supporting our students and faculty.”

As Chair, Chris will foster a collaborative environment within the department, ensure a safe and thriving atmosphere for students, faculty, and staff, and focus on faculty development. He will also work to align programs with industry standards, increase student enrollments across all programs housed in the department, and provide a top-notch student experience through curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities.

“It’s important to remove barriers that hinder growth,” said Stone. “I want to clear a path for faculty to excel in their roles and help them provide students with skills best acquired through applied learning opportunities. I plan to collaborate closely with the Office of Career and Professional Development to find innovative ways for our students to apply classroom learning, ensuring their success in the field.”

In his role at the Barton School, Chris teaches courses in human resource management. His research interests include stereotypes of U.S. military veterans, barriers to civilian employment for veterans, and management education. His work has been published in leading journals such as Human Resource Management Review and the Journal of Management Education. Stone also teaches professional development sessions on performance management and will begin teaching for the Center of Management Development in Fall 2024. He serves on the Barton School’s Strategic Affairs Committee and has been elected President of the WSU Faculty Senate.

“In graduate school, a professor once told me that every class is an opportunity to ‘absorb the knowledge of the person teaching the course,’” said Stone. “They encouraged me to seize every opportunity to learn and maximize the value of my education. In our department, we have faculty members who are highly regarded researchers with thousands of citations, industry experts with decades of experience, and award-winning educators. Every class is an opportunity for students to gain new knowledge from these exceptional faculty members, uniquely preparing them to become leaders in the workforce and contributing members of the community.”

For more information about the Barton School, please visit www.wichita.edu/barton.