Rogers named as next BGSU president

Dr. Rodney Rogers is Bowling Green State University's new president. The BGSU Board of Trustees promoted him permanently to the post at its meeting Feb. 23.

Rogers was named interim president in December 2017 and assumed the role on Jan. 1. He has a long history with the University, having served most recently as provost and senior vice president since 2012, and as dean of the BGSU College of Business for the prior six years.

Rogers is BGSU's 12th president. He succeeds President Emeritus Mary Ellen Mazey.

Megan Newlove, chair of the trustees, cited the University's tremendous progress and Rogers' pivotal role in that success as keys to his selection.

"Rodney Rogers brings a wide range of talents and accomplishments to the position," Newlove said. "Under his leadership of academic affairs, enrollment has risen. The students we recruit are the most academically prepared in our history. Student retention has improved. Graduation rates are up. He's overseen the creation of critical new programs, launched our eCampus and Honors College, and improved relations with our faculty."

Newlove added, "He has been an effective fundraiser for the University and has played an integral role in the planning and development of our new and renovated facilities. We believe the best leader for BGSU right now is already in place. We are extremely pleased that Dr. Rogers has agreed to remove the 'interim' from his title and continue serving BGSU."

Rogers, who holds an MBA from the University, said he is honored by the appointment.

"It's an absolute privilege to have the opportunity to lead my alma mater," Rogers said. "I look forward to working with our faculty, staff and alumni to continue to strengthen our University, provide an outstanding education for our students, and prepare them for life after BGSU."

According to Daniel Keller, vice chair of the trustees, Rogers' BGSU experience and his understanding of the higher education landscape were also critical.

"While BGSU is doing well, there are daunting challenges ahead for higher education institutions," Keller said. "The board believed that our next leader needed to have an intimate understanding of our University and a firm grasp of the challenges facing higher education, particularly in Ohio. We're counting on Dr. Rogers to turn those challenges into opportunities for BGSU and continue the very positive momentum that we're currently enjoying."

Despite the challenges ahead, Rogers stressed that BGSU is well positioned for the future.

"We are a much stronger University today, thanks to the leadership of President Mary Ellen Mazey," he said. "Our focus will be on continuing that momentum through the implementation and focus of our strategic plan. We have a solid leadership team in place to further elevate our University."

A native Ohioan, raised in Kenton, Rogers is experienced in both academia and business. In addition to his MBA from BGSU, he has a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University and a B.A. from Ohio Northern University in music. Before completing his doctorate, he practiced as a certified public accountant for 10 years.

Before joining BGSU, Rogers served as associate dean and director of academic programs within the School of Business at Portland State University in Oregon. He has taught financial reporting at various universities including Portland State, Case Western Reserve, Thunderbird: The American Graduate School of Management, and the École de Management at EuroMed-Marseille in France.

As a faculty member, his research focused on the ways in which financial analysts use information, strategies firms employ to disclose information to the marketplace and the institutional role of the accounting profession within capital markets. He was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Cranfield School of Management in England.

In addition to his academic work, Rogers consulted with a variety of businesses and organizations including Nike Inc., Wendy's International, Starwood Resorts, The Standard, Vestas-America and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. This included the design and delivery of executive education programs integrating the development of financial acumen with leadership competencies, which have been delivered in the United States, The Netherlands, China, Thailand and Canada.

Rogers served on the board of the Wood County Hospital, is a current member of the board of directors of the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium, and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Council on Academic Affairs of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities.

He and his wife, Dr. Sandra Earle, have two sons, Isaac and Spencer. Isaac is a sophomore at BGSU.