Peter Kerr Named Dean of the School of Business and Leadership
Colorado Christian University announces that Dr. Peter A. Kerr has accepted the position of dean of the School of Business and Leadership in the College of Undergraduate Studies. Kerr will begin his new duties on July 1. He takes over as dean for Dr. Gary Ewen, who has served in that capacity since 2010. Ewen, who is voluntarily stepping down as dean, will continue to serve as dean emeritus and professor of leadership and management.
Kerr has a history of academic, administrative, military, and entrepreneurial success. He currently serves as an associate professor of marketing and international business in the School of Business and Leadership at CCU. Prior to joining the CCU faculty, Kerr served as the senior academic director of regional campuses and an associate professor of leadership and communications for the School of Unrestricted Education at Southeastern University in Florida, where he taught business, leadership, communications, and religion courses in addition to fulfilling administrative duties. Kerr has also taught communication courses at Asbury University in Kentucky and the University of Kentucky.
"Dr. Kerr brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role as dean of the School of Business and Leadership. He has proven to be an effective leader in all fields in which he has worked, including the military, private business, and academia," Dr. Kyle Usrey, vice president of Academic Affairs, said. "CCU has a strong tradition of developing competent, ethical, Christ-centered leaders. We are excited for Dr. Kerr to build on the foundation laid by Dr. Ewen and his predecessors in the School of Business and Leadership."
Kerr earned a Ph.D. in Business Administration with an emphasis in International Leadership from Northcentral University in San Diego, Calif. He also holds a Master of Arts in Communication from Washington University, a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky, and a Bachelor of Science in Human Behavior/Leadership and Human Factors Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy.
Outside of the classroom, Kerr brings extensive experience in organizational and corporate communication. He served nine years in the United States Air Force, culminating in his role as a public affairs media officer for the Secretary of the Air Force. He also serves as the president of Kerr Communications, a consultancy firm specializing in media relations, strategic and crisis planning, leadership development, and intercultural communications.
"Dr. Kerr's appointment as dean builds on the School of Business and Leadership's founding model of being first and foremost a practitioner-based business school," Dr. Gary Ewen, outgoing dean of the School of Business and Leadership, said. "Dr. Kerr embodies the entrepreneurial drive and academic rigor that has come to be the hallmark of undergraduate business education at CCU."
The 2019-2020 academic year marks 25 years since the School of Business and Leadership was founded. It offers four majors, 13 minors, and three emphases and is the second-largest school by enrollment in the College of Undergraduate Studies. Kerr will be the fifth dean to lead the school. Three current or former deans remain active members of the School of Business and Leadership faculty — Ewen, Dr. Charles King, and Prof. Kevin Miller.