Michael D. Johnson is announced as new dean of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration

His term will begin in July 2006; Professor Sheryl Kimes will serve as interim dean in 2005-06

ITHACA, N.Y. | Michael D. Johnson has been named dean of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, President Jeffrey Lehman and Provost Biddy Martin announced today. Johnson currently is the D. Maynard Phelps Collegiate Professor of Business Administration and Professor of Marketing at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

“President Lehman and I are delighted that Michael Johnson has agreed to lead the School of Hotel Administration,” said Martin, who served as co-chair of the search committee. “Michael brings to the position considerable experience, foresight and keen intellect, and an impressive ability to communicate his vision for the future. The announcement of his appointment today was greeted with enthusiasm by the Hotel School faculty. “

Johnson will assume his new responsibilities as dean on July 1 of 2006. He succeeds David W. Butler, who will be retiring after having served as dean since 2000. Sheryl Kimes, Cornell professor of hospitality facilities and operations, the Richard and Monene P. Bradley Director for Graduate Studies and a member of the search committee, will serve as the interim dean of the Hotel School for the 2005-06 academic year.

Johnson has been a member of the marketing faculty in the University of Michigan’s Ross School since 1982. He has served as a member of the school’s executive committee and currently serves as the director of the Center for Customer-Focused Management in Executive Education.

His research focuses on the development of customer information systems and how they can be utilized to craft strategy and manage customer relationships. This work includes efforts to understand how to manage customer portfolios over time, to learn how customer satisfaction and loyalty models change as customer relationships grow, and how managers can use customer information to make more informed resource allocation and strategy decisions. He has worked with many major U.S. and international corporations, including Dell Computer, Galgano and Associates (Italy), the National Association of Convenience Stores, Northwest Airlines, Promus Hotel Corporation, Schering Pharmaceutical (Germany), Telia (Sweden) and Volvo.

About the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration | The Cornell University School of Hotel Administration is shaping the global knowledge base for hospitality management through leadership in education, research and industry advancement. The school provides management-level instruction in the full range of hospitality disciplines, educating the next generation of leaders in the world's largest industry. Founded in 1922 as the nation's first collegiate course of study in hospitality management, the Cornell Hotel School is recognized as the world leader in its field. For more information, visit .

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The Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration is the premier school for hospitality education in the world. As an integral part of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, the school is leading the world in teaching and researching the business of hospitality—marketing, finance, real estate, operations, and more, all applied to the world’s largest and most exciting industry.