TJ Brooks was named the dean of UW-La Crosse’s College of Business Administration after filling the role on an interim basis for nearly two years.

Brooks was selected after a national search and interview process that spanned much of the current academic year. His official start was April 1, 2022.

“As the interim dean, I was always careful when working with faculty and staff to make decisions for the organization that didn't handcuff the next dean of the CBA,” Brooks says. “The thing I'm looking forward to the most is being able to take the handcuffs off and help the college make some important strategic decisions. Our future is bright, and I'm honored to be a part of it.”

Brooks joined UWL in 1999 and has served as a professor and chair in the Economics and Finance departments. He was named interim dean in July 2020, succeeding Laura Milner.

The past two years have been challenging, he says, particularly due to COVID-19. As the CBA and local businesses regain a sense of normalcy, he says he’s excited to see the progress they will make.

“The first priority for the CBA, like every organization coming out of the pandemic, is to take a moment to pause, collect ourselves and renew our commitment to this organization, the students, the community and each other,” he explains. “As we find our center, we can begin to reimagine how we will work, teach and learn in the future. And importantly, how we will prepare our students for the world of work they will soon enter.”

Professor of Economics Mary Hamman, who chaired the search committee, says the group selected Brooks in part because he is “data driven and inquisitive, with a desire to lead the CBA as a partner with the campus and the community.”

Brooks notes a number of exciting recent developments within the CBA.

The college recently moved into newly renovated, state-of-the-art Wittich Hall. It also celebrated its 50th year on campus in 2021 — an opportune time to reflect on the past and look to the future.

“As we begin the next 50 years, the college has the opportunity to define what the future of the college looks like, both for our students and ourselves, and for the community,” he says. “This is an exciting time for faculty to be able to create or innovate what those student experiences are, and to contribute to new knowledge through their research and practice.”