Dean Beck A. Taylor Nominated for the Birmingham Business Journal's Rising Star Award

June 27, 2008

Brock School of Business Contact: Kara Kennedy, Director of External Affairs, 205-726-4070, kkennedy@samford.edu

Beck Taylor

Getting the money is only half the work. In 2007 the Samford School of Business took on its present name in recognition of a pledge by Compass Bank founder Harry B. Brock Jr. to help the school's endowment reach $100 million.

As dean and professor of economics for the Brock School of Business at Samford University, Beck A. Taylor was thrilled to get the money.

But that's only half the work, right?
The heavy lifting came with the effort to re-brand and reposition a well-known and already successful institution.

"We had a very solid brand and all of a sudden we were presenting ourselves with a different focus, a different trajectory, a different set of expectations in the community," Taylor said.

It's a challenge Taylor has cheerfully embraced. Throughout the name change process he convened repeated meetings with Brock, faculty, students, alumni and the business community.

"All of those helped to inform our strategic plan," he said.

While the mission has not drastically altered, the school does have a tighter focus on entrepreneurship.

"Harry Brock really believes in entrepreneurship as the lifeblood of our country and our economy," Taylor said.

Taylor himself believes in wearing many hats. Besides serving as dean, he also teaches regularly, conducts academic research and writes professionally.

Plus he leads an adult Sunday school class at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church.
"My spiritual life is very important to me, and in many ways drives a lot of the passion with which I approach my professional life," he said.