Bio of James Thomas
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James Thomas |
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Dean, Professor of Information Sciences and Management |
Introduction
Dr. James B. Thomas is dean of Penn State's Smeal College of Business and professor of information sciences and management. From July 1, 1999, to June 30, 2006, he was the College of Information Sciences and Technology's (IST) founding dean and oversaw the college's growth and development across the Commonwealth, as well as the construction of the landmark IST Building at University Park. Prior to that, Thomas served as Smeal's senior associate dean. He began his career at Penn State as an assistant professor. His publications have appeared in Administration Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Organization Science, and Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, among other top journals. Thomas also has received several research grants, including support to study "Industry Structure and the Role of Information Technology", and "Strategic Alignment". Previously he served as the director responsible for information technology strategic planning for the Office of the Texas Secretary of State, and earlier was the director responsible for information management systems for the Florida Department of State. He is a frequent speaker on education policy and programs appearing before the U.S. Congress and Pennsylvania Legislatures among many other venues. A 1974 graduate from Penn State, Thomas received a master's degree in government from Florida State University and a doctorate in strategic management from the University of Texas at Austin in 1988. He and his wife, Michele, reside in State College, PA. They have 3 children.