Mike Rome Named New Dean of Archie Dunham College of Business

Dr. Robert Sloan, President of Houston Baptist University (HBU), and Dr. Stan Napper, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs are pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Rome as Dean of the Archie W. Dunham College of Business and Director of Academic Partnerships for the University. Rome’s appointment was effective Jan. 3, 2022. Immediately prior to his appointment as dean, Rome served as the Interim Director for the McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise at HBU.

Affirming the appointment, President Sloan said, “In the past year as Mike Rome has given leadership to the McNair Center, his energy, engagement, and passion to help HBU better serve our students and the future of entrepreneurship in our country have proven to be invaluable. We are grateful that he will be able to carry forward and even expand his contributions in our campus community and our city for many years to come through this pivotal role.”

Provost Napper said, “Mike challenges and motivates me and all his colleagues to strive for excellence in performance, relationships, and faith. His experience and leadership will expand the impact and influence of the Dunham College of Business. His unique dual role will enable the entire university to benefit and grow. Above all else, Mike is committed to the students of HBU, and to our Lord.”

Throughout his career, Rome has been recognized for excellence in investment management, business development, and corporate turnarounds and transformations. He has an established reputation as an executive, as a business strategist, and as a coach and mentor. But driving all of his performance has been a deep commitment to generous philanthropy in service of the community.

Prior to beginning his service as dean at HBU, Rome served as Senior Partner at Allen Austin, where he gave joint leadership to the Board, CEO, and Private Equity practices as well as consulting in the life sciences, industrial, professional services, and financial services practices. He was a central figure in the firm’s growth, culture, and dedication to superior client service. Rob Andrews, Chairman and CEO of Allen Austin, said of Rome, “Mike is an incredibly valuable asset and great friend of our firm. Mike and I are absolutely aligned in our ongoing commitment to enhance the lives and effectiveness of college, university, and business school graduates. We look forward to continuing our work together as Mike assumes this important role at Houston Baptist University.”

Rome has also served as the CEO and Principal at Chilton Capital, the CEO of Texan Capital, and Senior Partner at Bridgeway Capital. During his time at Bridgeway, the firm was the largest corporate philanthropist in Texas, strategically investing half of their net profits in charities. Across his forty-four-year career, Rome has also served as Executive Vice President of Institutional Marketing at AIM/Invesco, Senior Vice President of Capital Markets at Merrill Lynch, Executive Vice President of Capital Markets for Kidder Peabody, and Executive Vice President of Institutional Sales for Oppenheimer. He is also a partner at Memorial Capital Partners, a small private-equity firm.

In his new role, Rome will be the principal spokesperson and advocate for the College, accountable for alumni cultivation and fundraising, and providing oversight of the College’s academic programs to produce strong student outcomes and achievement. The operational aspects of the College will be administered by the new Executive Associate Dean, Dr. Gregg Keiffer. Both Rome and Keiffer will serve as members of the Dean’s Council.

Rome received a Bachelor of Liberal Arts as a football and baseball letterman at the University of Kansas and has studied portfolio management at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and behavioral finance at Harvard University. He has also served higher education throughout his career, teaching courses in entrepreneurship at the University of Houston and serving on boards for the City of Houston Higher Education Finance Corp., the University of Kansas School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the University of Texas Libraries System, and Houston Baptist University’s own Center for Christianity and Business.

The mission of the Archie Dunham College of Business is to serve Christ by building innovative leaders of character, empowering them to actively engage in the development of their organizations, communities, and society. The College provides academic programs at the certificate, bachelor’s, and master’s levels to equip students to work with spiritual and professional excellence in any role throughout a business enterprise.