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Geralyn McClure Franklin

Dr. Geralyn McClure Franklin is an experienced academic leader, having served as dean of business at three different institutions for 11.5 years and interim dean at one institution for two years, prior to her appointment as dean of the College of Business and Economics at United Arab Emirates University in August 2014.  Dr. Franklin received her PhD from the University of North Texas in Denton.

Dr. Franklin has involved faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other stakeholders to set new, and in some cases transformational, strategic directions and initiatives at all four of the business units she has headed previously.  She was successful in securing external funding for student scholarships, faculty professorships, development and support of academic programming, faculty and staff development, building renovations, and the general needs of these units. Additionally, one of Dr. Franklin’s business schools was successful in achieving initial business accreditation from AACSB International, the premier accrediting body of business programs globally. Another college was able to expedite the initial business accreditation process while she was dean and later received initial business accreditation, and two colleges achieved maintenance of accreditation or continuous improvement accreditation under her leadership.

As an academic, Dr. Franklin has published more than 80 journal articles and 50 conference proceedings on human resource management, employment law, and small business and entrepreneurial issues.  In addition, she has co-authored five textbooks, most recently Employment Regulation in the Workplace, 2nd Edition (M.E. Sharpe, 2014).

Professionally, Dr. Franklin has been involved in numerous organizations and served in leadership roles throughout her career.  She is active in AACSB International, previously serving two three-year elected terms as a member of the board of directors and currently serving as a mentor and peer review team member.  Since June 2012, Dr. Franklin has been the senior vice president of finance and control for the International Council for Small Business, the first international membership organization to promote growth and development of small businesses worldwide and now with 15-country based or regional affiliates and members from more than 70 countries.  Dr. Franklin is a past president of the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the Small Business Institute Directors' Association, the Association for Small Business & Entrepreneurship, and the Southwest Academy of Management.  She has been named a Fellow of the three small business and entrepreneurship groups.

Since 1986, Dr. Franklin has consulted with small and entrepreneurial firms along with some larger organizations.  Dr. Franklin advocates for faculty to engage students in real-world business projects and encourage students to seek internships and study abroad or student exchange opportunities as part of their academic coursework and educational experiences.