Richmond, KY. (July 9, 2024) – After a rigorous internal selection process, Dr. James Blair, a seasoned professional with extensive experience, has been appointed the assistant dean and chair of the faculty at the EKU College of Business.
As the newly appointed Assistant Dean and Chair of the Faculty, Dr. Blair will ensure excellence in faculty teaching, research, and service, advocate for faculty and students, ensure shared governance, and set the tone for leadership and collegiality. Dr. Blair’s dedication to this mission was echoed by Dr. Tom Martin, Dean of the EKU College of Business, who expressed his confidence in the appointment. “Dr. Blair’s demonstrated excellence and dedication to research and instruction will ensure that the EKU College of Business continues to lead transformative education, preparing innovative professionals for global impact.”
Dr. James Blair is an associate professor of Marketing at Eastern Kentucky University. He is a consumer behavior researcher specializing in pricing, personal branding, marketing education, and sports marketing. His research has been published in several academic publications, including the Business Education Forum, Journal for Advancement of Marketing Education, Journal of Business and Management, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Journal of Euromarketing, Journal of Macromarketing, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science, Journal of Excellence in College Teaching and Learning and SAGE. He and his co-authors wrote Sports Marketing: A Winning Approach, a sports marketing textbook, which was published by Stukent. Additionally, he co-edited a business education book with Dr. Marcel Robles, Effective Methods for Teaching Business Related Topics During and Post-Crisis, that was published by the National Business Education Association. He also serves on the Executive Board for the Society for Marketing Advances Conference as their Director of Academic Placement Services and is the President-Elect for 2027.
Transitioning from his current role to this new position, Dr. Blair is eager to begin. “I want to thank Dean Martin and Associate Dean Isaacs for providing me with this opportunity to serve the EKU College of Business. They have done an outstanding job with Assistant Dean Robles leading our programs and setting our faculty, students, and staff up for success. I have really enjoyed my time representing the EKU College of Business at the university level, within my marketing and business disciplines, and throughout our Kentucky communities. We have some outstanding faculty, students, staff, and industry partners, which has allowed us to continue to raise the bar and produce future business professionals who are set up for success in the workforce and to make a positive impact throughout society as community leaders fostering positive change. I am excited to get to work and continue supporting faculty in their roles so they can continue to offer innovative classroom experiences for our students and see all the possibilities with an EKU College of Business degree.”
Dr. Blair leverages experiential learning in the classroom through live-client projects with his students. This allows students to apply course concepts to local businesses and obtain tangible documents to add to their professional portfolios. He regularly works with businesses in the classroom, allowing students to gain experience developing their marketing skills.
Dr. Blair is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Consumer Marketing. This is an Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) “A” Ranked Publication. He is also a member of the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of Consumer Behaviour (ABDC “A” Ranked Publication) and the Journal for Advancement of Marketing Education (ABDC “C” Ranked Publication). These service experiences allow Dr. Blair to stay current with the latest consumer behavior and marketing education research to use in the classroom. He is also a Direct Selling Education Foundation Fellow and has been a Bluegrass Tomorrow Higher Education Consortium Academic Leadership Academy Fellow. These opportunities allow him to provide his students with more hands-on sales experience and have access to insights from higher education leaders.
Dr. Blair’s teaching and research have been widely recognized, highlighting his expertise and dedication. He was named the Associate Editor of the Year (2022) by the Journal of Consumer Marketing, received the Rogow Excellence in Research Award (2024), was the Jack Dyer Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient (2023), received the High Impact Teaching Award (2022), and was awarded the Rod Davis Best Paper in Marketing Education Track for the Society for Marketing Advances Conference. These accolades are a testament to his commitment to excellence and his ability to make a significant impact in his field.