Wesley Randall

Wesley Randall, chair of UNT’s Department of Marketing, Logistics and Operations Management, who has 30 years of expertise in supply chain and logistics, has been named dean of the New College at Frisco.

In his new role, Randall will help develop curriculum and programming at the New College at Frisco to best serve the needs of its students and industry leaders. In addition, he will work to help UNT continue to expand its presence in Collin County and solidify its partnerships with area community colleges. He also will lead the initiatives at the Collin Higher Education Center in McKinney.

“As we move forward defining our vision and goals for our long-term presence in Collin County, I am excited to have such a significant leader on board to help us determine the best ways to expand and serve the Collin County communities,” UNT Provost Jennifer Cowley said. “Dr. Randall brings a breadth of experience with him having served as a leader in the military and with NATO, and I look forward to working with him in this new capacity. Under his leadership, UNT will continue to develop meaningful relationships with industry and business leaders and to create bridges with the community colleges there to ensure their students have access to UNT’s top-quality, four-year programs.”

Ranked a Tier One research university by the Carnegie Classification, UNT has long been a catalyst for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship for the North Texas region and the state – and the New College at Frisco is just the latest example of that. The off-site instructional facility provides workforce-ready graduates who are adept at tackling real-world issues for area businesses, technology companies, and government agencies.

Randall served as chair of the College of Business’ Department of Marketing, Logistics and Operations Management since January 2017. He has earned more than $1 million in research funding from industry and government agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, the Texas Department of Transportation, the Naval Post Graduate School and others.

Randall started his career as a logistician in the U.S. Air Force, from which he later retired as a Lt. Col. following tours in Southwest Asia and Kosovo. During that time, he also served as chief of engineering management for NATO’s Airborne Warning and Control System. For years after his tenure with the military, Randall supported the U.S. Department of Defense. Randall served as an academic advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense on the Product Support Action Team and for Project Proof-Point, an effort that helped outline the strategic plan for $90-plus billion in defense spending.

In 2007, he began his new career as a faculty member in the College of Business at Auburn University. There, he was considered a top teacher and also began to build his research steam as one of the top experts in performance-based supply chain strategies. He also developed expertise in retail supply chain management and data analytics. He came to UNT in 2011 as an assistant professor of logistics and the coordinator of the logistics doctoral program. At UNT, he has developed innovative ways to engage students in areas of big data and analytics. He also has worked to develop new approaches to engage students through online educational experiences. His research has helped companies and logistics practitioners solve lifecycle affordability challenges that often characterize large-scale sustainment dominant systems.

A leading scholar in his field, Randall’s research has been extensively published in multiple journals, including the Journal of Business Logistics, Defense Acquisition Review, European Journal of Operational Research, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management and the Journal of Transportation Management. Among his accolades, he earned the 2010 Rainmaker Award by DC Velocity and an Emerald Literati in 2012. He also has been honored with the 1997 Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) Innovative Use of Technology Award and the 2003 Allied Command Europe Garity Award Winner – Outstanding Logistics Officer.

Randall earned his bachelor’s degree in basic academics from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1987, a master’s of public administration from Valdosta State University in Georgia in 1995, a master’s in military studies from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico in 2001 and his Ph.D. in business administration from UNT in 2007.