Remembering Douglas Dunn, Former Dean of the Tepper School of Business: Change Agent. Champion. Global Contributor

Dear Tepper Colleagues and Community,

It is with profound sadness that we share news of the passing of Dr. Douglas Dunn, who served as Dean of the Graduate School of Industrial Administration (GSIA, now the Tepper School of Business) at Carnegie Mellon University from 1996 to 2002. He passed away on April 11 at the age of 81.

Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Dunn's academic journey led him to earn an undergraduate degree in physics, a master of science in information management from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a doctoral degree in statistics and business from the University of Michigan.

Dunn's career included groundbreaking research at the Mathematics Research Center of Bell Laboratories, focusing on time series analysis, graphical methods, and robust statistical techniques. He then spent 26 years at AT&T in various regional, regulatory, and strategic roles before retiring.

In 1996, Dunn assumed the role of dean at GSIA. During his tenure, one of his most significant contributions was promoting improvements in the methodology for business school rankings, which The Wall Street Journal adopted in 1998. This change resulted in GSIA being ranked as the #2 business school in the world in the initial rankings.

“Doug's arrival at GSIA coincided with the arrival of the Internet. Given his background in data science and telecommunications, he quickly and correctly identified electronic commerce as the future of business,” recalled Stephen Spear, professor of economics.

Kannan Srinivasan, H.J. Heinz II professor of management and marketing, remembered Dunn as a researcher at heart. “Faculty candidates were favorably impressed with how much Doug knew the details of the paper they presented in the seminars and the process, which effectively reinforced the importance of research at the school," Srinivasan said.

Dunn's leadership at GSIA focused on faculty recruitment and support, expanding global partnerships, pioneering the nation's first graduate degree program in electronic commerce, and implementing key capital improvements for the GSIA community. He championed the use of information technology and communication networks to enhance educational opportunities for both students and faculty.

“Through new educational and research programs, he led the school from the ‘industrial age’ into the ‘information age.’ He moved fast, but unlike many of his contemporaries, he didn't break things, which is a lasting tribute to his gentle but firm management style. He will be missed by all who knew him,” added Spear.

"I am very saddened to hear that Dr. Doug Dunn has passed away. As the dean of our school, he prepared us for the new digital era. His many contributions will be remembered for a long time,” shared Deloitte consulting professor of e-business Tridas Mukhopadhyay.

In honoring Dunn's legacy, his family has announced that no formal memorial services are planned. Instead, they request that individuals honor Dunn's memory by donating to a local charity that supports education in their community.

Dunn’s contributions will long be remembered at the Tepper School and Carnegie Mellon University.

With sympathy,

Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou
Dean
Richard P. Simmons Professor of Finance
Tepper School of Business