Dr. Barbara Davis named William J. Atkins Dean of Centenary’s Frost School of Business
SHREVEPORT, LA — Dr. Barbara Davis, professor of accounting and finance at Centenary’s Frost School of Business and current acting dean of the Frost School, has been chosen as the school’s second William J. Atkins Dean. The Atkins deanship, created by the Atkins family in memory of longtime Frost and Centenary supporter William J. Atkins, was inaugurated in September 2018.
“Dr. Davis’s long and dedicated service to Centenary combined with her deep ties in the Shreveport-Bossier business community make her an ideal person to assume the Atkins Deanship,” said Centenary president Dr. Christopher L. Holoman. “I look forward to the new initiatives and partnerships that the Frost School and Centenary will pursue under Barbara’s leadership.”
Davis has been a member of the Centenary faculty since 1986 and also holds the Samuel Guy Sample Chair of Business Administration at the College. She received her Doctor of Business Administration from Louisiana Tech University. Davis is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and a Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) and is also recognized as a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder (CFA) and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA).
“I am so pleased that Dr. Davis will serve in this important role,” said Dr. Karen Soul, provost and dean of the College at Centenary. “Barbara brings extensive credentials and experience to the dean position. She is a beloved faculty member who maintains close ties with alumni and is a valued colleague. Barbara is well positioned to lead the new Sports Management Concentration that begins this spring and the revitalized Master of Business Administration. Barbara’s commitment to and vision for the Frost School is exciting and I look forward to working with her toward the renewal of the Frost School and the Center for Family Owned Business.”
Along with her Frost colleague, Dr. Helen Sikes, Davis has co-authored several recent studies on the casino gaming industry and has presented papers at numerous regional and national conferences, including the Southwestern Finance Association and the Federation of Business Disciplines. She has held various leadership roles in the latter organization, including a term as president in 2016-2017.
At Centenary, Davis teaches both undergraduate and MBA students at the Frost School of Business. She has also taught an undergraduate May Module course focusing on Aboriginal history and culture in Australia every year since 2010, and taught a business-focused course during the inaugural Centenary in Paris program in 2014. Davis has been the faculty advisor for Centenary’s Student Managed Investment Fund since 2004 and also serves as the advisor for Sigma Beta Delta, the international business honor society.
“I am deeply honored to be named the William J. Atkins Dean of the Frost School of Business at Centenary College,” said Davis. “Meeting the current challenges facing education will require a truly dedicated and resourceful team, and I enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to work with such talented and dedicated faculty, administrators, staff, and students.”