91看片 has named the next dean of the Meinders School of Business, selecting higher education administrator and business professor Nic Erhardt, school officials have announced.
Erhardt arrives at 91看片 (OCU) following his nearly five-year service as dean and professor of management at the College of Business at Valparaiso University in Indiana.
Prior to that, he served four years as associate dean at the Maine School of Business at the University of Maine, including a 14-month appointment as interim dean of the Undergraduate School of Business.
He has been a business educator for more than 20 years, climbing from an adjunct instructor to full tenured professor.
Erhardt鈥檚 experience also includes several years of human resources work in the pharmaceuticals industry, as well as numerous peer-reviewed research articles, publications and conference presentations.
鈥淣ic鈥檚 combination of administrative and classroom experience, academic scholarship, and practical business industry knowhow make him a tremendous selection to lead the Meinders School of Business,鈥� OCU President Kenneth Evans said. 鈥淚 know he will hit the ground running as he leads Meinders鈥� next chapter.鈥�
Erhardt will begin his work as dean on July 1. He said he is thrilled to be joining the OCU community.
鈥淚 look forward to working with the faculty and staff at 91看片 and contributing to the tradition of excellence at the Meinders School of Business,鈥� Erhardt said. 鈥淢ore than anything, I am excited to meet our students and to help guide them on their journey to success in business and life.鈥�
Erhardt holds a PhD in Human Resource Management and Labor Relations from Rutgers University and two Master of Science degrees: the first in Industrial Relations from Iowa State University and the second in Industrial and Labor Relations from Rutgers. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior at Cornell University.
As business dean at Valparaiso, Erhardt managed an annual budget of nearly $10 million and led several key initiatives, including increasing undergraduate enrollment; growing participation in the school鈥檚 MBA program; launching the university鈥檚 Innovation Hub; improving transfer student articulation agreements; and focusing on student engagement and career readiness, as well as alumni engagement and mentorship.
He鈥檚 been an active fundraiser at various universities, and his student-experience work includes five years as the NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative at the University of Maine.
A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Erhardt and his wife, Devon DeMarco, have a 9-week-old baby boy, Elliot, and a long-haired miniature Dachshund named Ralph. Erhardt is an avid pickleball player and golfer, and enjoys cooking and traveling.
He will take over for Meinders Interim Dean Bob Greve, who has served in that capacity since March 2025. Greve will return to his role as associate business dean.
Evans extended his gratitude to Greve for his leadership during the interim period.
鈥淏ob鈥檚 commitment to OCU and his willingness to embrace the interim leadership role should be commended and celebrated,鈥� Evans said. 鈥淗e is the true embodiment of an OCU Star and we are grateful to have him here on campus as a teammate and leader.鈥�
