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Feature Story
Professor and Alumnus Richard Lyons Takes the Helm
of the Haas School
Richard Lyons, BS 82, associate dean for academic affairs,
began his new role as dean of the Haas School of Business
on December 1 and has been hard at work meeting alumni
and stakeholders of the school and laying vigorous plans
for the school's advancement.
Lyons was appointed acting dean by UC Berkeley Chancellor
Robert Birgeneau after Dean Tom Campbell went on leave
to become California's director of finance.
Lyons holds the Sylvan Coleman Chair in Finance at
the Haas School and is an alumnus of its undergraduate
program. As associate dean, he directed the hiring of
new faculty, negotiated faculty promotions before campus,
and oversaw the school's research activities.
He joined the faculty in 1993
"How fortunate we are to have in Rich Lyons someone
of such skill and experience to head the Haas School
as acting dean," said Birgeneau in making the
announcement. "He knows the school well and assumes
the job with the support and respect of Haas faculty
and students."
Lyons has already started an all-out effort to meet
members of the school's extended community. Over
the next few months he plans to visit alumni and donors
across the nation and will play an active role at upcoming
Haas School events.
In addition he is advancing the vision set forth by
his predecessor Tom Campbell. Top priorities include
fundraising; increasing the size of the faculty; expanding
the school's production of leading-edge research;
continued improvement and innovation in the curriculum;
enhancing the school's services for students;
building the endowment; and planning for a new, second
building. He presented the State of the School address
to the Haas community on February 9.
"The opportunity to serve as acting dean is a
great honor. I am grateful," said Lyons. "As
an undergraduate product of Berkeley and its business
school, I share the kind of deep appreciation for the
place that I see in so many other members of the Haas
community. The momentum that Dean Campbell has created,
along so many lines, makes the opportunity even better.
I look forward to working with everybody to maintain
those lines of momentum, and, if we do our jobs right,
create new ones as well."
Among academic peers, Lyons is best known for his seminal
work in international finance and foreign exchange.
His book, The Microstructure Approach to Exchange Rates,
published by MIT Press in 2001, focuses on the economics
of financial information and how conceptual frameworks
help to clarify the types of information most relevant
to exchange rates.
Known as both a tough grader and as one of the most
popular teachers on campus, Lyons was awarded the school's
Cheit Award for Excellence in Teaching six times by
his students in the Full-time MBA, Evening & Weekend
MBA, and Master's in Financial Engineering programs.
In 1998 UC Berkeley honored him with its highest teaching
honor on campus.
He is a talented musician, who holds several musical
copyrights.
He received a Ph.D. in economics at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in 1987. From 1987 to 1993,
he was on the faculty of Columbia Business School.
He is a research associate of the National Bureau of
Economic Research, a member of the Council on Foreign
Relations, and associate editor of the Haas School's
California Management Review and of the Journal of Financial
Markets. He has consulted with the International Monetary
Fund, the World Bank, the Federal Reserve Bank, and
the European Commission. He is on the advisory board
of the Economic Policy Review (NY Federal Reserve Bank),
serves as a director/trustee for Barclays Global Investors'
iShares, and is chairman of the board of Matthews Asian
Funds.
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