History
The Michael J. Coles College has seen many transitions and enormous growth in its relatively short history.
- Kennesaw Junior College opened in 1966 and after much hard work and petitioning by students and then University President Horace W. Sturgis, the “Junior” was dropped in September of 1977.
- In Fall of 1978, Kennesaw College reorganized into academic divisions and the Division of Business Administration was created. The B.A. Division accounted for 25% of the student body. Students could either major in Accounting or choose any two of the five main business areas to get a combination major (Accounting, Economics, Management, Finance, and Marketing).
- In Winter of 1985, Kennesaw College reorganized into Schools. The new School of Business started offering Master’s degree programs in accounting, financial services, marketing, human resource planning and development, and institutional administration.
- In 1990, the School of Business began offering the nation’s first degree program in professional sales, which is ranked among the best today. In 1991, the newly constructed Business Building opened for classes and it was dedicated to A.L. Burruss.
- In the Spring of 1994, the KSC School of Business was given the largest private gift ever made to the college by businessman and philanthropist Michael Coles and his wife Donna. The School was renamed the Michael J. Coles School of Business. Later this year, the School received AACSB accreditation for their baccalaureate and master’s level degree programs. In 1996, Kennesaw State received University status and the School of Business was renamed the Michael J. Coles College of Business.
History of the Deans
William Thompson (1978 - 1984): Thompson started with the College at its inception in 1966. Prior to coming to Kennesaw, Dr. Thompson received his BBA, MBE and Ph.D from Georgia State University after 20 years active duty in the U.S. Army. When the College reorganized academic divisions and the Division of Business Administration was created in 1978, Dr. Thompson became the first Division Chairman.
Harry Lasher (1985 – 1990): When Kennesaw College reorganized into schools in the Winter of 1985, Harry Lasher was appointed the first Dean of the School of Business. From 2003-2007, Dr. Lasher was the Director of Graduate Business Programs for the Coles College. In 2007, Dr. Lasher began teaching Management courses and is still a part-time Emeritus professor in the Coles College to this day.
Tim Mescon (1990 - 2008): Before joining Kennesaw, Tim received a B.A. from Tulane University, an MBA from Southern Methodist University, and a doctorate degree from the University of Georgia. He held positions at Arizona State, the University of Miami, and Salisbury University before accepting the position of Dean of the School of Business at Kennesaw State in 1990. Coming in, Dr. Mescon had the impression that the faculty (and the college itself) was “very aggressive, very entrepreneurial, very innovative.” Dr. Mescon was instrumental in helping the College get accredited by the AACSB in 1994 and then the Accounting School received accreditation in 2001. He played a role in some other important developments during his tenure, such as the creation and growth of the Executive MBA program, the development of a three-tier system for professors, the expansion of KSU Center, and the hiring and development of many great faculty members.
Ken Harmon (2009 - 2010): Dr. Harmon received his B.S., Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Tennessee, all in Accounting. He has been in accounting education for over 27 years. Prior to serving as the Dean of the Coles College, Dr. Harmon was the Director of the School of Accountancy here at KSU. He is currently the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for the University, as well as a professor of accounting.
Kat Schwaig (2012 – Present): In May of 2012, Kathy “Kat” Schwaig became the first female dean of the Coles College of Business. Prior to joining KSU, Dr. Schwaig held faculty positions at Georgia State University, the University of South Carolina, and Baylor University. As interim dean, she helped create the Department of Information Systems. Her focus going forward is to develop more certificate programs for executives.
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