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News Release

Board of Regents Approves Appointment of Kenneth R. Evans as President of Lamar University (4/1/13)

(AUSTIN) – The Board of Regents of the Texas State University System has unanimously approved the appointment of Kenneth R. Evans, Ph.D., as president of Lamar University. Regents voted on Dr. Evans’ appointment during a special called meeting of the board today.

Dr. Evans was named sole finalist in the Lamar University presidential search last month following an extensive national search. He comes to Lamar University from the University of Oklahoma, where he has served for the past six years as dean of the Michael F. Price College of Business. Dr. Evans has also held research, teaching, and administrative positions at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Arizona State University, the University of Colorado, and California State University, Sacramento.

Dr. Evans earned bachelor’s degrees in English and political science from the University of California, Davis, a master’s in business administration from California State University, Sacramento, and a Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Colorado. He has conducted extensive research and authored more than 70 journal articles on interpersonal influence, sales management, services marketing, and marketing management and theory. He is married to Nancy Wear Evans and has two grown children.

Dr. Evans will succeed Dr. James M. Simmons on July 1, 2013. Dr. Simmons, who is retiring after 14 years as president of Lamar University, will serve as the university’s first president emeritus upon his retirement.