The University of Wisconsin named Roger Maclean the new associate dean of executive education at the School of Business in late December.

Maclean will be in charge of the open-enrollment executive education programs, overseeing their operation and managing all personnel who plan and teach the programs.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to work at a great school," said Maclean, who will officially begin working in his new role Jan. 23. "I look forward to getting to know the staff and [looking] at the things that have been successful."

Collectively, UW offers more than 230 executive education programs, which generate more than $5.5 million in annual revenue for the business school and the university.

In May 2005, the Financial Times ranked the UW executive education programs 15th in the nation and 26th internationally. And, in November, the Economist Intelligence Unit — a research and advisory firm that is part of The Economist magazine — ranked the UW open-enrollment executive training program first in the world.

University representatives said they are confident Maclean — with his extensive experience in both business and education — will continue to develop and build on the success of the executive education programs.

"[Maclean] is one of the leading experts in continuing education in the country," UW Business School Dean Michael Knetter said. "He is a widely respected professor on campus and in the nation."

Maclean has been the associate dean of academic affairs within the UW Division of Continuing Studies for the past seven years, after working at various schools and colleges across the nation.

He also spent 13 years in several corporate sales and marketing positions.

The new dean earned his doctorate and master's degrees from Pennsylvania State University — both in education — and completed his undergraduate studies at Purdue University. Maclean also pursued post-doctoral studies at the Institute for the Management of Lifelong Education at Harvard University.

It is a background Maclean hopes will serve him well in his new position.

"I hope to continue the lifelong-learning process for business members," Maclean said. "It feels great to add value to the business school and MBA program."