UNF Board of Trustees selects Dr. Moez Limayem as president-elect

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The University of North Florida’s Board of Trustees selected Moez Limayem, Ph.D. today to become UNF’s seventh president.

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According to a release from UNF, Dr. Limayem has served as the Lynn Pippenger Dean in the Muma College of Business at the University of South Florida (USF) since 2012. He is responsible for the administration, strategic planning and fiscal management of the college, which serves more than 7,000 students on three campuses.

“We are pleased to welcome Moez Limayem to the University of North Florida,” said Kevin Hyde, chair of the UNF Board of Trustees. “Dr. Limayem has a proven record as an innovative and accomplished leader with the vision to advance the University. The Board of Trustees especially appreciates his deep knowledge and experience working in the Florida State University System and with USF, a designated ‘preeminent’ institution. As we celebrate UNF’s 50th year, we look forward to Dr. Limayem using his experience, leadership and engaging style to continue to build on our strong history, growing opportunities for students and enhancing the University’s critical role in the region and beyond. We are excited to introduce him to our whole UNF community.”

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As dean, Limayem has enhanced the college’s profile and, with his team, raised more than $126 million, which includes numerous multimillion dollar gifts to support the success of students, career readiness and entrepreneurship.

Student success has been one of the hallmarks of Limayem’s deanship at USF. With the addition of a student success center and various initiatives, the freshman retention rate has risen to 95% and the college boasts strong job placement rates.

Since 2021, Limayem has also led university-wide efforts relating to career preparation and placement, internships and talent development of students.

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Prior to his time at USF, Limayem served as the associate dean for research and graduate programs at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business, where he oversaw all business graduate programs including master’s, doctoral and executive education programs. He also served as the academic director for MBA programs.

Limayem has published numerous articles, many of which focus on the intersection of technology with the consumer, academic and business worlds. He is the recipient of many academic and professional awards, including two honors recognizing efforts to foster diversity and inclusion — the Excellence in Diversity Award at the Sam Walton College of Business at UA and the Diversity Award, presented at the USF System Diversity Summit.

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In March, he was named among the Power 100: Tampa Bay’s Most Influential Business Leaders of 2022 by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Limayem serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. He earned his MBA and Ph.D. in business administration from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. Prior to his career in academia, he worked in the private sector as a systems analyst and computing consultant.

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The president-elect must be confirmed by the Florida Board of Governors. The vote to confirm will take place at the Board of Governors meeting scheduled for June 29-30, 2022.

The selection of the president-elect concludes an extensive national search launched last fall. UNF faculty, students, staff, and community members were provided numerous opportunities to meet and share feedback on the candidates, which was shared and reviewed by the Board of Trustees.

Limayem succeeds Dr. David M. Szymanski, who served 2018-2021. Prior presidents include John A. Delaney (2003-2018), Dr. Anne H. Hopkins (1999-2002), Dr. Adam W. Herbert (1989-1998), Dr. Curtis L. McCray (1982-1988) and founding president Thomas G. Carpenter (1969-1980). Dr. Pamela Chally has served as UNF’s interim president since September 2021.

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The University of North Florida is a nationally ranked university located on a 1,381-acre campus in Jacksonville surrounded by nature. Serving 17,000 students, UNF features six colleges of distinction with innovative programs in high-demand fields.

UNF students receive individualized attention from faculty and gain valuable real-world experience engaging with community partners. A top public university, UNF prepares students to make a difference in Florida and around the globe.

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