Richard E. Sorensen, of Blacksburg, Va., dean of the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech and chair of the board of directors of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, served as program chair of the AACSB-European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) International Conference in Paris, France, on April 23-25.

The conference drew 1,400 participants, primarily business school deans and university provosts and presidents, from more than 70 countries. Sorensen hosted special guests Francois Goulard, the French minister for higher education and research; Patricia Turck-Paquelier, international brand president of L’Oréal’s luxury products division; Herman Mulder, executive vice president of group risk management at ABN-AMRO; and James Goodnight, chief executive officer of SAS.

Sorensen also chaired AACSB’s annual meeting, where he was given a standing ovation for his service during the past year as chair. He will continue to serve the organization, as past chair, chair of the nominating and accreditation coordinating committees, and board champion for the doctoral education task force.

In Paris, he also attended a meeting of the board of directors of the Global Foundation for Management Education (GFME), where he was elected chair of the board and chair of the nominating committee.

A native of Staten Island, N.Y., Sorensen received a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute (now Polytechnic University) and a master’s degree and a doctorate degree from New York University's Stern Graduate School of Business.

Founded in 1916 and based in Tampa, Fla., AACSB International is an organization of about 1,000 business schools throughout the world that are committed to advancing quality collegiate business education. The premier accrediting organization for business schools, it is also the business education industry's professional development association and conducts a wide array of conferences and seminars around the globe. EFMD, based in Brussels, Belgium, has more than 500 member organizations worldwide and seeks to provide a forum for information, research, networking, and debate on innovation and best practice in management development. GFME, a joint venture of AACSB and EFMD, seeks to advance management education and practice worldwide.

Virginia Tech’s nationally ranked Pamplin College of Business offers undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting and information systems, business information technology, economics, finance, hospitality and tourism management, management, and marketing. The college emphasizes the development of ethical values and leadership, technology, and international business skills. A member of its marketing faculty directs the interdisciplinary Sloan Foundation Forest Industries Center at Virginia Tech. The college’s other centers focus on business leadership, electronic commerce, and organizational performance. The college is committed to serving business and society through the expertise of its faculty, alumni, and students. It is named in honor of Robert B. Pamplin (BAD ’33), the former CEO of Georgia-Pacific, and his son, businessman and philanthropist Robert B. Pamplin Jr. (BAD ’64).

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