Lawyer and Business School Dean Named Next President of Texas Christian University

In December 2022 Texas Christian University announced that Daniel Pullin, John V. Roach Dean of the TCU Neeley School of Business, will take over as President effective February 1, 2023.

In addition to serving as dean, Pullin is also a professor of entrepreneurship and innovation. Since joining TCU in 2019, he has utilized his combined experience in higher education across multiple roles, as well as an early foundation in leading corporations and private industry to serve as a steward for the Neeley School. Under Pullin’s leadership, TCU Neeley has driven dynamic faculty and staff growth and curriculum innovation; earned increased national visibility and rankings; realized development success; built community and civic engagement; and has placed an unmistakable focus on inclusive excellence.

The press release announcing his appointment quote the University Chancellor, “Daniel is an inspiring leader and cares deeply about our community, which has been built upon academic excellence and an unmatched student experience,” and “For the past four years he has been passionate about his role as John V. Roach Dean of the Neeley School of Business, and he will use that same energy and expansive vision to make an impact as TCU’s president.”

Prior to joining TCU Neeley School of Business, Pullin was the dean of the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma (OU), where he also served as university vice president.

Before transitioning to higher education, Pullin worked for global consultancy McKinsey & Company and the private equity firm Hicks Muse Tate & Furst and its portfolio companies.

As many are reporting, higher education is facing many challenges and it is going through a transformation. Pullin’s background as a lawyer and entrepreneur with business savvy and passion brings a much needed skill set to the C-Suite.

Pullin earned his undergraduate degrees from the University of Oklahoma and MBA from Harvard Business School before returning to OU to earn a Juris Doctor degree.

First Woman to Lead SUNY ESF is Attorney and Former Local Government Official Joanie Mahoney

When Joanie Mahoney was appointed as the 5th President of SUNY’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in November 2020, she became the first woman to lead the College. She joined ESF in 2018 as the Chief Operating Officer, and she was also a special advisor to SUNY Upstate Medical University. At the time Mahoney switched her professional focus to higher education, both ESF and Upstate Medical were undergoing tumultuous times.

A graduate of Syracuse University College of Law, Mahoney served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office and then worked in private practice with the law firm of Harris Beach. Immediately prior to joining ESF, Mahoney served on Syracuse Common Council (2000-2002) and as the Onondaga County Executive for 11 years (where she was also the first woman to hold that position). She also served as chairperson of the New York State Thruway Authority and was a Trustee of the New York Power Authority.

In announcing her appointment, the SUNY Board of Trustees noted that Mahoney had helped ESF expand, ““... as an instrumental partner with government to address pressing issues like climate change and intrusion of invasive species in our waterways, and functions as point person on Covid matters and preparedness." The Chancellor, in acknowledging her work as county executive said that it, “... demonstrates her abilities to form coalitions and achieve results -- exactly the outcomes we’re hoping to see at ESF.” Mahoney commented, “I used the network that I built over the years as one of the assets that I bring to ESF, not simply by virtue of the network, but as evidence of the skill set that ESF needs right now,” She noted that she would apply her government experience and passion for solving environmental issues as president. Mahoney has been described as a good listener with a unique interest in the people around her and as a consensus builder.

This President Was a White House Counsel and Deputy U.S. Solicitor Before Career in Higher Education

Marvin Krislov, President of Pace University since 2017 also served as President of Oberlin College from 2007 to 2017. He entered academic administration in 1998 at University of Michigan as vice president and general counsel. During his time at Michigan he led the University of Michigan’s legal defense of its admission policies, resulting in the 2003 Supreme Court decision recognizing the importance of student body diversity.

A Rhodes Scholar, President Krislov is a thought-leader who writes frequently in the press about higher education issues. No prior academic experience before joining the University of Michigan, Krislov joined a growing group of college and university general counsel who stepped up into campus presidencies.

Upon his graduation from Yale Law School, Krislov clerked for Judge Marilyn Hall Patel of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco. He found a career in government for ten years at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice (where he focused on Civil Rights), Associate Counsel for the White House, and then Acting Solicitor and Deputy Solicitor for National Operations at the U.S. Department of Labor. Krislov’s commitment to Civil Rights began as he grew up in Kentucky and saw segregation and its impacts. He saw education as the path to help achieve this.

Krislov accomplished much during his ten-year tenure at Oberlin including development of a new strategic plan and the completion of a successful campaign. At Oberlin, Krislov “…led collaborative, consensus-driven efforts to make the college more rigorous, diverse, inclusive, and accessible to students from every socioeconomic background.” Krislov is also credited with raising Oberlin’s international and national profile while championing the value of a liberal arts education.

In an interview on WorkplaceTV, President Krislov as asked what three pieces of advice he had for young lawyers who wanted to pursue leadership roles in higher education. He offered: 1) Be really good at what you do, work hard and learn a lot. He mentioned that when studying law, one needs to understand different perspectives, and this is an important skill. 2) He suggested people find mentors who can help them. 3) He recommends looking for opportunities to grow at your workplace. He offered that you can do this by mentoring others and looking to volunteer for opportunities to stretch yourself and learn new things.

Krislov was not the first lawyer president at Pace University. His immediate predecessor was Stephen Friedman, who served for 10 years from 2007 to 2017. Prior to that he was the Dean of Pace Law School. Prior to becoming dean, he was a, “…senior partner and co-chair of the Corporate Department of Debevoise & Plimpton LLC. He has served as Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Capital Markets Policy at the United States Treasury Department, as executive vice president and general counsel of the Equitable Companies Incorporated and the E.F. Hutton Group Inc., and as law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr.”