In a surprise move Wednesday, the University of Akron’s Board of Trustees unanimously agreed to accept the resignation of the president responsible for stabilizing the university after a period of decline, then appointed the current business school dean to the role.
Gary Miller’s resignation comes in the middle of a contract that was due to expire in 2027. Several months ago, Miller, 70, told board members he wanted to retire, said Lewis Adkins Jr., the chair of the Board of Trustees. The discussions, he said, were “all positive.”
Provost John Wiencek said he was informed of Miller’s plans after a May 1 meeting of the trustees. He was tasked with leading the search, and told Miller wanted to leave following commencement, which was held last weekend.
While trustees had more warning, Adkins said with a quick timeline for Miller’s planned exit, and a history of tumultuous turnover prior to Miller’s appointment, trustees decided they “couldn’t afford” a prolonged national search for his replacement.
The short timeline was an “aggravation” for members of the steering committee, which included faculty and student representatives, Wiencek said. After a three-hour meeting, the committee responsible for deciding the parameters of the search decided to look internally.
“The shared governance groups were obviously a little stunned at the speed we had to move,” he said.
The steering committee decided the new president of the university should be someone who had experience as an academic leader. That left five people in contention: Wiencek himself and the deans of the academic colleges.
Business school dean R.J. Nemer, Wiencek said, was the sole applicant. Adkins said Nemer, 56, was the only person “seriously considered” for the job. He was appointed to the presidency Wednesday.
“We had what we believe to be a superstar in the skill sets that we needed right here on campus,” Adkins said.
Nemer, a University of Akron graduate twice over, credited the university with allowing him to launch his business career. He said he wants to differentiate the university’s offerings and help the school be a place of support for students.
“My vision is to really strengthen our culture, strengthen our ties with our partners in the city and in the county,” Nemer said. “To be a place of inspiration for students, not only in Northeast Ohio, but domestically and internationally.”
Applying business principles to academia
A contract has not yet been signed, but Nemer’s $484,500 base salary is higher than the $475,000 Miller commanded annually when he stepped into the role. Nemer’s original term for the job is four years.
Nemer, who has led the University of Akron College of Business since 2022, graduated from the university with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in 1990 and from the School of Law in 1995. Prior to being named dean, Nemer was chief marketing officer for MAI Capital Management in Cleveland.
He also sold a golf management and marketing agency he founded to William Morris Endeavor/IMG in 2015 and was the global leader of the IMG Golf brand after that sale. Nemer started his career as an estate tax attorney.
With no faculty background, Nemer was an unconventional choice for the deanship. He said he taught two sections of a sports marketing seminar to understand what the classroom experience was like. It helped him build trust with colleagues and allowed him to understand and appreciate the span of experiences University of Akron students came to the school with, he said.
“The dean’s role, it was really foreign,” he said.
Wiencek said Nemer quickly won over faculty and became a beloved leader. Adkins said Nemer’s work to increase enrollment at the business school at a time when it was falling across the board showed that he was able to “overperform.” Nemer said he thinks the most crucial thing a leader can do is listen; Wiencek said Nemer has proven that he has that skill.
“They’ve gone from mixed to enthusiastic,” Wiencek said of Nemer’s standing with faculty. “I’m passionate about the place because I grew up here; he’s four times more passionate than me.”
Stepping into the presidency feels more familiar than the deanship did, Nemer said — it involves making sure the university is operating efficiently while providing a superior product to students. He can take lessons from his work serving clients, watching overhead and marketing.
“A lot of things are applicable when you run a university,” Nemer said. “While a university isn’t a business, per se, you still have to apply business principles to maximize your resources and take care of the people that you’re working with every day.”
Budget challenges lie ahead for Nemer
Following the 2014 exit of longtime president Luis Proenza, the University of Akron had two permanent presidents and one interim leader over a five-year period. Miller was chancellor of the University of Wisconsin — Green Bay when he was appointed Akron’s president in 2019. He’s credited with bringing a sense of stability back to campus.
Miller led through the coronavirus pandemic, and the board said he tackled “significant financial issues” at the university while improving relationships between the university and the community. In a 2021 contract extension, the board said it was pleased with Miller’s consistent, decisive and “steady leadership.” Adkins said he had done an “extraordinary job.”
But there is still work to be done. Trustees earlier this month approved Miller’s recommendation that the school take “all steps necessary” to reduce budget challenges in the coming years.
The university’s $378 million in debt is larger than its $290 million endowment. And its expenditures are outpacing its revenues — in the 2023 fiscal year, the university had a $30 million deficit, which it covered by dipping into its reserves.
In the resolution appointing Nemer to the role, trustees said the financial challenges the university faces, coupled with a desire for a smooth transition, meant it was “in the best interest of the University to move expeditiously” to choose a new leader. Miller will remain as an employee of the university until Oct. 4; he’ll serve as a consultant to help transition Nemer into the role.
In a statement, Miller said he had “full confidence” that Nemer would continue the good work the university has done.
“His skills as an entrepreneur, business leader and innovator will serve this University well as we continue to seek creative ways to stay ahead in a challenging marketplace,” Miller said.
Nemer is ‘an excellent storyteller’
Kate Budd, a professor of art who is chair of the Faculty Senate, said in an email that she was “enthusiastic” about the qualities Nemer brings to leadership. She called his love for the university “infectious and inspiring” and said he’s demonstrated in his time as dean that his leadership style translates well to academia.
And as an alumnus who saw the university in its heyday, Nemer has a sense of what Akron can be at its best, said Tim Meyers, the executive director of the School of Nursing and associate dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences.
Meyers said he has heard praise from colleagues who worked under Nemer and appreciates that trustees chose someone to lead the university who already knows its strengths and its issues.
“I think he’s the right person for the job,” he said.
Similarly, Julie Cajigas, a professor of practice in the School of Communication, said Nemer’s business skills align well with the university’s current financial issues. She said she hopes that in addition to improving fundraising and righting the university’s balance sheet, Nemer will work closely with faculty to maintain educational excellence and move the school forward.
“I’m happy when we take a business approach as long as we know education is the core product we provide,” she said.
Wiencek, the provost, said he was too much of an introvert to consider applying for the job, which requires public speaking and hobnobbing on the university’s behalf. Nemer, he said, is a “really good external face” for the school who can help attract people and make them feel like they’re part of something special.
“He’s an excellent storyteller,” Wiencek said. “We’re getting our mojo back; we need to amplify that.”
Akron Mayor Shammas Malik, in a statement, said he looked forward to working closely with Nemer, who “knows our community well.” He also congratulated Miller on his retirement, saying he had been a steadfast partner to the city.
Presidency is ‘still a bit surreal’
Jeremiah Freshly, who is starting classes at the University of Akron next week as part of a credit-for-prior-learning program, said Miller’s exit from the school is a reminder that change is constant. He said what matters to him is that the former president is happy with his decision and gets to spend time with his family.
“It’s a great milestone for everyone to hit,” he said. “I hope he enjoys it. I hope he buys a fast car.”
For new graduate Aaron Uhl, the transition was a little bit of “whiplash” — Miller spoke at commencement Friday, he said, then resigned just a few days later.
But Uhl was enthusiastic about the selection of an alumnus to lead the school and said the university can benefit from someone with a new vision who understands the area. He said, though, that he would have liked to see more transparency leading up to Nemer’s selection.
“He must have proven himself,” Uhl said. “They wouldn’t have chosen someone inept to do the job.”
The speed of the transition was also unnerving for Amore Hill, a sophomore public relations student who is also an Akron Documenter. Hill said she would have liked to see an announcement of Miller’s retirement beforehand, followed by an opportunity to meet candidates.
“It’s so quick, it feels like maybe it was done in an underhanded way,” she said.
Still, Hill said, she hopes Nemer listens to student voices. She said she prefers a leader who can get students involved and knows what Akron needs.
For his part, Nemer said he sees the position as a long-term role. His prior globe-spanning career would not have been possible without the friends and mentors he made at the University of Akron, he said, so it’s important to him that today’s students have the same chances.
One of his central goals, he said, is “creating, strengthening, energizing” the university’s culture.
“I want to make sure that our people, regardless of what they do for the University of Akron, feel like they belong, feel like they’re part of a larger mission,” he said.
“It’s a very humbling, and exciting, and still a bit surreal opportunity.”