Harding University has announced new leadership for the Paul R. Carter College of Business, naming distinguished faculty member Phil Brown, Ph.D., CPA, as dean and Brett Biggs, former EVP and CFO of Walmart Inc. and Harding alumnus, as executive dean of strategy and transformation.
“Business education is changing,” said President Mike Williams. “Harding is responding with an innovative leadership model. The dean/executive dean structure combines a continued focus on academic quality with an enhanced focus on application, lessons from the field and industry relationships. We are excited to have these two seasoned leaders step into these complementary roles.”
Brown, professor of accounting at Harding since 1987, brings a distinguished record of teaching excellence, academic leadership, and student, alumni and faculty engagement. A longtime chair of the accounting department, he has been recognized as Outstanding Business Faculty four times and received the national AICPA Bea Sanders Innovation in Accounting Education Award. Brown has established himself as a trusted faculty member known for developing the next generation of business leaders.
Biggs brings more than 35 years of business experience including 23 years at Walmart, wherehe last served as CFO for nearly seven years. His background includes strategy, operations, M&A, capital allocation, international business and leadership at extraordinary scale. A 1990 Harding graduate, Biggs earned his MBA from Oklahoma State University and currently serves on the boards of Procter & Gamble, Yum! Brands and J.B. Hunt Transport Services.
Brown sees this as a natural next step in his career. “I love Harding University, what it stands for and our role in helping young people become the business leaders of the future. I am honored to be named dean of the Carter College of Business and look forward to helping us grow into the future”.
Biggs sees supporting Harding in this way as a purposeful next step in his career. "Some of the most important moments in my life have come from people who took time to teach, challenge and believe in me," Biggs said. "I want to be that person for Harding students. This is both a return to my roots in learning and an opportunity to help shape the next generation of business leaders."
Brown’s deep roots in higher education and Biggs' transformational experience in corporate leadership and growth provide complementary expertise. Both are deeply committed to accelerating the Carter College of Business’s path toward leadership in Christian education.
The appointments are effective immediately.
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