Ken Brown

Ken Brown is the dean of the David W. Wilson College of Business at the University of Northern Iowa. He returned to UNI after serving for twenty years as a faculty member in the Department of Economics at UNI and for twelve years in academic administration at Missouri State University as department head, dean and chief academic strategy officer.

As dean, Brown works with faculty, staff, students, alumni, business leaders and community partners to advance the college’s mission, strengthen student success, support faculty excellence and connect the Wilson College of Business with the evolving needs of Iowa, the region and the broader business community. His leadership approach combines data-informed decision-making with a strong commitment to relationships, collaboration and practical strategic implementation.

Brown is particularly interested in:

• Strengthening connections between the Wilson College of Business, alumni, employers and the business community.
• Expanding opportunities for students to gain career-ready skills, professional experiences and meaningful connections before graduation.
• Supporting faculty excellence in teaching, research, service and community engagement.
• Using data and evidence to guide strategy, improve student outcomes and support sound institutional decision-making.
• Building on the existing strengths of the Wilson College of Business while identifying new opportunities for growth, innovation and impact.

Prior to joining UNI as dean, Brown served as Chief Academic Strategy Officer at Missouri State University in the Office of the Provost. In that role, he helped lead university-wide strategic initiatives related to academic planning, institutional effectiveness, curriculum planning, faculty support, assessment and accreditation, project management, online learning and student success. One of his signature accomplishments was leading the development of Missouri State’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness, which brought together institutional research, assessment and accreditation, project management and predictive analytics under one roof.

Brown also served as Department Head and Professor of Economics at Missouri State University for eight years and as interim dean of the Darr College of Agriculture for one year. As department head, he helped lead a period of significant growth in economics majors, minors, student credit hours and student opportunities. As interim dean, he worked with faculty and external partners on academic restructuring, strategic planning and the development of an Agricultural Innovation Hub.

Hobbies & Interests

Brown and his wife, Traci, have been married for 32 years and have two adult children, Mitch and Olivia, along with their dog, Piper. Outside of work, he enjoys playing golf, playing games, reading, watching the next great streaming series and spending time with family.