McCoy College of Business announces leadership changes and new hires : McCoy College of Business : Texas State University

SAN MARCOS, Texas — The McCoy College of Business at Texas State University has announced a slate of leadership changes and new hires. Some of the roles began over the summer of 2023, while others will begin with the upcoming fall semester.

See below for announcements regarding each position.

Dr. Alex McLeod

Associate Dean, Faculty Success and Research

Dr. Alex McLeod has been named Associate Dean for Faculty Success and Research for the McCoy College of Business at Texas State University, effective July 17, 2023. In this role, Dr. McLeod provides leadership and direction for all matters related to faculty development, including the establishing of programs, priorities, and policies that advance faculty success and foster a climate where faculty can thrive.

Dr. McLeod previously served as Chair of the Department of Information Systems and Analytics. He joined Texas State University in 2015 as an Assistant Professor in the College of Health Profession and was later promoted and appointed as Chair of the Department of Health Information Management in 2019. Prior to Texas State, he held faculty positions at Trinity University (San Antonio), the University of Nevada at Reno, and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).

A prolific and impactful scholar authoring over 60 publications, Dr. McLeod's research interests focus on healthcare information systems, cyber security, cyber analytics, and ethics. His research appears in journals such as Computers and Security, Decision Support Systems, Journal of Business Ethics, and Journal of Computer Information Systems, among others.

Dr. McLeod's professional experiences also include several years as Program Manager for SAP University Alliances, for which he recruited all over the U.S. He has been a security contractor for Microsoft Corporation, EMS Administrative Captain for San Antonio Emergency Medical Services, and system administrator for Electronic Data Systems. He is a licensed realtor and a licensed paramedic in the State of Texas. ✯

Dr. Seth Frei

Assistant Dean, Program Assessment and Global Engagement

Dr. Seth Frei has been named Assistant Dean for Program Assessment and Global Engagement in the McCoy College of Business, effective Aug. 1, 2023. In this role, Dr. Frei manages and supports numerous important college initiatives, including program accreditation and assessment, education abroad and global partnerships, program rankings, and other special assignments.

Dr. Frei joined Texas State University in 2013 as a lecturer in the College of Fine Arts and Communication. He moved to the Department of Management in McCoy College in 2018 after earning his Ph.D. in Organizational Communication and Technology from The University of Texas at Austin.

For his teaching activities, Dr. Frei has been recognized with the Texas State University Award for Excellence in Online Teaching (2018), McCoy College Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching (2020), and the McCoy College Changemaker Award (2021). For the 2021-2022 academic year, he served as the Instructor in Residence for the Texas State University Technology Innovation Office as he helped in developing a facility to push the boundaries of online synchronous instruction.

Dr. Frei is also engaged in research, primarily focused on communication during job transitions and periods of uncertainty, with publications in Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, Journal of Applied Communication Research, and Communication Studies, among others. His support at the department, college, and university levels is demonstrated through his many service activities, including University Curriculum Committee, College Curriculum Committee, Faculty Advisor for Hispanic Business Student Association, TEDxTexasStateUniversity Organizer, and more. ✯

Dr. Anna Turri

Chair, Department of Marketing

Dr. Anna Turri has been named Chair of the Department of Marketing, effective July 17, 2023.

Dr. Turri joined Texas State University in 2011 and was tenured and promoted to associate professor in 2017. She has served as assistant chair of the Department of Marketing since 2019. During her time at Texas State, Dr. Turri has contributed to numerous department and university objectives, including the development of the Texas State Career Closet to provide students with free access to job interview attire.

Dr. Turri’s research focuses on consumer behavior, labeling, and consumer protection, including the role of technology in consumer choice. Her work has been featured in multiple peer-reviewed publications including Journal of Promotion Management, Journal of Consumer Affairs, Journal of Business Research, and Journal of Marketing Management.

Dr. Turri earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Texas A&M University, an MBA from Sam Houston State University, and a Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Arkansas. Before entering academia, Dr. Turri worked independently as a business owner in Italy. ✯

Dr. Sam Lee

Interim Chair, Department of Information Systems and Analytics

Dr. Sam Lee has been named Interim Chair of the Department of Information Systems and Analytics, effective July 17, 2023.

Dr. Lee joined Texas State University in 2004, was tenured and promoted to associate professor in 2010, and was promoted to professor in 2020. During his time at Texas State, Dr. Lee has taught 30 different courses and has contributed to numerous department and university objectives, including service as Program Coordinator of the Master of Science in Accounting and Information Technology program.

His current research focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the influences of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) marketing on application development. His work has been featured in many peer-reviewed publications, including the Journal of Computer Information Systems, Decision Support Systems, and International Journal of Information and Decision Sciences.

Dr. Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics from Tatung Institute of Technology, a master of science in applied mathematics from National Chiao Tung University, a master of science in industrial engineering from Arizona State University, and a Ph.D. in industrial engineering from Arizona State University. ✯

Dr. Tahir Ekin

Fields Chair in Business Analytics

Dr. Tahir Ekin will serve as the inaugural Fields Chair in Business Analytics, starting Sept. 1, 2023.

Dr. Ekin is currently the Steven R. “Steve” Gregg Excellence Endowed Associate Professor of Analytics and the Texas State University Presidential Fellow. His research focuses on health care fraud analytics using Bayesian methods and decision modeling under uncertainty, employing stochastic programming. In addition to numerous publications in top journals, and the publication of his book, “Statistics and Health Care Fraud: How to Save Billions,” Tahir has earned more than $1 million in research funding from the National Science Foundation, Air Force Scientific Office of Research, Texas Health and Human Services, and private foundations. He is an elected member of International Statistical Institute and has served as Vice President of the International Society for Business and Industrial Statistics, in addition to other extensive service to his academy.

He has exercised valuable campus leadership in the development of the university’s new Center for Analytics and Data Science and new interdisciplinary Minor in Data Analytics program. He also helped coordinate the university’s $1.45 million Texas Higher Education Board credentialing grant for development of a data analytics program and launched the now-annual Texas State Data Analytics Showcase. Currently, he is shepherding proposals for a BBA in Analytics and a Ph.D. in Business Analytics. As the Fields Chair, Dr. Ekin will help raise the visibility and impact of the McCoy College in business analytics, engage with the business community, exercise energetic academic leadership, and solicit external funding.

Dr. Ekin earned a Ph.D. in Decision Sciences from The George Washington University and has been a faculty member in the McCoy College of Business at Texas State University since 2012. ✯

Dr. Terrance McClain

Director, McCoy College Student Success Center

Dr. Terrance J. McClain has been named Director of the new Student Success Center at the McCoy College of Business, effective Aug. 28, 2023. In this role, Dr. McClain will provide leadership and oversight for the center and be responsible for the development and implementation of student success programs for undergraduate students in McCoy College.

Dr. McClain has served as Associate Director of Success Coaching at Texas State University since 2022. Prior to that, he held roles as a student development specialist with the university's Career and Financial Education (CAFE) program from 2016 to 2022, was previously an academic advisor and an academic coach. He has also taught courses as a University Seminar instructor since 2014.

Dr. McClain earned a BBA in marketing from the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, followed by an M.Ed. in Student Affairs in Higher Education and a Ph.D. in Adult, Professional, and Community Education, both from Texas State.

The new Student Success Center is the first of its kind at Texas State University and among only a handful of such centers in business schools across the nation. Located on the first floor of McCoy Hall, the center will be one of the focal points of the college, elevating the entire student learning experience. ✯

Dr. Steven Rayburn

Faculty Director, Texas State University Service-Learning Excellence Program

Dr. Steven Rayburn has been named Faculty Director of the Service-Learning Excellence Program, effective Aug. 1, 2023.

Dr. Rayburn joined Texas State University in 2013 and was tenured and promoted to associate professor in 2019. During his time at Texas State, Dr. Rayburn has taught a variety of courses in the Department of Marketing, often utilizing a service-learning approach to engage students with community partners. He has contributed to numerous department and university objectives, including serving as a member of the Service-Learning Excellence Advisory Board, the Institutional Review Board, First-Gen Proud Committee, and Bobcat Bounty Steering Committee. Dr. Rayburn is a Fulbright Specialist and continues work with colleagues at Universidad de Piura – Lima within their Service Research Center.

Dr. Rayburn’s current research focuses on consumer and worker experiences at the organizational frontline. His work has been featured in many peer-reviewed publications, including the Journal of Service Research, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, European Journal of Marketing, and Psychology and Marketing.

Dr. Rayburn earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and an MBA from University of Louisville, as well as a Ph.D. in business administration focused in marketing from Oklahoma State University. ✯

For more information, email Twister Marquiss, manager of marketing and communications for the McCoy College of Business, at twister@txstate.edu.

About the McCoy College of Business
Established in 1970, Texas State University’s business school officially became the McCoy College of Business in 2004 following a donation of $20 million by Emmett and Miriam McCoy. The college, which offers classes in both San Marcos and Round Rock, is accredited by AACSB in both business and accounting, and has graduated more than 43,000 alumni.

McCoy College of Business announces leadership changes and new hires