TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Susan Carver West, assistant dean and head of The University of Alabama’s Manderson Graduate School of Business, has been named chair of the board of trustees for the Executive MBA Council.

"This recognition is a strong testament to the quality of Susan West’s leadership,” said Dr. J. Barry Mason, dean of the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration. "It also is indicative of the high regard in which she is held by her colleagues and enhances the national profile of the program.”

The Executive MBA Council, started in 1981 and headquartered in Orange, Calif., has more than 230 colleges and universities as members, and it was organized to promote excellence and innovation in Executive MBA programs worldwide. The Executive MBA Council also sponsors several research initiatives. The data helps schools understand student preferences and benchmark their practices. Return On Investment research helps show what the degree really means to students and their organizations.

West spent 12 years in industry that included the commercial insurance industry and the textile industry. Her roles included business development, e-Commerce, strategic planning, and mergers and acquisitions.

She serves as an executive board member of UA’s Tuscaloosa County Alumni Association and is a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Her areas of expertise include strategic planning, marketing, front-end e-commerce, and business development. West also has been a nationally-ranked tennis player and is a two-time qualifier for the USGA Mid-Amateur Women’s Golf Championship.

The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is in the midst of planned, steady enrollment growth with a goal of reaching 28,000 students by 2010. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state's economy, is in keeping with UA's vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state's flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.