Meet Paul Simmonds, MSBM's New Executive Director

Do your best always.” That’s the philosophy that has guided Prof. Paul G. Simmonds, the new man at the helm of the Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM), a recent merger of the Mona School of Business (MSB) and the Department of Management Studies (DOMS). It’s a philosophy he adopted from his grandfather, a lay minister, who shaped the values he has held to this day. He also cherishes the lessons instilled by his parents (who were businesspeople), who taught him to be committed to the task at hand.

The native of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands assumed duties as executive director with effect from September 1, 2012. A management consultant and certified management accountant, he comes to The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona after his most recent appointment as AARP Virgin Islands State President.

Prof. Simmonds has had a long association with the MSB, dating back to 1995, when he was assigned as Overseas Lecturer and External Examiner in the EMBA, MBA and DBA programmes. He assisted in the design and implementation of these programmes in response to the great drive which existed in the 1990s for this level of education, particularly the MBA degree.He brings a wealth of experience to his new position, having served in similar capacities during his 25-year academic career.

He worked as Professor and Administrative Chair/Dean of the Business Division at the University of the Virgin Islands and as Department Chairman and Associate Professor in the Business Administration Department of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. He has also held academic appointments at Florida State University, Temple University, the University of Central Florida, the National University of Singapore, Old Dominion University, Rutgers University and Widener University.

His vision for the MSBM is for the school to become one of the global leaders in business research and education. His first goal is to pilot the School towards attaining the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) accreditation. “We are seeking to apply for candidacy for the AACSB accreditation as this will help us to attract more international students and achieve the international school status we are trying to create. The MSB-DOMS merger will provide a more effective way of competing internationally. We have a dedication to the region, but we would like to see international students coming to the MSBM,” Prof. Simmonds said.

“Our students should be able to network with students from all over the world. We need to exchange faculties. Students should be able to study for a semester abroad and transfer credits here. This is where The UWI is going. Our plan is consistent with the goals of The UWI. As we break out, we will need more faculty members to join us and we can attract them with AACSB accreditation. The AACSB is a means to create those ends we are looking for,” the executive director added.

Prof. Simmonds believes that what is happening all over the world affects Jamaica. He has coined an acronym which he uses to describe the current atmosphere – VUCA – which stands for volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. “Students and everyone need to recognise that the VUCA world is present. We need to bring fresh ideas into the classroom to deal with this scenario. Research will allow us to identify the problems and come up with the solutions. We need to provide cutting-edge solutions,” he said.

The holder of a PhD in Strategic Management from Temple University, Philadelphia, USA, Simmonds’ academic focus has been on internal strategic management (the art and science of managing organisations).

He has lectured in graduate and undergraduate courses in strategic management/business policy, ethics, new venture finance, operations management, management control, small business management and international management. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from George Washington University, Washington DC, and an MBA with concentration in Accounting/Finance from Drexel University, Philadelphia.

Professor Simmonds has lived and worked in various parts of the world and also has extensive expertise in the private sector. He worked in Singapore as Managing Director of TRW Turbine Overhaul Services Pte Ltd., a foreign TRW subsidiary which manufactures, re-manufactures and repairs aircraft turbine components for worldwide airlines. He was General Manager of TRW, Inc., Airfoil Overhaul SBU in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with responsibility for the overall management and profitability of a 240-person strategic business unit. He also held a position at Scott Paper Company in Philadelphia as a Distribution Accountant.

His has written several articles on strategic management which have appeared in international journals such as the Strategic Management Journal, the Journal of Managerial issues, the International Journal of Health Care Technology and Management, Academy of International Management Insights, Management International Review, Executive Management Today, Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal and the International Journal of Organizational Analysis.

Additionally, he has sat on various boards and worked with non-governmental organisations and academic societies in positions such as Vice President, International Division, United States Association for Small Business Entrepreneurship and Member of the Advisory Board of the Academy of International Business Insights. He is also a member of the Academy of Management, the Strategic Management Society, the Institute of Management Accountants, the Coastal Zone Management Committee of the US Virgin Islands and is a 14-year veteran of the United States Air Force.

A self-confessed sports fanatic, he has a special love for cricket, American football, soccer and baseball. He also admits to having a burning desire for a closer relationship with his Lord and Saviour. In fact, his life’s motto is based on the scripture reading from James 1:5: But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should pray to God, who will give it to him; because God gives generously and graciously to all.

Prof. Simmonds applies this biblical principle to the job and is undaunted in his quest to mold the MSBM into a world class institution. “I think the people of Jamaica and the entire Caribbean region needs the world class institution we are trying to create. Jamaica suffers from adverse economic conditions and brain drain, but I think we have the wisdom and the talent to overcome it. The desire to be world class should be uplifting to all of us. We should show the world that we are capable. Some say that the grass is greener on the other side, but I say that we have green grass right here. Let’s plant our own seed and grow our own grass, right here.”