Gary Cornia New Director of Romney Institute

Gary Cornia

PROVO, Utah — Jan 07, 2004 — Marriott School Dean Ned C. Hill named Gary Cornia as the new director of the George W. Romney Institute of Public Management. Cornia, the Stewart Grow Professor of Public Management and former Marriott School associate dean, will replace Robert Parsons, who served four-and-a-half years in that position.

Gloria Wheeler, a professor of public management, will remain as associate director of the Romney Institute, a position she has held for 10 years.

Cornia is the past president of the National Tax Association and has published a number of articles on tax policy in leading academic journals. He is a former commissioner of the Utah State Tax Commission and was chair of Utah Governor Mike Leavitt’s Tax Review Commission.

“I’m especially pleased that Gloria Wheeler has remained as associate director,” Cornia says. “I’m excited about the new challenge and opportunity, and I hope that I can live up to the expectations of my predecessors. In their individual ways they’ve all strengthened the Romney Institute.”

Parsons is the NAC Professor of Public Management. Under his tenure, the Romney Institute has increased the size of its applicant pool, brought in a full-time person to lead student placement, strengthened ties with alumni and outside groups, built its endowment and hired five faculty members.

“Bob has been an outstanding leader of the Romney Institute; he’s been a joy to work with,” says Dean Ned C. Hill. “Gary will serve with distinction and his international reputation will bring much credit to the school and the institute.”

The Romney Institute of Public Management was named in 1998 for three-term Michigan Governor George W. Romney. Part of Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management, the Romney Institute offers a master’s degree in public administration through both pre-service and executive programs. The Romney Institute has a long tradition of preparing young people for careers in public service and is dedicated to educating men and women of faith, character and professional ability who will become outstanding managers and leaders in public and not-for-profit institutions worldwide.