Ethics Expert Joins Faculty of BYU’s Romney Institute

BYU Professor Brad AgleEthical dilemmas occur almost daily in corporations and management: Should executives and employees go to a five-star restaurant to discuss the bankruptcy filings? Should city council members publish the minutes of closed-door meetings? Is it wise to promote an immediate family member in your company? If you want to know what one deep thinker on the subject thinks, ask Professor Brad Agle.

An expert in the realm of business ethics, he is the newest faculty member in Brigham Young University's George W. Romney Institute of Public Management. Agle, professor of ethics and leadership, fills the newly created George W. Romney Endowed Professorship.

"Brad is one of the premier leadership and ethics scholars in the world," says David Hart, Romney Institute director. "He also has a very rich background in the applied business world and a tremendous network of professional and academic contacts that will benefit BYU and the Marriott School. You rarely find people who are as strong as him in so many areas."

The accomplishments of the Romney Institute's newest faculty extend far beyond the BYU campus, including the most-cited article on corporate social responsibility and the Best Article Award in 1999 by the International Association for Business and Society.

Agle is also well-known for his teaching abilities — not just in the United States, but internationally as well. He was awarded the 2009 Distinguished Professor of the Year Award as a top faculty at the Katz School Executive MBA program in São Paulo, Brazil. And he has consulted with many notable organizations, including: Alcoa, U.S. Steel, and the United States Marine Corps.

"Brad has had exceptional training and experience with corporate America in the area of organization ethics," says Gary Cornia, Marriott School dean. "I believe he will be a significant leader in the Marriott School because of this tremendous experience."

A native of Michigan, Agle earned his information systems degree from BYU in 1986 and went on to receive a PhD from the University of Washington. He has taught at Washington, Emory University and the University of Pittsburgh — where he helped found the David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership.

"My heart has always been with BYU," Agle says. "While we were very happy at Pittsburgh, I hold a strong belief that the Marriott School and BYU have the ability to be a powerful force for good and a leader in the field of business ethics unlike any other university."

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 nonprofit institutions worldwide.