Dr. Thomas Kaplan is Indiana Tech’s new vice president for academic affairs

Indiana Tech has named Thomas E. Kaplan, Ph.D. as its vice president for academic affairs. Dr. Kaplan was chosen for the post after a nationwide search for Indiana Tech’s next academic leader, which began in August 2017.

Dr. Kaplan will officially begin his duties as vice president for academic affairs on May 14. He currently serves as dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, a post he has held since 2015. Prior to his role as dean at Wittenberg, Dr. Kaplan served as the Ness Chair in Entrepreneurship and associate professor in Wittenberg’s department of business from 2009-2012, and as chair of the department of business from 2012-2015.

“I’m very pleased to welcome Dr. Tom Kaplan as our new vice president for academic affairs,” commented Indiana Tech President Dr. Karl Einolf. “I believe strongly that he is the right leader to help us in our work to serve our students and to continually enhance our academic programs. Dr. Kaplan will play a vital role in our efforts to provide innovative, high-quality academic opportunities and to implement our emerging strategic plan as we build a century of excellence together.”

During his time at Wittenberg, Dr. Kaplan received Wittenberg’s Omicron Delta Kappa Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2011 and co-founded Wittenberg’s M.S. in Analytics program. Prior to his time there, he held faculty positions at Fairleigh Dickinson University from 1997-2002, and at Mary Baldwin University from 2002-2006.

“I’m honored to be selected as vice president for academic affairs at Indiana Tech,” Kaplan said. “I’ve been highly impressed by the level of commitment that the faculty and staff have towards serving the students here. They are an outstanding team, and I look forward to joining their efforts and helping build on this important work.”

Dr. Kaplan earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Ohio Northern University, an M.B.A from Baldwin-Wallace College, and a Ph.D. in Management from Virginia Commonwealth University. While engaged in Ph.D. studies at Virginia Commonwealth, he worked as a graduate teaching assistant and program manager, and was the co-founder of the Virginia Family Business Forum, for which he served as manager of operations from 1994-1996. From 1996-1997, he served as research fellow at Kennesaw State University’s Family Enterprise Center.

In addition to his academic experience, Dr. Kaplan has served in leadership roles in the private sector, including work as director of operations for Bondstone Ventures and director of strategic planning for Hauser Homes, Inc. He worked as a strategic business consultant with Family Business Consulting Group from 1997-2004, and has continued work as an independent consultant specializing in strategic planning, organizational management and innovation management since that time.

Indiana Tech’s search for its new vice president for academic affairs was facilitated by higher education executive search firm RH Perry & Associates. Dr. Kaplan was chosen by the university’s leadership and search committee from an initial field of 49 applicants.