Jackson Free Press

Jackson State University named Dr. Ramin Cooper Maysami, 52, the new dean of its College of Business on July 1.

Originally from Iran, Maysami moved to the United States in 1976. A worldwide traveler, he has visited more than 45 countries, including China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam, on both business and personal endeavors. He is fluent in Farsi, Malay and English. Maysami lived in Singapore for nine years, where he did business consulting for banks and government agencies and taught at Nanyang Business School.

Maysami will bring a wealth of university administration, teaching and researching experience to JSU. He previously served as the chairman of the Economics and Finance department at the University of North Carolina, Pembroke for six years before working as the dean of the School of Business there for three years.

While serving as dean, Maysami and the faculty and staff of the School of Business achieved Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accreditation, which he says is one of the highlights of his career. JSU's College of Business AACSB accreditation was a major attraction for Maysami to move to Jackson and serve as dean at JSU.

"Only about 6 percent of business colleges worldwide and 25 percent of American business colleges are AACSB accredited," Maysami said.

Research is another aspect of the College of Business at JSU that Maysami would like to improve. "One of my goals is to promote undergraduate and graduate student research and intensify the culture of scholarship and publication among the faculty and students," Maysami said.

Maysami has completed research in the regulation of financial institutions, interest-free banking and finance, entrepreneurship and using technology to teach, throughout his career.

Other goals Maysami has set for the College of Business are increasing the engagement of students by creating a student advisory board, keeping alumni involved, working toward the reaffirmation of AACSD accreditation and possibly expanding engagement with other business institutes worldwide. He also plans to improve the relationship between the College of Business and the community.

"The business school needs to have a close relationship with the businesses in the area they are serving," Maysami said.

Maysami and his wife, Joanne, have three sons, Tristen, 21, Tyron, 10, and Taegan, 9. The Maysamis also have a basset hound named Thunder. Maysami enjoys hiking and rock climbing and has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.