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Jim W. Bradford
Dean and Ralph Owen Professor for the Practice of Management

Subject Area(s): Strategy and Business Economics

Biography:

James W. (Jim) Bradford is dean of the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management, and also serves as the Ralph Owen Professor for the Practice of Management. He was appointed dean in March 2005 after serving as acting dean for nine months.Since joining Owen in 2002, Jim has also served as clinical assistant professor of management and associate dean of corporate relations.

During his tenure as dean, Jim has spearheaded the development and launch of four innovative, market-driven and immersion-based programs at Owen, including the Health Care MBA, master's degrees in finance and accountancy, and Accelerator, a 30-day summer intensive for highly qualified undergraduates.
In 2006, Jim established a Board of Visitors comprised of leading corporate executives to further strengthen Owen's connection and relevance to the national and international business communities, and has formed additional advisory boards for the health care and accountancy degree programs. He also teaches courses in business strategy to Owen MBA and Executive MBA students, and his leadership has resulted in a more than 300 percent increase in annual giving to date.
An experienced corporate executive, Bradford previously served as president and CEO of United Glass Corporation and AFG Industries Inc., North America's largest vertically integrated glass manufacturing and fabrication company. Prior, he served as AFG's general counsel and spent 11 years in private law practice. Bradford earned his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Florida and his law degree from Vanderbilt. He completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School in 1997. He currently serves on the board of directors for several leading companies and organizations, including Clarcor Corporation (Audit and Director Affairs Committees); Genesco (Finance and Governance Committees); Granite Construction, one of Fortune's 100 best companies to work for in 2007 (Audit Committee and Chair of Strategic Planning Committee); and the Harpeth Capital Investment Banking Advisory Board. An ex-officio board member of the Nashville Health Care Council, Jim is also active in the Nashville Chamber of Commerce's Partnership 2010, a regional economic development initiative, and is a candidate for Leadership Nashville, an independent executive leadership program for community leaders.
Jim is active in his church and other community and environmental organizations, and has served on the boards of the Barter Theatre and the Tennessee Nature Conservancy, among others. He is an avid photographer and biker, frequently taking groups of students and faculty from Owen on rides through the hills of rural Tennessee, and plays the hammered dulcimer.

Education:
B.A., University of Florida, 1969
J.D., Vanderbilt University, 1973

Course(s) Taught:
- MGT 558: International Seminar: Italy
- MGT 548: Leadership for Not-for-Profit Organizations

Area(s) of Expertise:
Mergers and acquisitions, employment, financing, business structures, global and domestic business strategy, entrepreneurship.

Podcast(s) & Video:

OwenUpdate, January 2008

Listen/Watch

QUICKLINKS

Curriculum Vitae (PDF) >

CONTACT

Voice: 615-343-5705
Fax: 615-343-7177
Office #: 206D
Email