Dr. Steve Beach

Dr. Steve Beach was named dean of the College of Business in 2018. Prior to UT Permian Basin, he was the Associate Dean and Professor of Finance in the College of Business and Economics at Radford University. He has garnered several teaching awards and was founding adviser of the Radford University Student Managed Investment Portfolio Organizations, which won two international competitions for performance in managing investment assets. Dr. Beach earned his PhD from Washington State University and his MBA and BSBA from Tennessee Tech. His research has focused on global portfolio management, personal finance and downside risk measures.

Get to know Dr. Beach

Q. What do you want your students to learn at UT Permian Basin?

To lead or manage, you are obligated to know your stuff. The technical skills matter, because the world is getting more complex, and simplistic solutions can be so far off target. If you expect to lead in the modern world, part of your credentials should be in the nitty-gritty related to the initiative. Also, a mantra I can’t teach, but can only share: “to care comes first.”

Q. What is one book you think everyone should read?

Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler warns about one-party government and the “compulsion to conform” that accompanies such a situation, fueled by or facilitating dictatorship. While a critique of the Soviet Communist state, I see its broader story as one of personal and party politics: stand strong against coercion, especially if it is built around groupthink.

Q. What are you most proud of thus far in your career?

While the demands and impact of administrative roles are incredible, I still mostly pride myself in the impact that I’ve had as a professor on the lives of students. The list of names, many of whom I helped develop from small-town kids to successful adults with engaging careers, is still the measuring stick for my impact in higher education. Kids who make it without an existing network or connections, just hard work, honesty, and smart decisions.

Q. What’s one piece of advice you’d give your college self?

Wow! That’s tough! I did not finish my undergraduate degree until I was 30 and had a wife, a son and a daughter on the way, so my experience is non-traditional. But now, I’ve got it: spend more time on campus, meeting with fellow students in your program and from other parts of campus. Get to know the professors, because they really hold the key that opens doors to opportunity. All those interactions pay big dividends.

Q. Tell us something interesting about yourself that your students might not know about you.

My wife and I got married by the justice of the peace in Breckenridge, Colorado, after a day of skiing. Our intuition proved correct. Research shows a negative correlation between cost of wedding and the number of years the marriage lasts. I’d like to say that I did the research before jumping over the broomstick, but we listened to our hearts, not just the analytics.