After more than two decades of leadership at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Vance Roley plans to step down as dean of the Shidler College of Business. A national search for his successor will begin this fall.
Roley, who also holds the title of First Hawaiian Bank Distinguished Professor of Leadership and Management, has served as dean since 2005. Under his leadership, the college experienced significant growth in academic reputation, philanthropic support and international recognition.
“Serving as dean of the Shidler College of Business has been the greatest privilege of my career,” Roley said. “Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside dedicated business leaders, alumni, donors, faculty, and staff whose support and guidance have strengthened our ability to educate and empower the next generation of business leaders. Transformative partnerships, catalyzed by Jay Shidler’s visionary gift, have elevated our programs, facilities, and global reputation in ways that will benefit students for generations to come. As I transition from the deanship, I’m excited to return to the classroom—reconnecting with the heart of our mission by teaching and mentoring students.”
One of the defining achievements of Roley’s tenure was his partnership with alumnus Jay H. Shidler, whose transformational gifts to the college now total approximately $238 million. These donations, made in cash and real estate ground leases, represent the largest individual contribution in UH’s history and the second-largest known gift to any U.S. public university business school. The funding has helped expand faculty endowments—starting with six to now 43, increase scholarships, enhance student services and support strategic programs at the college.
Other milestones during Roley’s deanship include:
- The 2019 reintegration of the School of Travel Industry Management (TIM School),which brought more than $1.5 million in new scholarships and six faculty endowments. The TIM School is now ranked No. 14 in the U.S. and No. 32 globally by the 2024 Shanghai Ranking. It also placed among the top 15 U.S. hospitality and tourism programs and No. 46 in the world in the 2024 Quacquarelli Symonds rankings.
- The 2023 opening of the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center, a first-of-its-kind, award-winning live-learn-work innovation hub available to students across all 10 campuses of the UH System. Managed by Shidler’s Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship, the center houses 374 students and features co-working spaces, meeting rooms, prototyping labs, and entrepreneurial programming.
- Significant capital improvements across campus, including the renovation of the Eddie and Elaine Flores, Jr. Courtyard and the transformation of the Sunset Reference Center at the TIM School into a modern, collaborative student space. Through the Visionary Initiative, the college has also upgraded numerous offices, classrooms, and common areas to enhance the student experience and honor the legacy of alumni and supporters.
- Establishment of several major academic initiatives, including the Direct Admit Program, which attracts more than 100 high-achieving first-year students directly into Shidler as freshmen; an undergraduate entrepreneurship major; new graduate programs such as the Distance Learning Executive MBA, Master of Science in Finance, Master of Science in Marketing, and Master of Science in Information Systems; and a doctoral program at the TIM School.
- Since its launch in 2001, the Vietnam Executive MBA Program (VEMBA) has flourished under Dean Roley’s leadership—growing beyond its founding location in Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, and, in 2024, expanding to a hybrid format that reaches professionals across Vietnam. Today, VEMBA boasts nearly 1,000 graduates, including 100 expatriates representing 20 countries.
- More than $1 million in scholarships awarded annually, along with substantial financial support for study abroad experiences that empower students to gain international perspective and cultural understanding.
- A robust career services program that facilitates approximately 500 internships each year, providing students with real-world experience and valuable industry connections. On average, 40% of students secure full-time job offers before graduation, and three months after graduation, approximately 91% of Shidler students are fully employed, with 89% working in fields directly related to their major.
“Vance Roley has been an exceptional, forward-thinking leader with an astute relationship building skillset that has transformed the Shidler College of Business into an academic and philanthropic powerhouse that is now globally recognized for its innovative entrepreneurial programs and its well-prepared graduates,” said Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos. “I had the honor and pleasure of knowing Vance for most of his time here at UH Mānoa and he has certainly set a new standard of excellence at Shidler and his departure will leave us with large shoes to fill. I wish him well on his future endeavors.”
Before arriving at UH, Roley served 21 years at the University of Washington, where he was acting dean and held the Hughes M. Blake Professorship of Finance. He previously worked as an economist and assistant vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, and served as a senior economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers.
Roley holds a PhD and MA in economics from Harvard University and a BA in economics and statistics from the University of California, Berkeley.
A search committee to find Roley’s replacement has been formed and campus leaders anticipate the job will be posted in September. College of Engineering Dean Brennon Morioka will chair the search and Isaacson, Miller has been selected as the search firm.
