Bill Text: VA HJR583 | 2013 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Commending Richard E. Sorensen.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-01-17 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ583ER) [HJR583 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2013-HJR583-Prefiled.html
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13100002D WHEREAS, Richard E. Sorensen, the longtime dean of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's Pamplin College of Business, will retire after 31 years of distinguished service as a dean at Virginia Tech and a total of 40 years as a dean in higher education; and WHEREAS, after receiving a bachelor's degree from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute (now Polytechnic University of NYU), Richard Sorensen earned a master's degree and doctorate from New York University's Leonard N. Stern School of Business; and WHEREAS, Richard Sorensen gained practical business experience in the telecommunications industry and, as an airborne-ranger qualified officer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, proudly served his country during the Vietnam War, earning a Bronze Star and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross; and WHEREAS, Richard Sorensen began his career in higher education as dean of the John A. Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University, which received accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International during his tenure; and WHEREAS, in 1982, Richard Sorensen joined Virginia Tech as dean and professor of business information technology at the Pamplin College of Business, beginning an association that has been marked by innovative leadership and an unwavering commitment to providing the business leaders of tomorrow with the best possible education; and WHEREAS, a generous contributor himself, Dean Sorensen has reached out to alumni and others to build a strong financial foothold for the college of business to grow upon, resulting in increased donations and the $10 million gift from the Robert B. Pamplin family, which allowed construction of an addition and renovation to an existing building to better serve the needs of students and faculty; and WHEREAS, Dean Sorensen also established the Pamplin Advisory Council to bring together alumni and friends to discuss the important initiatives and work of the Pamplin College of Business in addition to plan for future endeavors; and WHEREAS, committed to academic excellence, Dean Sorensen oversaw the revamping of the Pamplin College of Business MBA program, changing admission requirements and courses to enhance the program's strengths; and WHEREAS, under Dean Sorensen's leadership, the Pamplin College of Business developed an executive MBA program, a postdoctoral bridge-to-business program, and a business diversity center and minor for undergraduates, while also expanding its international programs and partnering with other Virginia Tech colleges to offer a master's degree in information technology; and WHEREAS, Dean Sorensen recognized the many contributions that the Pamplin College of Business and Virginia Tech could make to the local economy through outreach services to businesses, and encouraged management and professional development programs and the development of the Virginia Tech Business Technology Center; and WHEREAS, Dean Sorensen has served in many capacities at Virginia Tech while also teaching the Introduction to Business course every year; he played a pivotal role in the establishment of Virginia Tech's Center for Leadership Studies and the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center and chaired the university's advisory committee on security and infrastructure; and WHEREAS, an unpaid consultant to historically black college and university business schools, Dean Sorensen has served on the boards of and been a consultant to several companies and provided valuable insight as a member of numerous professional organizations; and WHEREAS, Dean Sorensen been a member of the Government Accountability Office Educators' Advisory Panel since 2007 and served on the Commission on the Future of Southwest Virginia, Blue Ridge Economic Development Advisory Council, Commission on Prison and Jail Overcrowding, and Southwest Virginia Economic Development Commission; and WHEREAS, a respected leader in his field, Dean Sorensen has authored several works and chaired the AACSB board, currently co-chairing its Blue Ribbon Committee on Accreditation Quality in addition to serving on its postdoctoral bridge-to-business program advisory committee; and WHEREAS, the recipient of numerous awards and accolades over the course of his remarkable career, Dean Sorensen has made many substantial and lasting contributions to his field, Virginia Tech, Southwest Virginia, and the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Richard E. Sorensen for his distinguished service to the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University on the occasion of his retirement; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Richard E. Sorensen as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his commitment to higher education. |
