January 15, 2009

Dr. Timothy Stearns, the Coleman Foundation Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies and executive director of the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California State University, Fresno, has been elected a fellow of the U.S. Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

The association is the nation's largest organization supporting public policy and academic individuals with an interest in entrepreneurship. The selection was made at the organization’s USASBE's annual meeting last week in Anaheim.

Since 1986, 51 distinguished educators, researchers, government officials, small business advocates and trade association leaders have been selected as USASBE Fellows. Another at Fresno State is Dr. George Vozikis, the Reighard Chair in Entrepreneurship.

Fellows are elected for their dedication and contributions to the organization. Consideration is given to advocacy for entrepreneurship and small business management nationwide; national recognition for scholarship or research in the field; recognized skills as a teacher, lecturer and presenter; and service to the association.

Stearns co-chairs the Regional Jobs Initiative Leadership Council, is president of the Central Valley Business Incubator and past chair of the Entrepreneurship Division of the Academy of Management. In 2007, he was awarded the prestigious Wang Family Excellence Award given each year to four faculty members selected from the 23-campus California State System.

Stearns joined the Fresno State faculty in 1994.