Robert Lusch

Faculty at the Eller College of Business and Public Administration say they are already anticipating next year's arrival of Robert Lusch as the head of the marketing department, and are telling students to keep their grades up in order to reap the full benefits of his leadership.

Lusch, who earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at the UA, will move to Tucson when spring classes end at Texas Christian University next year.

He is serving as dean of TCU's M.J. Neeley School of Business, ranked among the top 50 in the nation. Lusch held the same position at the University of Oklahoma, another top-50 school, and is expected to boost the national standing of Eller's marketing department.

Lusch is already working with staff here to advance the marketing program.

He said he would focus on being actively involved in recruiting faculty. He also has plans for undergraduates.

Although he intends to research and work with graduate students, Lusch said he hopes to teach at the undergraduate level and reward those who put more effort into their work.

"I hope to provide high quality programs for the undergraduate students with a strong focus on honors students and higher performing graduates," Lusch said. "All students are important, but for the really high performance students, you need to really kind of go the extra step to provide a great education for them."

"He is somebody who really understands the profession, has led a program and understand trends in the marketing profession, which gives students valuable insight," said James Moore, director of advancement for Eller College, of Lusch's plans to interact with marketing students at all levels. "You don't always get guys like that in the classroom."

"Marketing is an area that's being applied in all areas of society, whether it's some art museum or the automobile industry. We just encourage the top performing students to consider marketing as a career option because there are so many careers in the field of marketing," he said.

"I think the University of Arizona is lucky to have him," Moore said. "It's competitive out there to attract and retain top talent."

Moore, who coordinates and develops Eller College's non-student relationships, said he is excited by Lusch's past success raising money from the private sector for the business school.

Mark Zupan, dean of Eller College, has known Lusch for five years and said having someone of Lusch's stature will enhance the UA's ability to recruit junior faculty.

"He'll build on a tradition in the marketing department, but also take it to a new level," he said.