Distinguished Educator, Administrator to Lead Queens' McColl School of Business

Denise M. Rotondo, Ph.D., will bring more than two decades of visionary leadership experience to Queens University of Charlotte when she becomes dean of the McColl School of Business on August 21. Rotondo will play a key role in carrying out the school’s bold vision, a key component of Queens’ path to becoming the national private university of Charlotte.  

The move marks a return to North Carolina for Rotondo, whose first dean position was at Meredith College in Raleigh, where she also served as senior vice president for academic administration. She’s also held leadership positions as the dean of SUNY Geneseo’s business school and, most recently, as the dean of the Wehle School of Business at Canisius College in New York. Along with her leadership roles, Rotondo has had a distinguished faculty career as a professor of management.  

“I’m so excited to be returning to the state where I started my leadership journey in higher education,” said Rotondo. “Queens already has such a strong foundation of success that creates talented business leaders. We have accomplished faculty, strong programming and are located just steps away from some of the country’s top businesses. I’m thrilled about the possibilities.”  

Rotondo has a strong history of strategic planning, building relationships, hiring and supporting a diverse faculty, and building nationally ranked academic programs. The McColl School of Business is named after Hugh McColl Jr., former chairman and CEO of Bank of America who is also a Queens University life trustee and former chair of its board of trustees. The McColl School has a bold vision to raise its profile around the region and across the country.  

“With Dr. Rotondo’s leadership experience, I’m even more enthusiastic about the future for the McColl School,” said Sarah Fatherly, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs at Queens University. “Her history of collaborating with diverse groups, capturing strategic insights and creating an entrepreneurial approach will help McColl – and Queens – make even stronger connections within the business community and strengthen our ability to create the next generation of innovative and dynamic business leaders.”  

Rotondo holds a Ph.D. in business administration and an MBA from Florida State University, and she earned her undergraduate business degree from the University of Florida.