As KWU's Department of Business and Accounting continues to expand, the department has added its first executive-in-residence. Renee Duxler, president and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, will act in that capacity throughout the 2024-25 school year. She will advise the department on strategic planning and relationship building and serve as a guest lecturer in courses, among other responsibilities.
"We are pleased to welcome Renee to the KWU community," said Dr. Michelle Case, chair of the Department of Business and Accounting. "Her multifaceted experience throughout the region will help provide a great knowledge base for our students and for our department as we continue to grow. Having a local community leader believe in our mission is an honor, and we look forward to seeing her contributions throughout the year."
Duxler is a veteran of the regional economic development scene, having served as executive director of the Douglas Design District in Wichita prior to moving to Salina and joining the chamber. While in Wichita, Duxler also served on the Wichita/Sedgwick County Metropolitan Planning Commission and owned a designer resale clothing store for several years. She joined the Salina Chamber in 2020 as the director of economic and workforce development, was named the Chamber's interim CEO in 2023 and the full-time leader in 2024. Duxler received an Inclusive Economic Growth Fellowship in 2021 from the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.
The announcement of Duxler's involvement with the department is the latest in a series of positive developments over the past few months. The internationally recognized DECA program, housed in the department, now has its own dedicated area for the first time. Prof. Sheila Coomes joined the staff as the assistant department chair, giving KWU better administrative capacity to deepen its MBA program. The university achieved that through the Saline County MBA Scholarship, which gives $100 off per class to any student living or working in Saline County. Discussions are also ongoing with leading local businesses about increased cooperation, both at the graduate and, for internship purposes, the undergraduate levels.
"It's really exciting for me to be able to further connect local business and trade in our region with the students, faculty and alumni at Kansas Wesleyan University," said Duxler. "There is such a wealth of benefit and knowledge that can be exchanged between academia and industry, and I'm looking forward to facilitating and cultivating that exchange in this role."
