Campbell University School of Business dean to step down, return to faculty in May

By Staff Report, posted Feb 4, 2026 on BizFayetteville.com

Dr. Kevin O'Mara - Photo courtesy of Campbell University

Dr. Kevin O’Mara announced this week he will step down as dean of the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business at Campbell University effective the end of the current academic year in May. O’Mara said he will return to the school’s faculty as a tenured, full, chaired professor in the Management and Economics Department.

O’Mara began serving as dean at the beginning of the 2016-17 academic year. During his tenure, he primarily focused on enhancing student engagement, developing student experiences and building the reputation of the business school.

During his time, the School of Business established 11 new “signature programs” — the Truist Business Scholars Program, the Rose Center for Peer Mentorship, the Burt Family Student-run Investment Fund, the Risk Management Institute, the Camel Entrepreneurial Accelerator, the Center for Financial Literacy, the Trust Fellows Program, the Hubbard Center for Entrepreneurship, the Schaffernoth Student-run Investment Fund and the Lottie Kay Career & Development Hub. Thanks to donors, the school raised $18 million in support of these and other programs. Also during this time, School of Business graduate programs were revised and expanded, resulting in a significant increase in revenue and returns.

The Lundy-Fetterman building also underwent significant revitalization to enhance classroom capabilities, visual appeal and a culture of pride. In 2023, the School received a reaffirmation of its ACBSP accreditation

Reflecting on his Campbell experience, O’Mara said in a press release, “I enjoyed working alongside our LFSB team. We have a truly dedicated staff, engaged faculty and supportive advisory board members which allows us to offer meaningful and memorable college experiences to students who are involved, appreciative and will make us all proud during their lives.”

Prior to arriving at Campbell, O’Mara taught strategy and innovation while directing an MBA program which was named the nation’s “The Best Administered MBA Program” by the Princeton Review. Soon after, the program was ranked as the #1 part-time MBA Program in the country by Bloomberg magazine. O’Mara later directed the school’s entrepreneurship center that was singled out by Poet & Quants when listing the business school for the first time among the nations’ top 50 undergraduate business schools.

Also during his time as dean, O’Mara served as president of the Academy of Business Education and has been active in multiple boards of directors. At Campbell, he held the Lundy Chair for Free Enterprise and currently holds the Frank B. Holding Chair.

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