IU names Kelley School interim dean

Indiana University has named Ash Soni interim dean of the IU Kelley School of Business. Soni, who currently serves as executive associate dean for academic programs at the school, will begin his new role August 1.

Soni succeeds Idie Kesner, who announced in April she will step down as dean in order to return to teaching. Her last day as dean will be July 31.

Soni has been with the Kelley School since 1981 and is a professor of operations and decision technologies.

“Ash has served as a prominent, effective leader at the Kelley School for more than 40 years,” IU Bloomington Provost and Executive Vice President Rahul Shrivastav said in written remarks. “His history of helping guide the school through many transitions and changes qualifies him well for the interim dean role.

Shrivastav says the school is preparing for a national search to find Kesner’s permanent successor. However, the school did not provide an estimated time frame for when that person would be selected.