Salt Lake Community College welcomed Trish Gorman as the new dean of the Gail Miller School of Business on Aug. 1.
As the first dean appointed to the position since the school was renamed in fall of 2022, Gorman said she intends to carry out the vision set forth by SLCC’s partnership with the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation. She added that she will use her extensive experience in mathematics, business, social sciences, strategy, and economics to guide her.
“In my experience, busy people stay busy,” Gorman said. “So far, in the short time I’ve held this role, I’ve [learned] many new processes and [met] many new people. Everyone has been incredibly collaborative and supportive, which helps us to make progress towards the school’s goals.”
Experience
Gorman has developed business programs for Columbia Business School, Duke University and nearly 100 other corporate entities in more than 20 countries over the past three decades.
She was the inaugural director of the Goff Strategic Leadership Center at the University of Utah, with teaching roles at the U., Wharton Business School, Ohio State University, Columbia University and the University of Connecticut.
Gorman also led North American Growth Thought Leadership at Deloitte as director of eminence and served as the director of global strategy learning for McKinsey & Company.
But it didn’t start there. Her love for analytical problem solving began on a busy New York road. When the toll booths were backed up, she recalled her father pointing out, “somebody got the forecast wrong.” He went on to explain forecasting and stochastic processes.
Gorman said that, after the conversation, she became intrigued by analytical processes, and that the conversation changed how she viewed the world.
“I started in mathematical modeling – what we now call algorithms. Solving interesting and meaningful problems led me to business consulting and business education, and I’ve never had a boring day,” Gorman said.
Education
Building on an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, Gorman earned her MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management in strategy, nonprofit management, and operations management.
Gorman earned her PhD from Case Western Reserve in business policy, strategy and economics. She co-wrote “What I Didn’t Learn in Business School: How Strategy Works in the Real World” and has written for Forbes, McKinsey Quarterly, Harvard Business Review and Deloitte Review, among other reputable publications.
“Most of the writing I have done has been for clients, meaning it is not released for the public. I’m currently working on a book on women’s leadership, drawing from my extensive work and teaching experience,” Gorman said.
Gorman’s latest mission
Gorman brings vast world views and considerable educational experience to the SLCC family. Inspired by the Larry H. and Gail Miller Family Foundation, Gorman said she hopes to carry the torch further and “create opportunities for others and break through barriers.”
“This is a special moment in the school’s history, as the generous support from Gail Miller and the foundation enables us to renovate the school’s physical space and update its programming to better accomplish our mission,” Gorman said.
