Music industry executive Tim DuBois to teach at Vanderbilt; Former record label chief to develop management programs for entertainment industry

One of the most successful recording industry executives on Music Row will join the faculty of the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management this spring.

Tim DuBois, former senior partner at Universal South and president of Arista Records/Nashville, will teach in the MBA program as clinical professor of management and help the school develop educational programs and events for current and future leaders in the entertainment industry.

“This is a tremendously exciting time with the entertainment business in the process of remaking itself,” DuBois said. “I’m looking forward to establishing programs that help to make Owen Graduate School of Management a leader in the digital entertainment revolution.”

DuBois, a native of Oklahoma, has been a successful songwriter, manager, record executive and producer in Nashville since the 1980s. Five of the songs he’s had a part in writing have been No. 1 hits, including “Love in the First Degree” for Alabama, “She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)” for Jerry Reed and “When I Call Your Name” for Vince Gill.

Tapped by legendary music executive Clive Davis to open a Nashville division of Arista Records in 1989, DuBois discovered and signed stars including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley, BlackHawk, Pam Tillis and Diamond Rio. DuBois went on to head Universal South Records with producer Tony Brown from 2002-2006. As a producer he’s played a role in hits by Exile, Steve Wariner, Restless Heart and others.

“Tim DuBois will offer students a front-row seat to history as digital technology forces the music, TV and movie industries to redefine business models,” said Jim Bradford, dean of Owen Graduate School of Management. “He will begin teaching in our MBA program immediately. In the longer term we anticipate that Tim will oversee entertainment-focused executive programs and industry summits that will become destination programs nationally and internationally. These programs will be yet another way that Owen will distinguish itself among graduate business schools.”

The new appointment is a return to Vanderbilt for DuBois. He taught accounting from 1981 to 1985 at the university.

Media Contact: Jim Patterson, (615) 322-NEWS
jim.patterson@vanderbilt.edu

Explore Story Topics