President Gordon B. Hinckley of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced during a special two-way live video conference between Lä‘ie and Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 5 that former Harvard Business School professor Dr. Steven C. Wheelwright will succeed Dr. Eric B. Shumway as president of BYU-Hawai‘i.
The change will take effect immediately after BYU-Hawaii’s June 23 commencement. Dr. Shumway will retire at that time after serving at the school for 41 years. He and his wife, Carolyn, will serve as volunteer president and matron of the Latter-day Saint Nukualofa Tonga Temple starting in September.

“The Board of Trustees has chosen a man who we are confident will take BYU-Hawai‘i to even new heights,” said President Hinckley.

“Dr. Wheelwright is an internationally renowned emeritus scholar from Harvard Business School. He brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge. His books and publications in scholarly journals are many and are widely recognized. The honors he has received, the many distinguished associations he has enjoyed, all bespeak his tremendous qualifications as a scholar.”

“But Dr. Wheelwright is known for more than his academic accomplishments,” President Hinckley continued. “His colleagues describe him as wise, energetic and optimistic with a profound, personal commitment to the Gospel. He’s a master teacher who has a genuine love for the students he works with and the institutions he represents. Through his expertise and many associations I’m confident he will expand the influence of BYU-Hawai‘i and bless the lives of all who come to this illustrious school.”

Dr. Wheelwright, who is originally from Salt Lake City, did his undergraduate work at the University of Utah, then earned his master’s and doctorate degrees from Stanford University. After teaching for a year in France, he served on the faculty at Stanford for nine years before spending over 25 years in the Harvard Business School.

From 2000-03 he served as an LDS mission president in London, England, with his wife, Margaret Wheelwright. Before retiring from Harvard in 2006, he served as senior associate dean of the school’s famed MBA program, working with students from all over the world. For the past school year he was a volunteer assistant to the president of BYU-Idaho. He is also the author or coauthor of several books on strategic management and technology.

“We’re excited because we believe in the mission of BYU-Hawaii. BYU-Hawai‘i has as the center part of its mission the combining of an education in secular knowledge with an equally outstanding education in spiritual knowledge. This is an environment that I look forward very much to being a part of,” President Wheelwright said during the video conference.
“I also look forward to helping students develop and strengthen their character and the attributes that will stand them in good stead for a lifetime of learning and service throughout the world.”

Of his designated successor, President Shumway said, “If our faculty and staff embrace him with love and trust the way they’ve given it to me, I think President Wheelwright will provide great leadership. I also think, with all of his good cheer, there’s a no-nonsense quality about him, and everyone is going to be expected to raise the bar.”