issioned through the Air Force ROTC in June of 1961, Dr. Taylor served as combat defense operations and training officer, a missile launch control officer, and as a training officer. From 1972-1980, he served as assistant professor, associate professor, and director of research in the Department of Economics, Geography and Management, USAF Academy, Colorado. In January of 1980, he was named professor and head of the department. He retired from the Air Force in the summer of 1981 as a lieutenant colonel after 20 years of service. From 1981-1984, Dr. Taylor was associate dean of the College of Letters and Science and head, Division of Business and Economics, at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He was also named the Carl N. Jacobs Professor of Business.
In July of 1984, Dr. Taylor was appointed dean of the School of Business at the University of Louisville; in 1992, his title was changed to Dean, College of Business and Public Administration, reflecting the addition of programs in public administration and urban and public affairs. In December of 2002, Dr. Taylor retired as dean, assuming his appointment as Professor of Management and Dean Emeritus. His teaching interests include management, leadership, group dynamics, and business strategy. Dr. Taylor's research activities focus on performance appraisal, organization change, and leadership.
Currently, Dr. Taylor serves on the Logan Aluminum, Inc. board of directors, Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. board of directors, Jewish Hospital Healthcare Services board of trustees, Metro United Way board of directors and executive committee, and advisory boards for The Rawlings Group and Miller Consultants. He previously served as Chair of AACSB - The International Association for Management Education, and on the boards of Bank One Kentucky NA, the National Center for African-American Leadership, Kentucky Wood Floors and Greater Louisville, Inc. Dr. Taylor has also served as an advisor to the Kellogg Foundation on issues of leadership development.
He has published many papers in scholarly journals including
Business Horizons , the Academy of Management Journal,
IEEE Transactions , and
Personnel Journal . A variety of papers have been presented at regional and national meetings of professional organizations. Dr. Taylor is a member of the Academy of Management and the Society of Sigma Xi. He has co-edited three books:
Leadership: Challenges for Today's Manager, Military Leadership: In Pursuit of Excellence (4th edition) , and
Contemporary Issues in Leadership (5th edition) . Dr. Taylor travels extensively, giving presentations on leadership and values.
Dr. Taylor lives in Louisville with his wife, Linda Shapiro who is an associate provost at the University of Louisville.
