Alumni Spotlight: Dr. David Meinert - '82

Dr.  David Meinert is an Associate Dean for Missouri State University. He earned his BS in Management from Northern Michigan University’s (NMU) College of Business in 1982, and his MBA in 1984.  Dr. Meinert was recruited to play basketball at NMU, and while visiting the campus he met with former Management/Marketing Professor Dr. John Ludlow.  Dr. Meinert says that Professor Ludlow sold him on the business program at that moment.  “He assured me the faculty would take an interest in my success.  Dr. Ludlow was right, and I’ve never regretted my decision to attend NMU.”

While attending NMU Dr. Meinert was committed to his success on the basketball court as well as in the classroom.  His favorite NMU memory on the basketball court is winning the NCAA basketball regionals.  Off the court his favorite memory is the time spent working 1:1 with the business faculty to makeup the work he missed because of long basketball road trips.  When he looks back Dr. Meinert realizes all the extra time and energy faculty put into making sure he succeeded in their courses.  Dr.  Meinert does regret not having more time to participate in extracurricular activities.  With his current career he has realized how important participation in student organizations and study-abroad programs are for business students.

In a past career Dr. Meinert worked as an IT consultant.  He worked on a wide range of projects, but the most satisfying one involved assisting one of the largest health care systems in the Midwest implement an electronic medical record.  While developing and implementing inventory control, accounting, and other types of business applications was interesting and challenging to him, making a difference in the quality of health care was extremely rewarding.

In 1990, Dr. Meinert earned a Ph.D. in Management Information Systems from the University of Mississippi.  Then Dean Brian Gnauck, as well as other faculty members of the College of Business were instrumental in encouraging him to continue his education.  When Dr. Meinert started his Ph.D. program he quickly learned that his NMU business education was as good as or better than that of his fellow doctoral students, many of whom earned their undergraduate and/or master’s degree from major research universities.

In his current position, Dr. Meinert oversees programs at both Missouri State’s main campus in Springfield, Missouri and Missouri State’s branch campus in Dalian, China.  The past several years Dr. Meinert’s primary focus has been growing Missouri State’s “E” or “Executive programs.”  He is especially focused on Missouri State’s China EMBA program, as well as recruiting international students.  Over the past four years, Dr. Meinert has been the driving force for growing enrollments (500%) in Missouri State’s executive master’s programs, increasing Missouri State’s international student enrollments, and increasing study away opportunities for students.

Dr. Meinert enjoys spending the very little free time he does have with his family.  He is married to another NMU alum, Gail (Besonen) Meinert (’85), and they have two children, Michael and Kristen, both of whom are in college.  Dr. Meinert says that he and his family enjoy relaxing on their boat at Table Rock Lake, and when life slows down a bit that he would like to spend a little more time on his golf game.     

Dr. Meinert says the next chapter of his life is yet to be written.  His experience as an Associate Dean, as well as his international experience has created new and exciting opportunities for him.  His international experience has also created a running joke amongst his colleagues that he has a time-share at 36,000 feet.  Dr. Meinert says he likes to keep an open-mind to all of his future opportunities.

When Dr. Meinert was asked if NMU had helped him prepare for future endeavors?  He stated:

“The knowledge, skills, and abilities I acquired from the College of Business have and continue to be a key to my success.  Faculty like Irv Zaenglein, Bharath Ramachandran, Bob Miller, Brian Gnauck, Hal Dorf and many others provided a foundation which has served me well over the years as a doctoral student, professor, consultant, and now college administrator.”

Dr. Meinert is grateful for what NMU has provided him, and continues to use the knowledge, skills, and abilities he acquired at NMU to make a difference in our world today.

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