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UWF appoints new dean for College of Business
University of West Florida Provost and Senior Vice President George Ellenberg announced the appointment of Richard Fountain as dean of the College of Business. Fountain previously served as chair for the Department of Accounting and Finance at UWF since 2017.
“We welcome Richard’s expertise with confidence that his leadership will allow the College of Business to continue thriving,” Ellenberg said. “His priorities and goals align with the institution’s and will foster an increasingly strong relationship between our students and the local community.”
As dean of the College of Business, Fountain is responsible for oversight and management of six academic departments, as well as the Center for Entrepreneurship, the Center for Supply Chain Management Excellence, Louis Maygarden Center for Financial Literacy and the Florida Small Business Development Center.
Fountain joined the Department of Accounting and Finance as an adjunct instructor in 2009, following a successful 30-year law career in Mississippi. During his two years as chair of the department, he has focused on recruiting for the Master of Accountancy program, more than doubling the number of new students joining the program since 2017.
“While I enjoyed practicing law, I love what I do at UWF—educating people and creating opportunities for them to thrive,” Fountain said. “Anytime I see students, I introduce myself, inquire about their studies and give them my card. I love this University, and I believe it is my time to lead the College of Business and to better the lives of our students and the quality of their education.”
Additionally, Fountain has strengthened and built new relationships with accounting firms and other related businesses in Pensacola to increase student internships and permanent job opportunities. He established the Accounting and Finance Advisory Council, comprised of 25 community business leaders who serve as guest lecturers and mentors and aid in recruiting efforts. He’s cultivated relationships with colleges and high schools to recruit more undergraduates, resulting in the completion of an articulation agreement with Pensacola State College, as well as the repurposing of eight scholarships targeting PSC students. A soon-to-be completed articulation agreement with Pensacola Christian College will draw over 200 possible accounting students and recent graduates to the department.
Prior to joining UWF, Fountain helmed the Law Offices of Richard M. Fountain, P.A., which he founded in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1987. He earned a Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida, a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi, a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from UWF and an Associate in Arts from Pensacola Junior College.
To learn more about the College of Business, visit uwf.edu/cob.
