After almost 22 years at NIU, Bill Tallon will leave his position as interim dean of the College of Business. Marketing department chair Denise Schoenbachler will succeed him in the position.

“[Schoenbachler] is a good leader, I think that’s why she was selected,” said Sarah Marsh, management department chair.

Schoenbachler has a certain camaraderie with her staff as well. When she became the dean of the marketing department, the department felt comfortable enough to give her a funny gift: a dart board with all of their pictures on it, Marsh said.

Schoenbachler is student-oriented and is able to balance the wants and needs of both students and faculty.

“NIU is personal to me. I’ve got a son that graduated here, I’ve been here through when we announced we had a building and meeting the Barsemas,” Schoenbachler said. “I built my career in this department. I’ll miss the close proximity.”

Schoenbachler said she is focused on national ratings, identifying strengths within the College of Business to develop further, finding recognition on an academic level and being able to build and grow in relationships with Chicago businesses and NIU alumni for graduating students to be able to find good jobs.

“I’m really enthusiastic in the support of this department [and] energy and passion in this college. It’ll be fun,” Schoenbachler said.

Tallon will take a position as dean of the Gordon Ford College of Business at Western Kentucky University.

“I’m excited to go to a new university that has good potential and who’s looking for leadership to bring them to the next level,” Tallon said. “I’m going to miss NIU a lot. There are many wonderful people here and I’m going to miss them.”