The Center for Management Development and Executive Education’s (CMD) new director, Denise Sherman, has played many different roles. She obtained her undergraduate degree in business administration from Wichita State University, then spent the next three decades testing the waters in a variety of different industries, picking up a few extra degrees along the way.
“I kind of stumbled into higher learning back in the 90’s with a series of jobs in tech education, professional development training, human resource work and being adjunct faculty,” Sherman said. “The common thread between everything has always been an opportunity to learn more.”
Sherman has worked in everything from pharmaceutical sales to radio broadcasting.
One of Sherman’s most recent stand-out career endeavors was her role in the transformation of The Kansas African American Museum (TKAAM).
“My perspective coming in was to help the organization become sustainable for the future,” Sherman said. “There were opportunities for the museum to reposition itself in the community.”
Throughout the six years that Sherman served as the director of TKAAM, she led staff through the pandemic and guided them through the process of moving to a better-suited facility.
On a more personal level, Sherman says she left with a greater understanding of how a humanities-focused organization operates and plans to take that experience into her role at CMD.
“It was very much a learning opportunity for me … I learned so much about the efforts of others to make a better society; no different than in a business culture; no different than in a manufacturing culture,” Sherman said.
But Sherman said she always knew she’d find herself back in higher education.
“That was really one of my career goals, even though I did take several detours,” Sherman said.
Earlier this month, Sherman was named the new director of the Center for Management Development and Executive Education under Wichita State’s Barton School of Business, replacing Christopher Garnier.
CMD focuses on supporting established companies and individuals through the process of upgrading their approach to business management. They offer a variety of highly customizable training and seminar opportunities to local, regional and national corporations who seek their help.
“The courses that we offer, whether it’s in project management (or) … in soft skills or in skills that help you in your leadership and managerial supervision, are all well needed in the community,” Sherman said.
However, according to Duane Nagel, the senior associate dean of the Barton School of Business, the training approach CMD employs could be reformed.
“CMD has been operating for about 50 years much the very same way,” Nagel said.
Nagel said he hopes Sherman’s all-encompassing career experience will provide CMD with the expertise and networking skills to upgrade its curriculum and reach beyond the local business community.
“Under her leadership, (CMD) is going to achieve levels that we didn’t necessarily think were possible a few years ago,” Nagel said. “This is probably one of the best additions we’ve had to the Barton School.”
