Governor Appoints Prof to Student Loan Board

UT Dallas School of Management professor Dr. Michael Savoie has been appointed to the board of the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corp. by Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Savoie directs the Center for Information Technology and Management (CITM) at UT Dallas.

The Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation is a public, nonprofit corporation that administers the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) in Texas. It provides information, financing and assistance to families and students looking for ways to finance higher education.

Board members are charged with setting policies and approving the budget for the guaranteed loan program. Savoie’s term on the 11-member board expires Jan. 31, 2011.

“I am honored by the governor’s appointment of me to the board,” said Savoie. “I’m looking forward to working with the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corp. to ensure that all students who wish to continue their studies at the college level have the means to do so.”

CITM examines new and emerging technologies to determine their commercialization potential.  The center also sponsors an early-stage incubator program.  Savoie was the center’s founder and has served as director since 2001.  He has more than 20 years of university teaching experience and is the author of more than 150 articles, chapters and books on information technology, electronic commerce, quality, operations management and continuous improvement, among others.

Savoie serves on the Town Council for Northlake, where he is also a former mayor.  He is the founding member and first treasurer of the Northwest Communities Partnership.  Savoie has also served on the Upper Trinity Regional Board of Directors.

Savoie is also president and CEO of HyperGrowth Solutions Inc., a company specializing in the integration of business and technology. Before starting HGS, Savoie served as chief operating officer for a nuclear power consulting company, specializing in strategic positioning, information technology and training.  He has performed work for myriad public and private enterprises including Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp., the U.S. Department of Energy, BellSouth Telecommunications Company and Chevron, U.S.A.

Savoie has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Louisiana State University, an MBA from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La., and a Ph.D. in operations management from the University of North Texas.