Louis Olivas, PhD

Professor Emeritus, Management Department
W. P. Carey School of Business
Arizona State University

Dr. Loui Olivas, joined Arizona State University (ASU) in 1979 as the assistant director of the Center for Executive Development and served as the director from 1982-86. Dr. Olivas served as the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at ASU for 17 years until his appointment in 2006 to the position of Assistant Vice President for Education Partnerships. As a tenured professor, his research emphasis focused on entrepreneurship, small business management and Hispanic demographics–marketing perspectives. After 30 years of service, Dr. Olivas retired from ASU in 2009. 

The ASU Foundation and Be A Leader Foundation established an endowed scholarship in his name to honor his sustained efforts in mentoring business students. 

Dr. Olivas also served as the director of executive development and education for Western Savings and Loan Association, director of employee development with the City of Phoenix, and taught at Alhambra High School, Phoenix, Arizona and was a full-time business faculty member, Scottsdale Community College. 

He is also a founding board member for the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE); Construct Net International; QuePasa.com, a publicly traded company on NASDAQ and Sonoran Bank. 

In addition, Dr. Olivas is a retired colonel from the Arizona Air National Guard, having served a distinguished 29-year military career.