Doug Anderson: fulfilling a global dream.

• Author: Creager, Janine S.
• Position: Spotlight - Utah State University

Timing is everything. But when opportunity knocks at an inconvenient time, you may just have to open that door and walk in. Just ask Doug Anderson. The day after committing himself to an additional five years with The Center for Executive Development, a Boston-based executive company focusing on strategy and leadership, the phone rang. It was Stan Albrecht, president of Utah State University (USU). Anderson knew Albrecht well and certainly was no stranger to USU. Anderson was born in Logan, a fifth-generation Cache Valley-ite, as he puts it. He had attended the university (as did his parents, siblings and dozens of cousins) and later returned to serve USU research foundation's board, as well as served as the vice-chairman of the Board of Trustees. But this time Albrecht called to ask Anderson for a deeper commitment.

"He said, 'I was wondering if I could persuade you to be the dean [of the College of Business],'" says Anderson. "I was thinking, 'It's too bad that I can't do this. It's a great opportunity to make a contribution to a school that I love."'

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After listening to Anderson's reasons, both professional and familial, of why he couldn't take the position, Albrecht wisely suggested that Anderson take some time to discuss the matter with his wife, and think about it.

A month or so later, while visiting with a good friend about his dilemma, Anderson said, "Heaven can't be in this, because I would have gotten the phone call a week before, not the day after." At that, his friend said, "The question is: Is it the right thing to do?" At that, Anderson concluded that while taking the position was inconvenient in many ways and would mean a substantial financial sacrifice, it was exactly what he wanted to do: create a legacy in a...