STR LEADERSHIP NOMINATIONS
Deepak Somaya
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
STR Past Division Chair
Please help us identify potential future leaders of STR!
The STR Leadership Team is critical for ensuring the continued vibrancy of the STR Division and, by extension, the field of strategic management. Developing the best slate of candidates for the STR division implies searching broadly. We therefore need your help to identify qualified individuals who are committed to the field of strategic management and have the skills to lead our division. Please consider the following opportunities to serve the STR Division or think about individuals you would like to nominate to be part of the STR Leadership Team. Our division and field depend on you! Please submit your nominations of qualified STR members through the AoM election system, which we anticipate will open in February 2026.
STR Leadership Positions
The following list describes the STR positions (both appointed and elected) for which we need dedicated STR member volunteers:
- Assistant Program Chair: The Division membership will elect the Assistant Program Chair. This person will serve a five-year term, serving as Assistant Program Chair (also referred to as the PDW Chair), then Program Chair, Division Chair Elect, Division Chair, and finally Past Division Chair. This position leads to the highest levels of responsibility over all activities within the STR Division. Nominees for Assistant Program Chair must have served previously on the STR Executive Committee (or its BPS and BPP predecessors) and have completed their term of service at the time of nomination.
- Executive Committee: The twelve Executive Committee (EC) members assist officers and take leadership and liaison roles in various committees and activities of the Division. Together with the officers, the EC members help govern the Division. Members of the EC take leadership and liaison roles on various STR division committees, participate in meetings associated with ongoing activities throughout the year, and assist the STR officers in managing STR business. The STR Membership nominates individuals to serve in this role. Every STR member in good standing is eligible for nomination to the EC. Anyone receiving ten or more nominations will be included on the annual ballot. The current STR Officers and EC will consider anyone receiving a single nomination for the ballot. The Division membership will elect six new EC members from the ballot, each serving a two-year term.
- Communications Director: The Communications Director manages the Division's communications with its members, ensuring timely information to Division members about Division activities. In this role, he or she has primary responsibility for overseeing and managing the content of the Division's website, maintaining its social media presence, and sending relevant information to members via email. The Communications Director is appointed by the STR Officers and Executive Committee and serves a four-year term that is renewable once for a maximum of eight years. The incoming Communications Director's official term begins after spending one year working with and learning from the outgoing Communications Director. The new Communications Director will be appointed in 2026 for a four-year term starting in 2027. Expressions of interest and self-nominations are welcome.
- Research Committee (RC): The STR Research Committee (RC) consists of twenty-four members. Together with the elected officers, the RC members help to select the finalists and winners for our best conference paper and best dissertation prizes. The STR division's elected Officers may also call upon the RC to advise the division about changes in the direction of the field and/or how to serve members' research needs. The STR Officers and EC will appoint twelve new RC members this year, each serving a two-year term. The criteria for appointments to the Research Committee emphasize an individual's research, reviewing, and editorial experience and potential. RC members must be able to assess diverse streams of research that contribute to the field of strategic management. Expressions of interest are welcome.
- Teaching Committee (TC): The STR Teaching Committee (TC) consists of eight members. These individuals serve the teaching and knowledge dissemination needs of the STR membership. Teaching committee members organize the annual STR Junior Faculty Teaching Consortium and (typically two) PDWs at the annual conference. They are also involved with non-conference initiatives such as managing teaching resources on the STR Division's website and organizing teaching-focused webinars. The STR Officers and EC will appoint four new TC members this year, each serving a two-year term. The criteria for appointments to the teaching committee emphasize the ability and passion to disseminate strategic management knowledge. TC members are committed to supporting other STR scholars in the pursuit of teaching excellence and often exhibit creativity in the classroom. Expressions of interest are welcome.
- Global Representatives: The STR Division has six Global Representatives. These individuals represent the Division throughout the world. Our global representatives increase the STR Division's engagement with scholars in five regions: Africa, The Americas, East Asia, Southwest Asia, Europe, and ASEAN + Oceania. The Global Representatives organize a yearly PDW for participants from under-represented regions at the annual conference, featuring panelists who are active research scholars and journal editors. In addition, as outlined in our new Global Impact plan, the Global Representatives are expected to lead workshop or conference initiatives to support (current and potential) Division members in their regions and promote and support the Division's interests in regional meetings and academic networks in their respective areas of the world. The STR Officers and EC appoint Global Representatives to serve a three-year term. For 2026, the STR Division is specifically looking for new Global Representatives for (1) East Asia and (2) ASEAN + Oceania. Expressions of interest are welcome.
- Awards Committee (AC): The STR Awards Committee (AC) consists of ten members. This committee primarily selects the winners of the Division's most prestigious career awards: The STR Distinguished Scholar Award, the STR Outstanding Educator Award, and the STR Distinguished Service Award. The STR Officers and EC appoint five new AC members, each serving a two-year term. Members of the Awards Committee should be distinguished scholars from our academic community who can assess the contributions of other distinguished scholars.
- Membership Engagement Committee (MEC): The STR Membership Engagement Committee (MEC) consists of nine division members. This committee organizes various social and support activities throughout the year. In recent years, the MEC has organized virtual research and reviewing support sessions, as well as several activities during the annual conference. The STR Officers and EC appoint three new MEC members, each serving a three-year term. This committee is especially well suited for those with creative ideas and a desire to reach out to and engage our membership. We seek MEC members who reflect the diversity of our membership – with affiliations and interests across various geographic, social, research, and teaching groups. Expressions of interest are welcome.
- Communications Team: The Communications Team members (minimum of six) are appointed for terms of three years by the STR Officers and Executive Committee. Working with and reporting to the Communications Director, the Communications Team conducts a range of communications for the Division, undertaken through multiple media platforms. The STR Division has been a pioneer in using a variety of media channels to connect with and serve its members and the field of strategic management. We seek Communications Team members with a passion for digital media, including social media, and a commitment to enhancing the STR division's communication activities and impact.
Nomination Guidelines: Please nominate candidates using the Academy of Management nomination website, which will be available in February 2026 and will remain open for approximately one month. Self-nominations are welcome. The AOM staff will send a mass email notification to all active members of the Academy, notifying them that the nomination website is open and providing a link and login information. The Executive Committee will select members of specialized committees from among the respective nominees.
For the Assistant Program Chair (APC) and Executive Committee (EC), nominees may stand for election provided they: (1) are members in good standing of the STR Division; (2) are nominated by other STR members as indicated above; (3) meet the requirements of the position; and (4) agree to run for the position. The Spring 2026 ballot will include a subset of APC and EC nominations selected by the current STR Officers and Executive Committee.
Thank you for your help identifying our future division leaders. If you have any questions or comments, or wish to express your interest in any of the listed positions, please contact Deepak Somaya (Past Division Chair) at [dsomayaaom@gmail.com].
Deepak Somaya
STR Past Division Chair, 2025-2026
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Deepak Somaya
Professor
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Past Division Chair, STR Division
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