Dr. David Decker was welcomed as the fourth President of Franklin University in August 2007. Prior to coming to Franklin, Decker served as the Vice President for Global Academic Programs and Dean of the School of Management at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) where he played a key role in the internationalization of NYIT and in the development of its online presence. 

Before joining NYIT, Decker spent ten years at Youngstown State University in a variety of roles.  He held an endowed chair in entrepreneurship, served as Founding Director of the Williamson Center for International Business, served as interim Dean of the Williamson College of Business Administration, and played an active role in the business and economic development of the community.  He held faculty rank as a Full Professor of Marketing throughout his tenure at Youngstown State.

Decker has also held faculty positions at three other universities, and has international teaching experience in China, Malaysia, Russia, Mexico, Spain, Germany, Brazil, and Jordan.  He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and also speaks Russian.          

In addition to his academic credentials, Decker has had extensive experience as a corporate executive.  He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of a $130 million manufacturing company, and held vice presidential positions in management information systems and marketing at a Fortune 200 company.  He has conducted executive development programs in Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

A native of Philadelphia, Decker is the author of two books on economic and business issues in Latin America, along with many articles and presentations on higher education, marketing, and literature.  He earned his B.A. degree from Grinnell College, his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Kansas, and has his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.