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Office of the President

Alan R. Miciak, Ph.D. — 26th President of John Carroll University

About the President

Alan Miciak began his tenure as John Carroll’s 26th president on June 1, 2021. Before this role, he served as Dean of the Boler College of Business (starting July 2015), where he led the “Inspired Lives” $25 million capital campaign. Gifts from the Boler family established the Boler College, while donations from Susan C. ’84 and William P. Donnelly ’83 and Christine M. ’86 and Richard J. Kramer ’86 founded the Donnelly School of Leadership & Social Innovation and the Kramer School of Accountancy & Information Sciences, respectively.

Under his leadership, Boler earned top national rankings—including #1 in the nation for career preparation (Bloomberg Businessweek) and maintained dual AACSB accreditation—placing JCU within an elite 5% of U.S. business schools.

Key Initiatives & Strategic Vision

Vision • Mission • Core Values

Built on its Jesuit Catholic heritage, JCU will:

  • Build upon liberal arts strengths to advance innovative, rigorous programs for a diverse learning community;
  • Enhance its reputation for excellence in health, business, analytics, and experiential learning;
  • Cultivate a culture of care fostering belonging and engaged leadership.

Mission Statement:
As a Jesuit Catholic university committed to academic rigor, inclusive excellence, and care for the whole person, John Carroll inspires individuals of intellect and character to learn, lead, and serve in the community and throughout the world.

Core Values:

  • Inquiry that blends faith and reason;
  • Rigorous scholarship grounded in humane values;
  • Holistic development;
  • Inclusion of diverse perspectives;
  • Culture of service and excellence;
  • Responsiveness to societal needs;
  • Commitment to building a more just world.

Strategic Plan: “Igniting the Future” (2021–2026)

Igniting the Future is JCU’s current strategic plan, centered on:

  1. Renewing and expanding academic success;
  2. Integrating and improving student wellness and success;
  3. Enhancing institutional sustainability and growth.

Guided by mission-driven priorities and a commitment to inclusive excellence, this plan realigns academic offerings, technology, and cost structure to ensure JCU’s competitive future.

Presidential Search & Transition

On April 7, 2025, President Miciak announced his planned retirement at the end of the 2025–26 academic year, after a distinguished five-decade career in higher education.

After an extensive eight-month national search process, the Board of Directors selected Carolyn Noll Sorg, the university's current Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing, as the 27th president of John Carroll University. Noll Sorg will succeed President Miciak following his retirement. Her official duities will begin on June 1, 2026. To learn more about Noll Sorg's vision for John Carroll, click here. 

Leadership at JCU

  • Alan R. Miciak, Ph.D. — President
  • Bonnie Gunzenhauser, Ph.D. — Vice President, Academic Affairs
  • Carolyn Noll Sorg — Vice President, Enrollment & Marketing
  • Edward Peck, Ph.D. — Vice President, Mission & Identity
  • Mike Scanlan ’06 — Vice President, Advancement
  • Naomi Sigg — Vice President, Student Experience & Campus Belonging
  • Robert Connors ’91 — Vice President, Finance & Administration
  • Brian Polian ’97 — Vice President, Athletics & National Engagement
  • Colleen G. Treml, J.D. — General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

Members

William P. Donnelly ’83 (Chair) Retired Executive Vice President Mettler Toledo

Nancy Cunningham Benacci ’77 (Vice Chair) Retired Managing Director of Equity Research KeyBanc Capital Markets

Richard (Rick) Adams, Jr. '78 Retired Willis Towers Watson

Victor B. Alexander '02 Executive Vice President - Consumer Banking KeyCorp

Ara A. Bagdasarian ’78 President Solon Community Living

Eric. H. Beck, D.O., MP.H. '04 President ESO Solutions

Barbara (O'Brien) Brown ’82 Corporate Sustainability Service Lead ERM

Rita Carroll ’86 Director of Corporate Strategy and Development SouthWest Water Company

Timothy J. Cavanagh ’84 Founding Partner Cavanagh Law Group

Rev. Martin Connell, S.J. Rector, Jesuit Community Jesuit School of Theology, Santa Clara University

Edward L. Cooper, III '84 Director Specialized Industries SVP Heartland Financial Services USA (HTLF)

Mike Covey, '94 Private Wealth Manager Merrill Private Wealth Management

James A. Coyne ’82 Vice Chairman, Director and CFO Stoneleigh Capital LLC

John P. Dempsey ’84 Principal Vanderbilt Office Properties

Ronald A. Deneweth '74 Managing Partner and Founder Deneweth, Dugan & Parfitt, PC

Barbara J. Duganier ’79 Former Global Chief Financial Officer Andersen Worldwide

Kevin J. Embach, S.J. Jesuit Scholastic Chicago Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus

Bill Gagliano ‘77 Retired Partner Ulmer & Berne LLP

Christopher Gessner President and CEO Akron Children’s Hospital

Irwin Haber Chairman and President of The PDI Group

Howard W. Hanna III ’69 Chairman and CEO Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, Inc.

Hal F. Hawk Jr. ’81 President and Chief Executive Officer Crown Battery Manufacturing Company

Ben Jackson ‘95 President at Intercontinental Exchange

Bruce D. Jarosz ’72 Retired CFO and VP of Operations M.F. Cachat Company

Michael A. Keresman ’79 CEO 3X3 Ventures, LLC

Bradley Knapp ‘96 President and CEO Clearstead

Christine (O’Brien) Kramer ’86 Board Member Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens and the First Tee of Cleveland

Jane B. (Broeren) Lambesis ’83 Senior Vice President Federated Hermes

Rev. Lukas Laniauskas, S.J. Pastor Church of the Gesu

Bruce Luecke ’78 Retired CEO Homeport

Annmarie Lyons ’95 VP, Women's Health Service Line UPMC Magee-Women's Hospital

Harley Magden ‘98, ‘02G, Cofounder Window Nation

John L. Mastrantoni ’80 Retired President IMCD US, LLC

Anthony J. Mazzella '77 Chief Executive Officer Mazzella Companies

James B. Meathe '79 Partner Young & Meathe

Linda Meglin '74 Owner Meglin Marketing Communications

Alan R. Miciak, Ph.D. President John Carroll University

Brian J. Mortellaro '94 Owner/Operator Mortellaro McDonalds

James Moses ‘80 Senior Vice President DFW Hub Operations American Airlines

Gregory G. Muresan '98 Partner PwC LLP

James M. Myers ’80 Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer PETCO

Sean Nolan ’90 President Nolan Capital

Ann Chiarucci O’Brien

Jeffrey H. Paravano ’88 Managing Partner BakerHostetler

Holly B. Perzy, M.D. '85 Chair, Pediatric Internal Medicine Department The MetroHealth System

Michael B. Petras Jr. ’89 Chief Executive Officer Sotera Health, LLC

David Robinson ‘74 Retired Director Market Operations Hospice of Michigan

George A. Sample '02, '12G Human Resources Manager Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Rev. Nicholas Santos, S.J. Associate Professor of Marketing Creighton University

Mike Schmidt ‘81 Vice President of Dry Service Micronics Engineered Filtration Group

Alex Schmitt ‘98 Partner EY

Carol J. Simon Ph.D. ’78 Senior Vice President Lewin Group

Gregory J. Skoda ’78 Senior Partner Marcum LLP

Jason Therrien '01 Founder and Partner thunder::tech

Anthony Tricarichi '78 Retired Chief Financial Officer Park Place Technologies

Paul M. Voinovich '94 Owner and Principal Vocon, Inc.

James E. Winchester  Jr. ’65 Chief Executive Officer The QUIKRETE Companies, Inc.

Lisa Zone ’98 Managing Director Dix & Eaton

Directors Emeriti

Evelyn Jenkins Gunn, Ph.D. '72G Carnegie Scholarand Fellow (NBCT) National Academy of Education

Annette L. Haile '74 Retired Vice President IBM

Richard J. Kramer '86 Chairman, CEO and President The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Michael J. Merriman ‘78 (Past Chair) Operations Advisor Resilience Capital Partners

Audrey Gilbert Ratner Community Leader Cleveland and Chicago

Barbara S. Schubert ’62, ’67G, ’80G Retired Associate Director The Ohio Ballet

Dave W. Short ’81 (Past Chair) Retired Chairman and CEO The American Funds Group

Raymond E. Smiley '51 Retired Chief Financial Officer Bearings, Inc.

Joseph D. Sullivan ’53 Retired Partner Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP

Board of Members

Rev. John P. Fitzgibbons, S.J., Chair, ex officio

Alan R. Miciak, Ph.D., President, ex officio

Rev. Donald Serva S.J.

Last updated: September 2025

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