About CBA's Founding Dean, John Lucas
An early job in Steubenville Pottery Company’s business office likely sparked John Wayne Lucas’ interest in business, leading to his college education and lasting legacy as an administrator.
The Ohio native graduated from Ohio State University in 1929 with a bachelor’s in business administration and next joined the executive training program at the Ohio Bell Telephone Company.
Lucas later returned to Ohio State to pursue graduate work, earning an MBA in 1935 and then embarking on a doctoral program. But then Nebraska came knocking.
In 1938, University of Omaha President Rowland Haynes invited Lucas to become a professor of business administration. As the university and its business program expanded, Lucas took on administrative duties, serving as department head and dean of students simultaneously.
In 1952, the Division of Business Administration received full college status, with Lucas at the helm as dean.
During his deanship from 1952–1969, Lucas led the college through significant advancements, including its initial accreditation by the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business in 1965, and positioned it as an important influence in Omaha’s business community.
Revered for his vision and determination, Lucas was awarded a Doctor of Laws from OU in 1968, one year before his retirement. In 1988, CBA established the Lucas Society to honor individuals and organizations that have made a substantial commitment to the growth and continued success of the college — just like Lucas.