FOCUS ON FACULTY
DR. LYLE L. BOWLIN
IN THE BUSINESS OF SELFLESS SERVICE
Dr. Lyle L. Bowlin has been a widely respected and active member of the Southeastern community for 19 years. As a significant proponent to the university’s growth and success, he has held a variety of positions within the institution. Dr. Bowlin officially retired at the end of the 2020-21 academic year. For the past five years, Dr. Bowlin served as the dean of the Jannetides College of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership, as well as teaching an array of finance courses. Dr. Bowlin joined the faculty at Southeastern — Southeastern College at the time — in 2002 as an associate professor. Prior to that, he worked for 15 years at the University of Northern Iowa teaching finance and entrepreneurship courses and directing the small business development center. He also had an extensive background 52 SOUTHEASTERN
in the grocery industry, serving 12 years for Hy-Vee, a midwestern supermarket chain. Within that time, Dr. Bowlin managed four different stores, one of those being the largest store in the chain. Dr. Bowlin was in the midst of earning his doctor of business administration degree at Nova Southeastern University, when he connected with one of Southeastern’s first business professors, Dr. Steve Adkins. The College of Business had just added marketing and accounting in 2000 and management and information systems in 2001. Dr. Bowlin was invited to travel to Southeastern with his wife, Linda, to interview for an associate professor position. “It was on the plane ride back when me and Linda both agreed that Southeastern was where we were supposed to go next,” remembered Dr.
Bowlin. “I always felt that the Holy Spirit brought me here, and he’s never directed me away.” Over the years, Dr. Bowlin has occupied a wide range of roles. He has been the chair of the business department, the founding dean when Southeastern became a university in 2005 and the provost for two years. “I’ve done a lot of different things here — and I’ve loved them all — but the main reason I stayed at Southeastern for all these years is the students. I really believe that God called me here to develop Christian business leaders,” emphasized Dr. Bowlin. He continued, “No matter what the student’s major is, I love being able to just talk with them and help them to see who they are in their walk with Christ.”
