Trapani and Bakamitsos tapped to lead Executive Education

John M. Trapani III has been appointed as the new head of executive education at the A. B. Freeman School of Business.

Trapani, professor of economics, Streiffer Chair in International Finance and executive director of the Goldring Institute of International Business, will oversee executive programs as associate dean for executive education.

He succeeds Russ Robins, who had served as associate dean since 2002.

In addition, Yiorgos Bakamitsos has been appointed assistant dean for executive education. In that role, Bakamitsos will report to Trapani and manage the day-to-day operations of the school’s executive MBA programs in New Orleans and Houston. Bakamitsos will also have responsibilities for developing new executive education options.

The one-year appointments were announced by Freeman School Dean Ira Solomon in July.

“John has served the Freeman School as a professor, administrator and director for more than 20 years, and his wealth of experience and insight will be a great asset to all our executive programs,” said Dean Solomon. “As a longtime instructor in the EMBA program, Yiorgos brings knowledge, enthusiasm and a deep understanding of the executive education market to his new position. I am delighted to have John and Yiorgos on board in these new roles.”

Trapani served as the Freeman School’s director of executive and international programs from 1989 to 1991, and since then he’s served in a variety of senior administrative positions at the business school, including senior associate dean, vice dean and director of the Goldring Institute of International Business.

“The executive education market is undergoing a transformation, and we hope to be on the leading edge of that change,” said Trapani. “I’m looking forward to working closely with Yiorgos to improve and expand our executive education options.”

Bakamitsos joined the Freeman School in 2005 as assistant professor of marketing and has taught in the executive MBA program since 2007. Prior to joining the Freeman School, he served as an assistant professor at the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and as a lecturer at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He earned his PhD in marketing from the Kellogg School in 2000.

“The Freeman School attracts some of the brightest business leaders in New Orleans and Houston for its executive programs,” said Bakamitsos. “I’m excited by the opportunity to help create a more valuable, dynamic educational experience for these outstanding executives and working professionals.”