The search is finally over.

North Dakota State named Scott Beaulier as dean for the College of Business on Tuesday. The college did not have a full-time dean since January 2015 because the search “did not yield a successful candidate and ended up doing a second search that started last summer,” Provost Beth Ingram said.

Beaulier will join the college this summer, Ingram wrote.

“I’m delighted that we have attracted Dr. Beaulier to NDSU from Arizona State University,” Ingram said in her email.

Jane Schuh served as interim dean for the college since September 2014. Schuh’s regular role is as associate director of the North Dakota agricultural experiment station. She is also assistant dean for academic programs for the College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources.

Ingram said previous dean Ron Johnson, “who had served for a number of years, had decided to return to his faculty position.”

Johnson had served as dean since 2005. He left the position at the end of 2014.

A statement of no confidence in Johnson as dean surfaced in January 2015 on which 17 College of Business faculty had their names. The Provost’s office received the statement in April 2014.

“To minimize further loss of college momentum and potential for retribution,” the statement concluded, “we respectfully request that Dean Ronald D. Johnson and Associated Dean Tim O. Peterson be removed from their positions.”

The statement reported discontent for the then-dean and then-associate dean’s leadership.

Johnson had served as dean since 2005. He left the position at the end of 2014; Peterson is a professor in management and marketing.

The process used to hire a new dean is a “standard process,” Ingram said. The college had appointed a representative search committee, and candidates were then invited to apply.

Candidates were then invited to Fargo for interviews and the finalists had a two-day interview process on campus and held an open forum. Three candidates came to NDSU for the two-day interview process.

Ingram said, “The new dean was the unanimous choice for the search committee and received excellent reviews from campus.”

Beaulier was previously ASU’s Center for Economic Liberty executive director.

“He has a vision and energy to lead the College of Business in the next phase of its development as a partner with local and regional businesses and as a destination for business education,” Ingram said.

Beaulier lists 26 publications, 10 contributions to books or collected volumes, six book reviews and nine other publications or policy papers, Ingram reported in her March 1 Listserv.