WATERLOO, Ont. –- A graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University who later taught in New Zealand has been appointed to the University of Waterloo's Trevor Eyton Chair in Entrepreneurship, effective July 1.

After graduating from WLU 16 years ago, Prof. Rod McNaughton will return to work in the city where he earned his undergraduate degree. To take up his new post, McNaughton is leaving the University of Otago in New Zealand.

"The Eyton Chair is an exciting opportunity to help students become involved in technology-based new ventures, and to collaborate in the teaching of entrepreneurship and business across faculties," McNaughton said. "Waterloo has all of the ingredients to foster entrepreneurship, and a track record of success."

The Eyton Chair exists to help UW students gain experience with innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as to encourage creative research that may have applications for business and industry. It is based in the Faculty of Engineering's management sciences department.

McNaughton looks forward to joining the faculty at Waterloo because of "the quality of its staff and students, cutting-edge research, innovative programs, and close ties to alumni and the business community."

His own track record includes lecturing and professorial experience at WLU, the University of Lethbridge and the University of Otago, among others, and four university degrees –- he has earned PhDs in economic geography and in marketing. Most recently, Rod was the Chair in Marketing at the University of Otago.

McNaughton's research expertise is in international and business-to-business marketing, with a focus on international channel design and management issues.

With a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach, the management sciences department seeks to develop and deploy a wide range of analytical, technological and managerial capabilities to achieve strategic and operational goals by organizations.

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Release no. 114 -- June 14, 2001