Dr. David P. Hale '80

Dr. David Hale is a native of Kenosha who started attending UW-Parkside as a high school senior. He was president of the Student Accounting Organization, founding member of the MIS student chapter, student senator, and SGA-VP. He majored in Accounting, MIS, and Labor Economics.

He went on to UW-Milwaukee, earning a doctorate in MIS and started as a faculty member at Texas Tech University. There he continued his support of co-curricular activities by mentoring the student MIS chapter.
Dr. David Hale spent the last 25 years designing, implementing and executing the University of Alabama’s MIS program, with virtually 100% placement of its graduates at graduation. This extraordinary program produces exceptional MIS professionals ready to excel in their careers and lives. Dr. Shane Sharpe, Dean of UA’s Honors College states, “while many enjoy the success of this remarkable program and can take some measure of pride in our role in its conception and growth, we must all point to a single person, without whom the program could not exist as we know it – David Hale.” Through Dr. Hale’s efforts, the UA-MIS program was recognized by Bloomberg-BusinessWeek as one the nation’s best in preparing tomorrow’s IT leaders. ComputerWorld ranked it in its Top 3 Techno-MBA programs.

Dr. Hale has a fruitful research and outreach record, generating over $15 million in contracts, state appropriations, corporate donations, and grants. He has authored over 100 articles and technical reports.
Though Dr. Hale’s vision and leadership, the Alabama State Legislature and Governor’s Streamlining State Government Initiatives have reduced IT expenditures by $100 million.

Dr. Hale has been recognized as UA’s Outstanding Professor of the Year and College of Business Teacher of the Year. He received the President’s Award for Service, the Alumni Association Outstanding Teaching Award, a State of Alabama Legislative proclamation and two Governor’s Citations for exemplary service.