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Education

• BA, Liberal Arts, University of Kansas
• Advanced Studies in Portfolio Management, University of Virginia Darden School of Business
• Advanced Studies in Behavioral Finance, Harvard University

Professional Background

Mike Rome brings more than four decades of distinguished experience in the investment and financial services industry to his role as Dean of the Archie W. Dunham College of Business. He is nationally recognized as a leading investment and wealth advisor to business owners, senior executives, and family offices.

Prior to joining HCU, Rome served as Senior Partner at Allen Austin, where he provided joint leadership to the Board, CEO, and Private Equity practices and played a central role in the firm’s growth and culture. He previously served as CEO and Principal at Chilton Capital Management, CEO of Texan Capital, and Senior Partner at Bridgeway Capital Management — where the firm was the largest corporate philanthropist in Texas, strategically directing half of its net profits to charitable causes. Earlier in his career, he held executive leadership roles at AIM/Invesco, Merrill Lynch, Kidder Peabody, and Oppenheimer. He is also a partner at Memorial Capital Partners, a private-equity firm.

Before being appointed dean, Rome served as Interim Director of HCU’s McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise. His appointment as dean became effective January 3, 2022.

Teaching and Academic Service

Rome has served higher education throughout his career, teaching courses in entrepreneurship at the University of Houston. As dean, he serves as the principal spokesperson and advocate for the Archie W. Dunham College of Business, with accountability for alumni cultivation and fundraising, and oversight of the College’s academic programs to produce strong student outcomes and achievement.

Community Involvement

Rome is active in the community and serves on a number of boards, including:

• City of Houston Higher Education Finance Corp.
• University of Kansas School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• University of Texas Libraries System
• HCU Center for Christianity in Business
• Holocaust Museum Houston

Athletics

Rome was a two-sport letterman in football and baseball at the University of Kansas, where he played quarterback. His years as a student-athlete shaped his philosophy of leadership, teamwork, and perseverance — principles he carries into his work as dean and mentor to HCU students.

Featured Article

Rome authored “Gaining Perspectives the Tough Way” for the HCU Center for Christianity in Business, a personal account of the near-death experience, faith, and life lessons that shaped his approach to leadership and purpose-driven work.

Additional Information

Rome has been recognized throughout his career for excellence in investment management, business development, and corporate turnarounds and transformations. He has an established reputation as an executive, business strategist, and coach and mentor. Driving all of his professional performance has been a deep commitment to generous philanthropy in service of the community.

He leads the Dunham College of Business with the conviction that faith comes first, family comes second, and the firm comes third — and that well-trained, character-driven business leaders are a critical need for the future. He is proud to help develop leaders at HCU who will build that future through the perspective of Jesus Christ.

You can listen to Mike Rome discuss his vision for the Archie W. Dunham College of Business on the HCU “Think About It” podcast (Episode #243).