Va. Tech’s Center for Biz Analytics names director

Jennifer Havens has been named director of the Center for Business Analytics at Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business, the university announced Wednesday.

Havens joins Virginia Tech from Amazon.com Inc., where she was an executive coach, shaping organizational strategy and culture and designing the global e-tailer’s first group coaching program. She was also a founding leader of Carilion Clinic’s Institute for Leadership Effectiveness.

“I am deeply honored to serve as Virginia Tech’s Center for Business Analytics director during this exciting, future-focused phase,” Havens said in a statement. “As we foster connections among students, faculty, alumni, and industry leaders, all working together to tackle high-impact global problems, I hope to collaborate with colleagues throughout the university.”

Virginia Tech is close to completing the first phase of its Global Business and Analytics Complex on its Blacksburg campus. The Data and Decision Sciences Building is the first of four buildings to open and will have classroom and living spaces centered around using data to address problems facing businesses and society.

Havens is an alumna of the Pamplin college, from which she earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing management. She also has an MBA from Radford University.

“We are excited to have Jennifer join the CBA team,” Jay Winkeler, executive director of the Center for Business Analytics, said in a statement. “The breadth and depth of her experience will strengthen our MSBA-BA program and enhance the educational and experiential learning experience for our students.”