Biography
Ben Eng currently serves as interim dean of the Brad D. Smith School of Business, Associate Professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship at Marshall University’s Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business and founder of the iCenter, which is the university’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation.
Eng teaches marketing and entrepreneurship courses where his students learn by applying cutting-edge techniques on real businesses to solve real problems. In 2018, Eng won the Pickens-Queen Teacher Award, which is Marshall University’s highest teaching award for newer faculty members. In 2019, he won the Robert P. Alexander Mentorship Award, which goes to the faculty member in the College of Business who demonstrates excellence in mentoring students.
His research focuses on design thinking and celebrity branding. Eng’s research papers have been accepted in the Journal of Product and Brand Management and Sage Research Methods. He has presented his research at conferences such as the Association for Consumer Research North American Conference and the Society for Advancement of Management International Business Conference.
Before his career in academia, he worked in the entertainment industry at one of Hollywood’s leading talent agencies – United Talent Agency. He received his Bachelor of Arts from James Madison University, his MBA from Marshall University, and his Ph.D. in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University.
A native of Huntington, WV, Eng maintains strong ties to the local community. He learned the importance of business, marketing, and entrepreneurship from his parents who owned and operated a local Chinese restaurant named Ming’s Restaurant for over 30 years. He serves on the board of directors at the Developmental Therapy Center and Goodwill of KYOWVA and is an avid supporter of his high school alma mater, St. Joseph Central High School in downtown Huntington.