Dr. Karel Sovak

Karel Sovak, PhD, was named Dean of the Gary Tharaldson School of Business at the University of Mary in 2020, after 18 years of service at the university including terms as director of the Business Administration, Marketing, and Emerging Leaders Academy (ELA) programs. Dr. Sovak has taught courses in business, entrepreneurship, sales, retail, management, marketing, tech and strategy, and leadership. Dr. Sovak is a two-time national Collegiate DECA Advisor of the Year, earned for his leadership with the University of Mary’s Marauders On Business (MOB) program.

Dr. Sovak served in the United States Air Force and brings over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience as a consultant and strategic planner and is the former owner of the Sovak Insurance Agency. He has served on both the Bismarck State College (BSC) Innovation and United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) Advisory Boards. Dr. Sovak currently provides consulting and training for the Virtuous Leadership Institute in Washington, DC, and is a current and former member and advisor for nearly 20 boards and civic organizations in Bismarck-Mandan.

Dr. Sovak frequently speaks on virtuous and servant-leadership in presentations and workshops to various organizations and was the co-founder of the Incubator for Developing Entrepreneurial Activity (IDEA) Center of Bismarck — a student developmental laboratory for students working with entrepreneurial venture projects.