Hild Named Director for Master of Science in Business Analytics Program

Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) School of Business Dean Kelsey Metz has announced that Assistant Professor Cheryl Hild, PhD, has been promoted to director for the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program.

The new MSBA program is dedicated to developing students who can demonstrate a proven ability to utilize data to create value-added solutions for important business challenges. It is designed using completely online coursework to meet the needs of working professionals. Scheduled to begin in Spring 2024, the program can be completed in as little as 16 months. Applications are being accepted now.

“Dr. Cheryl Hild has proven to be a phenomenal faculty member, and is a valued asset among our team,” Metz said. “I have no doubt that Dr. Hild will excel in the program director role. She maintains a true passion for analytics education and is highly committed to student learning and success.”

Hild joined the faculty of the LMU School of Business in 2017, bringing with her a vast array of experience. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Economics and Quantitative Methods in Business from the University of Alabama in 1986. She went on to earn her PhD in management science and statistics from the University of Tennessee in 1998.

Immediately prior to joining LMU, Hild was employed at Aegis Sciences Corporation. She began her experience there in 2009 as director of quality, then vice president of quality operations and vice president of data sciences and business operations. She worked in the development of cloud-based sales analytics business intelligence dashboard and sales tool and developed and implemented a decision model for placement and utilization of remote, technical team members. She developed an analytical decision model for capital equipment and instrumentation to support decisions regarding retiring, replacement and repurposing of existing capital.

Hild was a member of the faculty of the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee from 2008 to 2011 and received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Executive Education in 2010. She spent numerous years as a consultant for companies such as TeamHealth, Mastercraft, PPG Specialty Chemicals and Pfizer. She has a certification in customer analytics from the University of Pennsylvania and earned certifications in six sigma black belt and master black belt from Six Sigma Associates in Denver, Colorado. While at Aegis, she was a mentor for black belt and green belt projects. She was instrumental in reducing turnaround times for reported test results in the healthcare laboratory by 40-45% and in redesigning laboratory workflows based on a lean, cellular design based on processing equipment resources.

Hild will lead LMU’s MSBA program students in becoming more critical thinkers with a wide variety of analytic skills. Graduates from this degree program have a team mentality and are able to apply critical thinking skills to solve complex business problems. They will be able to classify data sets and select the appropriate analytical tool; generalize the necessary theoretical, mathematical and statistical concepts to ensure data is properly analyzed; acquire data from a diverse population of computer storage systems; and communicate complex analytical results to business managers.  

Hild has been a member of numerous professional and scholarly organizations such as the American Society for Quality and Clinical Laboratory Managers Association. She is a seasoned presenter of professional and scholarly work. Her writing is in many peer-reviewed publications and she co-authored the book, The Power of Statistical Thinking: Improving Industrial Processes.

In her free time Hild has volunteered with organizations such as Second Harvest Food Bank, Nashville Rescue Mission and Volunteer East Tennessee.

For more information about the MSBA program, email Cheryl.Hild@LMUnet.edu or visit https://www.lmunet.edu/school-of-business/academics/graduate-programs/master-of-science-in-business-analytics/index.

Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is in Harrogate, Tennessee. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs available at LMU, contact the Office of Admissions at 423.869.6280 or email at admissions@LMUnet.edu.