Dr. Kolawole (Kola) Sonaike
Meet Professor Dr. Kolawole (Kola) Sonaike
Degrees:
- Doctor of Philosophy in Management at University of Port Harcourt, 2003
- M.B.A., University of Ibadan, 1990
- M.I.L.R., University of Ibadan, 1988
- B.S. in Business Administration, University of Lagos, 1986
- B.S. in Petroleum Engineering, University of Ibadan, 1976
Out of the Classroom:
Dr. Kola Sonaike was born in Nigeria where he had his upbringing and lived the first 20 years of his life. Dr. Sonaike has enjoyed two careers. His first working background was in petroleum engineering where he worked for ExxonMobil for 29 years. His many accomplishments in this arena included diversified experience in engineering, production operations, safety, health & environment, and project management. But he was not satisfied to just work at the profession. A natural leader and manager, prior to his retirement in 2006, Dr. Sonaike had held eight different senior managerial positions that cut across different segments of the company’s functions, allowed him to live in 4 different continents and to participate in programs in most major cities around the world. Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Sonaike was the first African to be certified by the American Board of Certified Safety Professionals.
Dr. Sonaike is a member of Houston Masterworks Chorus, the Sigma Beta Delta international honor society for outstanding business students and faculty, the society of petroleum engineers, the American Management Association, the Industrial Relations Society, American Society of Safety Engineers, and a number of other academic and professional bodies. He is well published and has been a guest speaker at different academic and professional arena. Dr. Sonaike is married and has lived in Houston with his wife and four children for 16 years. "I pastor a church and I am heavily involved in classical music. I am also a family man and enjoy doing things with my wife and the only child left at home. I jog and at times, take a stroll, when I can find the time."
On Campus:
In his second career, Dr. Kola Sonaike is currently the chair of business and professor of management, leadership & ethics at American Intercontinental University (AIU) in Houston. "I can state very categorically that, for the very large part, my students have always been excited in class. They love the hands-on experience they get in class through their faculties’ real life industrial exposures. The class sizes are generally small and participation is usually high."
Dr. Sonaike provides leadership for the Associates of Arts in Business Administration, the Bachelor of Business Administration, and the Masters of Business Administration programs. He has a passion for imparting knowledge and personally teaches business management, strategic management, business ethics, international business, and production operations management, while also managing the Advisory Council for Business School Programs and the largest faculty on campus. "I constantly back-up every theoretical input with practical experiences. I try as much as possible to bring the situation down to earth through specific illustrations and personal experiences. My students always love that."
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