A NASA engineer-turned-academic-leader, Nickerson brings both precision and purpose to SLU’s Chaifetz School of Business. The business school launched several new initiatives over the past year, including a new approach to cooperative education, an embrace of AI in the classroom, and Chaifetz Way—an accelerated path for developing humanistic leadership. He notes, “Strategically repositioning the school is a difficult challenge that the community embraced and enacted.”
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2026 QUESTIONNAIRE
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
What has been your company’s most significant success over the past 12 months? Chaifetz School of Business launched three initiatives to strategically reposition the school and transform business education. A novel approach to co-operative education, a radical innovation in the use of AI in education, and Chaifetz Way—an accelerated way to build humanistic leadership competency—are the three initiatives the propel the transformation.
What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? The strategic repositioning of Chaifetz School of Business is bringing a new approach to educating future business leaders that simultaneously builds upon its Jesuit heritage.
What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome? Working within a university setting to adapt as fast as business to a rapidly changing technological and geopolitical landscape is a substantial challenge for a community. Strategically repositioning the school is a difficult challenge that the community embraced and enacted.
What’s a risk you took in business that didn’t pan out—but taught you something valuable? I have launched several startups, some of which did not work out well. Persistence is vital to success, yet so too is knowing when to pull the plug.
What advice would you give to the next generation of St. Louis entrepreneurs or leaders? Formulate and verify with key stakeholders the “right” problem/challenge before trying to solve it.
MENTORS & PEERS
What is a key strength of the St. Louis metro area business environment? The St. Louis metro business community is fantastic. Leaders are civic minded, collaborative, and eager to advance the St. Louis region.
What is one thing you would change about the St. Louis metro area business environment? Improve the dating environment for young people 25–30. Without a great dating environment, these young people are more likely to depart for bigger cities to find life partners, which siphons off a tremendous amount of business talent that could help the St. Louis metro region grow.
Who in your company (or industry) deserves more recognition for their impact? Provost Mike Lewis of Saint Louis University.
What’s a local organization, nonprofit, or initiative that more people should know about—and why? Habitat of Neighborhood Business is a nonprofit started in St. Louis and is working to spread its mission nationally. HNB is dedicated to revitalizing underserved neighborhoods by supporting their local entrepreneurs
BACKGROUND
Where were you born? Weymouth MA
What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? BSME WPI MSME University of California, Berkeley; MBA Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley; Ph.D. Haas School of Business,University of California, Berkeley
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? My first job, starting at the age of 14, was working at my dad’s car wash. I learned to work hard, to serve others, and that every problem has a solution if you collaborate with others, learn enough, and put in the effort to solve it.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
What’s your hobby/passion? Hiking with the love of my life, kayaking, wood working, and biking.
What is one book you think everyone should read (or podcast everyone should listen to) and why? I Dare You, which is a St. Louis classic on leadership.
What do you do when you’re feeling stuck or uninspired? Talking with others or going on a walk are great ways to reset.
What would people be surprised to learn about you (fun fact)? In a prior life, I was an engineer for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. I designed control systems to point giant land-based antennas to communicate with Voyagers I and II as they left the solar system.
