"He's one of the dynamic personalities at the school," said Kelly Shaughnessy, a June graduate of the school who took one of Clark's classes.
"I think probably everyone who took the class would agree that they learned a tremendous amount," she said. "As a scholar, he's very, very impressive."
Clark has taught a second-year MBA course on "Operations Strategy" and in the past has also taught the required first-year MBA class called "Technology and Operations Management" and second-year courses on technology management.
Although he was scheduled for a normal course load this year, Clark has given up teaching to become dean.
Clark earned a bachelor's degree magna cum laude with highest honors in economics in 1974. He was awarded his Ph.D here just four years later.
He has authored or co-authored 12 books and numerous articles. Product Development Performance (1991) won the Nikkei prize for excellence in writing about business in Japan.
Clark now lives in Belmont with his wife, Sue, and seven children. Like his predecessor, Clark will not move into the official dean's residence on the Business School campus.
Clark grew up in Washington state and Utah. A devout Mormon, Clark is an avid golfer, jogs regularly and is a scoutmaster of his son's troop.