Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business has appointed Dr. Naveen Donthu as the Richard and Susan Lenny Distinguished Chair in Marketing, recognizing his influential scholarship, academic leadership and contributions to marketing education and research.
Announced September 2, 2026, the appointment places Donthu in an endowed faculty position established to support outstanding scholarship.
An internationally recognized scholar in marketing strategy and marketing science, Donthu has built a distinguished academic career examining how businesses understand consumers, develop brands, evaluate advertising and improve marketing effectiveness.
His research spans branding, consumer behavior, advertising and marketing productivity.
Donthu has published more than 150 peer-reviewed academic articles and accumulated more than 75,000 scholarly citations, making him the most-cited scholar at Robinson College, according to Georgia State University.
He also holds the title of Distinguished University Professor, the university’s highest institutional-level faculty rank.
Beyond his research accomplishments, Donthu has played a major role in developing Georgia State’s marketing department. He served as chair of the Department of Marketing for 17 years, contributing to its academic programs, research environment and faculty development.
His mentorship of doctoral students has been an important part of his academic career.
The Richard and Susan Lenny Distinguished Chair in Marketing was established through the support of Richard “Rick” Lenny and his wife, Susan, to help the college attract and retain outstanding faculty.
Lenny graduated from Georgia State in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in marketing and later served as chairman and chief executive officer of The Hershey Company.
The appointment recognizes Donthu’s longstanding contributions to marketing scholarship and his leadership in advancing research and education at Georgia State University.