Preceded by Kathleen Player Alma mater Concordia University | Spouse(s) Paula Mueller Website gcu.edu | |
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Salary $621,000; total annual compensation $3,161,128 (2013) Education Concordia University (Nebraska) People also search for Brent D. Richardson, John Sperling | ||
Brian E. Mueller is an American academic and university administrator. He is the current president of Grand Canyon University, having succeeded Kathleen Player on September 1, 2012. Mueller has been the CEO of the university since July 1, 2008, and a director since March 2009.
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Prior to taking the reins of Grand Canyon University, Mueller was the president and a director of Apollo Education Group, the parent company of the University of Phoenix. Mueller also held executive positions with the University of Phoenix Online including CEO, chief operating officer, and senior vice president. While in a leadership position, enrollment at the for-profit institution grew from 3,500 to 340,000.
Mueller graduated from Concordia University with a bachelor's degree in secondary education and a master's degree in education.
Personal
Mueller grew up in a middle-class family in Wisconsin with seven siblings.
Mueller married his wife, Paula, who is often by his side at university events such as concerts and basketball games. The couple has four sons; the two older attended Arizona State University and the youngest attended Grand Canyon.
Mueller enjoys golf and has been golfing with his children since they were three.
Grand Canyon University
The university was established in 1949 but was on the brink of closing its doors in 2004 due to millions of dollars in debt. Mueller was hired in 2008 when the university went to the public market for an infusion of capital investment to put towards the West Phoenix campus. Under Mueller's watch, the university's ground campus enrollment has jumped from about 1,000 to over 11,000 as of the fall of 2014. Enrollment in online programs is over 55,000. Mueller's goal for the ground campus is to increase enrollment to 25,000 and continue to expand the campus.
Mueller finished fourth in the Phoenix Business Journal's 2014 Businessman of the Year voting behind Michael Bidwill (Arizona Cardinals), MaryAnn Guerra (BioAccel), and Bob Parsons (GoDaddy).
Early career
Mueller's first job in higher education was at his alma mater, Concordia University. He was a professor at the university from 1983 to 1987 as well as the university's head men's basketball coach.
