Thomas L. Keon

Dr. Thomas L. Keon’s leadership centers on positioning Purdue University Northwest as a key player in Northwest Indiana’s economic development, educational advancement, environmental sustainability and cultural enhancement.

Having successfully led the complicated merger of two Purdue-system campuses, Keon is committed to cultivating, supporting, identifying and strengthening leadership among students, faculty and staff. An accountant by training and a supporter of civic engagement and the arts by design, Keon seeks to equip students with the training for successful careers as well as a deep appreciation for the responsibilities of citizenship.

Thomas successfully managed merger of two regional campuses into Purdue University Northwest from 2014-2016.Led process through collaborative approaches and community engagement to drive culture change. He led coordinated effort resulting in a $35 million commitment by State of Indiana in 2017 to build a state-of-the-art Bioscience Innovation Building. New structure will provide state-of-the-art instructional and research facilities to further nursing, biological sciences and STEM education, positively impacting the number two economic generator in Northwest Indiana, health care, and raised more than $35 million as Dean of Business at University of Central Florida.