David Dodson teaches S355, "Managing Growing Enterprises", S543, "Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition", and OB 209 "Leadership Laboratory". Mr. Dodson is a graduate of Stanford University (Economics ’83, MBA ‘87), and a frequent guest for New Ventures and Managing Growing Enterprises courses, and a former case writer (1988).

David Dodson has been active for fifteen years in the formation of new business through the search fund model. After graduating from Stanford University in 1983, and then the Graduate School of Business in 1987, he joined the faculty as a case writer where, under the direction of H. Irv Grousbeck, he wrote the original course material for search funds--then in its infancy.

After one year as a case writer, David Dodson raised his own search fund, which led to the purchase of Smith Alarm Systems in 1989. He subsequently raised two more search funds to purchase an auto parts retailer and an environmental services firm. During this time, Mr. Dodson became an active investor in and board member of other search funds, investing in over twenty-five search funds. Mr. Dodson has been a director and investor in seventeen middle market companies.

Remaining active with the Stanford Graduate School of Business during this time, he has been a regular guest for the New Ventures and Managing Growing Enterprises courses, and is a director of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Alumni Association.

He is on the board of: U.S. Fund for UNICEF (Regional), Project Healthy Children, Penn Warranty, Wind River Environmental, Harr Automotive, Eyewitness, Carillon Assisted Living, and Gum Branch Capital.

David Dodson currently divides his time between Stanford University and Project Healthy Children (a nonprofit enterprise with operations in Rwanda, Nepal, Liberia and Malawi). He is also completing his first novel.