A native Texan, Dr. Roach began his academic career as a teaching assistant in the Department of Management at the University of Texas at Austin. In 1970 be joined the faculty of Stephen F. Austin State University as Chairman of the Department of Management. During the 1977-1978 academic year he served as Visiting Professor of Management of the Troy State University European Division, and then became Dean of the School of Business at Southwest Texas State University in 1979. From 1984 until 1990, Dr. Roach served as President of West Texas State University.

At West Texas State Dr. Roach led the institution in developing a three-year strategic plan and launched the first capital campaign in the school’s history. In 1991, Dr. Roach became Associate Deputy Chancellor for Academic Program Planning for the Texas A & M System. In this role, he coordinated the system’s strategic planning process for its seven universities and eight agencies.

Since joining The University of West Alabama as Provost in 1994, Dr. Roach has consistently led the faculty, staff and students to a greater vision of what the University can be. Perhaps more importantly, he has made each member of the university community a part of the process of reaching those goals. Dr. Roach has led the charge in developing and implementing a university-wide strategic planning process, a peer review based promotion and tenure process, and a peer review based post-tenure process.

A first generation college graduate himself, Dr. Roach identifies strongly with UWA students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. With that motivation in mind, Dr. Roach has implemented programs that will better prepare UWA students to work alongside graduates of larger and less rural institutions. Integration of technology into every aspect of University life as well as the University curriculum has been one of Dr. Roach’s most significant achievements.

Dr. Roach has led the University in developing the first e-campus in the state of Alabama. In implementing the e-campus concept, UWA has become the first university in the state to move toward campus-wide wireless technology. Closely associated with Dr. Roach’s leadership in technological integration is the University’s first capital campaign, known as Technology 2000.

The UWA physical plant has improved during Dr. Roach’s tenure to include a new Softball Complex, expansion of the Julia Tutwiler Library, enhanced facilities for the baseball team at Tartt Field, and the construction of the Bell Conference Center. The Bell Conference Center represents the first major construction on campus in twelve years, and is planned to serve the region as a state-of-the-art meeting facility for business and industry.

In UWA’s student life, Dr. Roach has led several student workshops on time management and, along with his wife Darlene, regularly entertains student groups at the President’s Home. Students routinely see and talk with Dr. Roach as he jogs through campus, no doubt mentally planning the University’s next challenge.