Richard Fountain, JD, BA

Dr. Richard Fountain is the Dean of the College of Business of University of West Florida and a Clinical Professor in the Department of Accounting and Finance.

In 2009, he joined the Department of Accounting and Finance as an adjunct instructor, following a successful 30-year law career in Mississippi. He later served as chairman of the department. During his two years as chair, he focused on recruiting for the Master of Accountancy program, more than doubling the number of new students joining the program since 2017.

In addition to his academic leadership, Fountain has served on the UWF Development Foundation's board of directors and the UWF College of Business Advisory Council. He has been the faculty advisor for the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity. He has also served on the national board for the Cenikor Foundation, serving as chairman from 2010-2012.

Additionally, Dr. Fountain has strengthened and built new relationships with accounting firms and other related businesses in Pensacola to increase student internships and permanent job opportunities. He established the Accounting and Finance Advisory Council, comprised of 25 community business leaders who serve as guest lecturers and mentors and aid in recruiting efforts. He’s cultivated relationships with colleges and high schools to recruit more undergraduates, resulting in the completion of an articulation agreement with Pensacola State College, as well as the repurposing of eight scholarships targeting PSC students. A soon-to-be completed articulation agreement with Pensacola Christian College will draw over 200 possible accounting students and recent graduates to the department.

Prior to joining UWF, Dr. Fountain helmed the Law Offices of Richard M. Fountain, P.A., which he founded in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1987. He earned a Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida, a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi, a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from UWF and an Associate in Arts from Pensacola Junior College.

Dr. Fountain’s published work includes publications on Legal and Tax Framework. He holds memberships to the Hinds County Bar Association and the Mississippi Bar Association, and he also supports Pensacola High School Athletics, serving as voluntary historian and publisher of Florida's Oldest High School Football Team and A History of Pensacola High School Softball.

As Dean, Dr. Fountain’s priority is to foster an increasingly strong relationship between UWF students and the local community. Dr. Fountain shares, “While I enjoyed practicing law, I love what I do at UWF—educating people and creating opportunities for them to thrive.”