Born in a small town near the Empty Quarter (Ar-Rubi Al-Khali) in 1955, I progressed through a totally normal life. Being the only male child, I have enjoyed lots of goodies: During my childhood, I had a cat, tens of birds all within our home.  I collected stamps and was encouraged to buy magazines and books.  But the most important thing I have had was my parent's care and inspiration to excel and be the first.  My father was a very traditional Muslim scholar.  Whilst delivering Islamic lectures and leading Muslim prayers, he did not receive formal schooling as we know it today.  Appreciating Quranic and linguistic studies, he encouraged me to use his own books and helped me developing my own book collections.  Although  he did not make sense of most of my courses,, especially English and sciences, he found joys in talking to me about these courses and in listening to me explaining these courses.   I still remember him nodding his head as if he understood me while I was reciting my early English language lessons.  

In 1976, I left home for the first time to Dhahran to join KFUPM.  It was not easy for our family but certainly it was very exciting and rewarding for me.   Without a car, it was difficult to travel 140 Kilometers every week southward from Dhahran to Al-Mubarraz (my home town).  But I did it. Knowing that I would have the right atmosphere to study, I carried my books with me. I still could count on the same levels of understanding from home. 

 I managed to shorten my university stay by one semester.  For that I lost fifty thousand riyals (E-mail me to know how).  With one semester of course work remaining, I got married during my co-op training.  February 1981 is a wonderful month in my life.   In Feb.1981, I have completed my BS in Industrial Management, started my Master of Business Administration (MBA) study, and had my first child.  Yes, one can maintain honor list status while married.

In February 1983,  I completed my MBA.  It was a turning point in my life.  I wanted to stay with my university.  Denying a lucrative job offer from a major SABIC companies in Jubail, I wanted to pursue my doctoral studies.  I was appointed as a lecturer and encouraged by KFUPM administration to go abroad for studying.  There was one major obstacle, I did not want to leave my father who was in his late seventies.  He and I could not stand to be thousand of kilometers apart.

I waited tell early 1984 when teaching basic courses in economics and statistics was not fulfilling my aspiration.  I accepted a full time assignment at KFUPM computing center. By early 1985, I decided to embark my studies at University of Colorado at Boulder in Information systems.  To my surprise it was not hard to convince my father.  Actually, deep inside, he wanted me to go because he realized that it was my destiny (to be a university professor).  

I studied in Boulder, Colorado.  Colorado is a mountainous, green, and beautiful state.  It took me three and half years to complete Doctoral of Philosophy in Business Administration with a major in Information systems and a minor in computer science. 

Upon returning in 1988, I was appointed as an assistant professor and progressed to associate and professor ranks in 1993 and 1998 respectively.

Some of my administrative duties include Chairman of the department of Accounting and Management Information Systems in 1994, Vice Rector for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research for six years. and the Advisor to H.E. The Rector from November 2001.

KFUPM is my home.  More on that in the future. If you can wait...