[Logprofs] Fwd: John T. (Tom) Mentzer Obituary

[Diane Mollenkopf]

John T. (Tom) Mentzer

Dr. John T. Mentzer, Chancellor’s Professor and Harry J. and Vivienne R.
Bruce Chair of Excellence in Business in the Department of Marketing &
Logistics at the University of Tennessee passed away in his Knoxville home
on Friday morning, February 26th. Dr. Mentzer was a preeminent scholar.  Each
day he exemplified the best of the business academic discipline,
consistently contributing through teaching, application and discovery.  His
presence was in great demand by a broad range of audiences, ranging from
undergraduate students to CEO’s of multinational corporations.  He
approached the business world as a laboratory, enabling him to integrate
theoretical insights with cutting edge practices. The knowledge he generated
helped facilitate his impressive teaching and research record.  He
unselfishly extended those benefits to include his colleagues, here at the
University of Tennessee and elsewhere in business and academe.

In addition to his commitment to scholarship, Dr. Mentzer passionately
served his institution and his discipline.  Over the years he held key
leadership roles including the President of the Academy of Marketing
Science, President of the Council of Logistics Management and Executive
Director for the University of Tennessee Demand & Supply Integration Forums.
 While serving in high-level positions, he continued to chair a variety of
university committees, author impactful books and articles, and serve on
many editorial review and advisory boards. He received numerous awards in
the fields of Marketing and Supply Chain Management including the Berkman
Distinguished Service Award for lifetime service to the Academy of Marketing
Science in 2008, the Armitage Medal of the International Society of
Logistics Engineers, and the Council of Logistics Management’s Distinguished
Service Award in 2004.  To garner such recognition in one discipline is a
great accomplishment, to be so highly recognized in two competitive
disciplines is extraordinary.  He leaves a lasting legacy as mentor to
dozens of former doctoral students now serving as faculty at institutions
around the world.

In addition to Dr. Mentzer’s numerous awards and achievements, he will be
most remembered for positively touching the lives and careers of those
around him. Countless people benefitted from the kindness of Tom Mentzer.  This
perhaps stands as his greatest attribute, appropriately reflecting his
mission to live an impactful life. He was a loving husband, father, son and
friend and he will be deeply missed by family, students, and colleagues. He
is survived by his wife, Brenda and daughters Ashley and Erin, of Knoxville,
and his mother Minnie and sister Susan, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia,

Services will be held at the Cokesbury United Methodist Church in Knoxville
at 11am, Saturday March 6th . The church is located at 9919 Kingston Pik,
Knoxville, TN 37922 (865-963-0353). The family asks that in lieu of flowers,
contributions be sent to either the Tom & Brenda Mentzer Scholarship Fund,
College of Business Administration Development Office, 468 James A. Haslam
II Business Building, 1000 Volunteer Boulevard University of Tennessee,
Knoxville 37996, or the Melanoma Research Foundation in honor of John T.
Mentzer, 170 Township Line Rd., Building B, Hillsborough, NJ 08844.  Please
contact Jennifer Hicks (865-974-5311; jennifer.hicks at tennessee.edu) for
further details.

-----
Diane A. Mollenkopf, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Director, Ph.D. Program in Logistics
Department of Marketing & Logistics
323 Stokely Management Center
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-0530   USA
phone: +1.865-974.1645
fax:      +1.865.974.1932
email:  mollenkopf at utk.edu
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