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THE LAST FOUNDER OF THE AIB PASSES AWAY

As the current President of the AIB, I inform you with a heavy heart of 
the passing of JACK BEHRMAN on August 19, 2016 at the age of 
94.Professor Behrman was one of the original twelve founders of the 
Academy of International Business in 1958, and the last surviving founder.

Among many books he had published in his life time, the most influential 
one that carved out his presence in academia and public policy field is 
Jack Behrman (1970), /National Interests and the Multinational 
Enterprise/, Englewood Cliffs, NJ:Prentice Hall.In my mind, it remains 
an IB classic that has stood the test of time to date.Although many of 
us are too young to know his work, this book is worth reading as there 
is so much to learn from his insights into MNE codes of conduct, role of 
governments and supranational institutions, and economic development.

Jack Behrman was one of those rare IB birds who combined major public 
and private services although he was also a first-rate international 
economics scholar. He served as the fourth AIB President in 1967-1968 
but was particularly famous for having served as Assistant Secretary of 
Commerce for Domestic and International Business under President John F. 
Kennedy, and he was rumored to have resigned his post in protest to an 
ill-conceived international-trade restriction initiated by the President.

He took service very seriously since he initiated the Executive Service 
Corps – which provided volunteers from among retired business executives 
to advise private entrepreneurs in developing countries, the MBA 
Enterprise Corps whose MBA graduates from the top 50 graduate business 
schools advised former state enterprises in Central Europe and other 
developing parts of the world, and the Fund for Multinational Management 
Education. With John Fayerweather, Richard Robinson and John Dunning, 
among others, he belonged to an age of dedicated servants to economy, 
society and education.

The attached obituary, below, will give you more information about this 
good man – informed, curious, concerned and not afraid to fight for good 
causes.

Masaaki Kotabe

The President of the AIB

***

Obituary – Dr. Jack Newton Behrman of Chapel Hill

Dr. Jack N. Behrman was born March 5, 1922 in Waco, Texas, son of 
Marguerite and Mayes Behrman.Behrman was married over 70 years to the 
love of his life, Louise Sims (dec). Together, they shared an amazing 
life journey and created a loving, contributing family. Jack Behrman was 
father of four children: Doug, Gayle (dec.), Paul (dec.), and Andrea; 
grand-father of Kyle Jaster, Emma Jaster, Wyatt Jaster, Brett Behrman, 
Todd Behrman, Madi Bateman, and Callie Bateman Bradshaw, and 
great-grandfather of Ellis Pearson, Owen Bradshaw, and Nash Bradshaw. He 
passed away at 94 years of age on August 19, 2016 at Carol Woods 
Retirement Community in Chapel Hill, N.C. He was preceded in death by 
his siblings: Mayes, Paul, and Barbara.

Dr. Behrman served the UNC Business School over 27 years as Professor of 
International Business, Director of the MBA Program, Associate Dean of 
the Faculty, and Luther Hodges Distinguished Professor of Ethics.

After graduation from Davidson College in 1943 with Honors in Economics, 
he received an MA in Economics from UNC and an MA and PhD from 
Princeton; later an honorary LLD from Davidson. He taught at Davidson, 
Princeton, Washington and Lee, George Washington, and the University of 
Delaware. Prior to joining UNC, he served as Assistant Secretary for 
Domestic and International Business in the U.S. Department of Commerce 
under Secretary Luther Hodges in the Kennedy and Johnson 
Administrations; his portfolio included international trade and 
investment policies and programs and preparation for wartime 
mobilization of the economy.

After returning to academia in 1964, he continued as an advisor to the 
Departments of State, Commerce, and Treasury, the National Academy of 
Science, and National Academy of Engineering --- and in New York to the 
United Nations, Committee for Economic Development, American Management 
Association, Council on Foreign Relations, Council of the Americas, and 
the Fund for Multinational Management Education.

He was a pioneer in the fields of comparative management, foreign 
licensing of technology, international business and government 
relations, and the role of multinational enterprises – subjects on which 
he published over 40 books and monographs and more than 150 professional 
articles, including two books on the role of ethics in business and the 
professions. While in the government, he initiated and helped form the 
International Executive Service Corps, which provided volunteers from 
among retired executives to advise private enterprises in developing 
countries. In 1990, he initiated the formation of the MBA Enterprise 
Corps, supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development and 
private corporations and foundations; it sent volunteers from MBA 
Programs of a Consortium of the top 50 graduate business schools to 
formerly state-owned enterprises in Central Europe, Southeast Asia, 
Central Asia, Latin America, and Africa for tours of a year or more. He 
remained its Chairman and CEO for 15 years.

Dr. Behrman’s career in international economics and business began in 
1945 with a position in the International Labor Office in Montreal, 
Canada, working on post-World War II plans for a new international 
economic order, preparing full employment policies. He was continually 
involved in that prospect over his lifetime, interviewing and speaking 
to numerous groups of executives and government officials in 70 
countries on the relations between international business and 
governments, changes in the world economy, and foreign economic policies 
of the U.S. and other governments. His bio is included in _Who’s Who in 
America_, _Who’s Who in Finance and Industry_, _Who’s Who in Science and 
Engineering_, and _Who’s Who in the World_.

He was a co-founder of the Academy of International Business, later its 
President and member of its Fellows. He was also a member of the Board 
of Directors of several corporate enterprises and non-government 
organizations.

His service included leadership roles in the Boy Scouts of America, 
membership on the Board of Directors of the Ethics Resource Center 
(Washington); Walco National Co. (NY); Troxler Electronics (Raleigh); 
Elder of the University Presbyterian Church; co-General Partner of the 
West Franklin Preservation Partners (Chapel Hill); and directorships in 
several other North Carolina organizations, including the NC World Trade 
Association, the NC/Japan Center, the District Export Council, and the 
Research Triangle World Trade Center.

Whether you knew him as ‘Dr. Behrman’, ‘Jack’, ‘Dad’, ‘Pops’, 
‘Grand-Dad’, or ‘Poppee’, we were all truly fortunate to have this man 
of great character and ideas in our lives. He was mentor, friend, and 
inspiration to all.

There will be a private family burial in Chapel Hill. Donations in 
memory of Dr. Behrman may be made to The Davidson Trust, P.O Box 7170, 
Davidson College, Davidson, N.C. 28035.



-- 
Masaaki "Mike" Kotabe
The Washburn Chair Professor of International Business and Marketing
President, Academy of International Business;
Editor, Journal of International Management
Temple University
The Fox School of Business
1801 Liacouras Walk
559 Alter Hall (006-14)
Philadelphia, PA 19122-6083
U.S.A.
Ph.  215-204-7704
Fax. 215-204-8029






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