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Henry H. Beam

Dec. 30, 2006

Dr. Henry H. Beam, professor of management at Western Michigan University, died Dec. 21 in Kalamazoo. He was 68.

A member of the faculty for 31 years, Beam taught a variety of courses during his tenure, including the first entrepreneurship class offered at WMU. He also taught statistics and the Management 699 capstone course, the last course students in the MBA program take.

A native of Detroit, Beam earned a bachelor's degree at Princeton University in 1960, and then served in the U.S. Navy for four years before returning to academia to earn a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1965. After two years as a design engineer at Bendix Aerospace, he earned an MBA from Michigan, worked for a Chicago consulting firm for two years, then returned to Ann Arbor to earn a Ph.D. in business administration in 1975. Later that year, Beam took a faculty job in what is now the Haworth College of Business.

Beam focused on strategic management and business education. For many years, he and his faculty colleagues worked with small businesses in the area to help them boost their chances of success.

An active author and contributor to writing in his discipline, Beam served as the book editor for the Midwest Academy of Management for five years, writing more than 35 reviews. He also published more than 22 articles, six case studies and three books.

Deeply involved in the Kalamazoo community, Beam and his wife, Judy, established what is now called the Kalamazoo Country Day School, from which all three of their children graduated. He also was active in the annual National Junior Tennis Championships held in Kalamazoo, and served as that event's chair umpire for 20 summers.

Beam is survived by his wife of 39 years, Judy Beam, three children and two grandchildren. A visitation with family members was held Dec. 28, and a private family service will take place at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Henry J. Beam Memorial Scholarship Fund at Lawrence Technological University.

Media contact: Cheryl Roland, (269) 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu

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