Heavy Hearts: The Passing of Bob Green

Members of the International Business community will be sad to learn that Bob Green, the founding director of the UT Center for International Business Education and Research (CGB’s original title), has passed away. As the founder of our center three decades ago, Bob had a significant impact on McCombs and UT. He wrote and implemented the early CIBER grants responsible for creating nearly all things international at McCombs — our institutional partnerships, global organizational affiliations, and study abroad programs among others. His leadership put our IB program on the map both nationally and internationally. McCombs continues to lead the university in terms of the percentage of students who study abroad.

— Deirdre Mendez, Director for the Center for Global Business

Robert T. Green

Robert Thompson Green was born in 1943 in Buffalo, NY, the second of four children to Theodore (Jr.) and Adelaide Green.

Dr. Green attended Penn State University where he received his doctorate in 1971. He then joined the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin where he specialized in Marketing and International Business. Dr. Green served as Chair of the Department of Marketing and was the founding Director of the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), serving as Director until his retirement from the University of Texas in 2001. During his tenure at the University he was awarded the Shelby H. and Patricia C. Carter Chair in Global Business Marketing.

Always active in international business education, Dr. Green held teaching assignments in France, Venezuela, Finland, Thailand, and Mexico, and lectured throughout Europe, Latin America, and Asia. His research focused on the impact of economic shock on consumption behavior, and the manner in which firms strategically adapt to economic crises. He is also known for his research in the area of cross-national consumer behavior and was widely published in all major marketing and international business publications. He served 20 years on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Marketing (1972–91), and 15 years on the Editorial Board of the Journal of International Business Studies. He also served on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of International Marketing, Latin American Business Review, Asian Marketing Review, International Business Review, and Zeitschrift fur Betriebswirtschaft (ZfB).

In 1994, Dr. Green’s scholarly contributions to the discipline of international business were recognized in his election as a Fellow in the Academy of International Business.

As the International Programs and CIBER Director, Dr. Green was instrumental in the development of a network of linkages around the world between Texas and other schools of business. CIBER also developed a number of innovative internationally-oriented programs which became models for other Universities seeking to internationalize their business programs.

As is fitting given his professional priorities, upon his retirement from the University of Texas, Dr. Green joined the faculty at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand where he had received the Plaque of Honor in 1996. He served as a Distinguished Professor of International Programs teaching in the undergraduate, MBA, and doctoral programs there. He also served as Vice President of the BBA International Programs at Thammasat University. Dr. Green retired from Thammasat University in 2017 and remained in Thailand until his return to the U.S. in 2021. He is fondly remembered by many generations of his students across the world.

Robert Green enjoyed life to the fullest. He loved making merry with friends, global travel, his hometown of Buffalo, breakfasts at Cisco’s in Austin, Texas with his many friends and colleagues, and his guilty pleasures of Ted’s Hot Dogs, chili con queso, and Texas barbeque.

He was preceded in death by both parents, sister Elizabeth Green and brother David Green. He is survived by brother Theodore Green III, nephew Theodore Green IV and niece Wendelin Green.

A remembrance ceremony is in the planning stages. In lieu of flowers, please send memories of Bob to his nephew Ted Green: 5147 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, IN, 46205.

— Linda Gerber, Senior Lecturer, Department of Business, Government and Society; and Linda Golden, Professor, Department of Marketing