Dennis A. Rondinelli

Dr. Rondinelli had a long and distinguished career in academia, serving on the faculties of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Vanderbilt University, Syracuse University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. At UNC-Chapel Hill, he was Glaxo Distinguished International Professor of Management at the Kenan-Flagler Business School, director of the Center for Global Business Research at the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, a fellow of the Carolina Environmental Program, and an adjunct professor in the Department of Public Policy. In 2004, Dr. Rondinelli was appointed director of the Pacific Basin Research Center (PBRC) at Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, CA. From his position as Senior Research Scholar at the Duke Center for International Development, Dr. Rondinelli led the PBRC's efforts to study development policies that advance the pursuit of human dignity in and around Asia and the Pacific.

An internationally recognized scholar, Dr. Rondinelli wrote or edited 19 books and published more than 250 book chapters and articles pertaining to international development policy, administrative reform, globalization and economic development, public-private partnerships and private enterprise development. He carried out research in Asia, Central Europe, Latin America, and Africa.

In addition to his academic appointments, he worked for four years as senior policy analyst/principal research scientist in the Office of International Programs at the Research Triangle Institute. In 2002, he was appointed by the United Nations Secretary General as the member from the United States to the Expert Committee on Public Administration of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, UN Headquarters, New York. In 2007, he was appointed by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs to a 16-member international drafting committee for the UN's "Vienna Declaration on Building Trust in Government."

Dr. Rondinelli received his B.A. degree in 1965 from Rutgers University and his Ph.D. in 1969 from Cornell University. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Sigma Alpha, and the recipient of the New Jersey State Scholarship for all four years at Rutgers. He was a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve and served on active duty in Vietnam from 1970-1971. He was the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Services Commendation Medal, and the Bronze Star.

Throughout his accomplished career, Dr. Rondinelli was the recipient of numerous honors and awards for his outstanding contributions to scholarship, teaching and service: the Edwards MacNall Burns Award in Political Science, Rutgers University, 1965; National Defense Education Act Fellowship, 1965-1968; Thomas Makesey Prize in City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, 1967; Rural Development Medal, Republic of Vietnam, 1971; Ethnic Minorities Development Medal (2nd Class), Republic of Vietnam, 1971; Senior Fellowship, The East-West Center, Honolulu, HI, 1975-1976; Julio Lleras Order of Merit for Outstanding Assistance to the Central Mortgage Bank, Republic of Colombia, 1988; Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship, Pacific Basin Research Center, Soka University of America and John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1991-1992; Weatherspoon Distinguished Research Award, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, 1997; and the Warner Bloomberg Committee on Excellence in Future Studies, Milwaukee, WI. Dr. Rondinelli's biography is included in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the South and Southwest, Who's Who in the 21st Century, and Who's Who in American Education.

Dennis A. Rondinelli, 63, passed away on Wednesday, March 7, 2007.