ERA mourns …
… David B. Anderson, CPMR, of Sumer, Inc., Rolling Meadows, Ill., who passed away suddenly on May 11 while attending EDS in Las Vegas. He was 53 and a third-generation rep who, with his brother Craig Anderson, CPMR, continued the rep business legacy of his grandfather, the late Burt Anderson, and his father, Bruce Anderson, CPMR, a past president of ERA and a member of the association’s Hall of Fame. He was a graduate of Miami of Ohio University and joined the family firm in 1986. As a partner and vice president of the company, he managed Sumer’s distribution program and account coverage. For many years, he was also a highly respected coach in Little League baseball in his hometown of Lake Zurich, Ill
In addition to his brother and father, survivors include his wife, Tami, and their four children. Memorial donations are requested to the charity of the donor’s choice.
… Gordon S. Marshall, retired chairman of the board and founder of Marshall Industries and namesake of the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. He was 95 when he passed away on June 2.
He was a World War II B-24 bomber pilot who earned an accounting degree from USC in 1946 and then pursued his interest in electronics with the founding of Marshall Industries in 1953. The company eventually grew to become one of the five largest U.S. distributors of electronic components. In 1999, it was purchased by Avnet, Inc., in a multimillion-dollar deal.
He was active in the USC School of Business Distribution Management Program, lectured in several courses and served as executive-in residence. In 1996, he pledged $35 million to the school. At the time, it was the largest endowment ever made to a business school and the second-largest in USC history.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lynne, and is survived by two daughters, 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A USC campus service to celebrate his life will be held in the fall.
… Glenn Brown of Midtec Associates, Florissant, Mo. He passed away on May 16 at age 60. He was a 30-year veteran of the rep profession who has been described by friends and business associates as “one of the good guys.” Survivors include three daughters and three grandchildren. Memorial donations are requested to St. Jude Research Hospital (www.stjude.org).