Pepperdine Mourns the Loss of Emeritus Professor Dr. William “Bill” Bleuel
Pepperdine mourns the loss of emeritus professor of decision sciences, Dr. William “Bill” Bleuel, who passed away on Friday, December 6, 2024. Dr. Bleuel's remarkable contributions to academia, industry, and the Pepperdine community leave an enduring legacy.
Dr. Bleuel was an expert in the quantitative aspects of business, specializing in measuring and analyzing operations, call center management, and customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. As an expert witness in intellectual property, he brought a depth of real-world expertise to his students.
Throughout his career, Dr. Bleuel held senior roles in engineering, marketing, and service management at renowned companies such as Xerox, Taylor Instrument Company, and Barber Colman Company. He also co-founded and served as a general manager for two startup ventures, exemplifying entrepreneurial leadership.
“Bill was a great colleague and mentor. Especially in my early days at PGBS, he helped me to learn what it means to be a "good professor." He was also quite accomplished in his career, including winning the International Franz Edelman Award for Management Science, the top INFORMS practice prize, for his work with Xerox Corporation. He had a passion for analytics, PGBS, and students, and he was always wanting to improve how we taught analytics to our students. I will miss his counsel and our friendship.”
- Ken Ko, Professor of Decision Sciences
“For many years, I worked in the Westlake offices next to Bill, Ed Rockey, and Larry Bumgardner. Good times. Bill and Ed worked six days a week, always available for students, and would regularly debate the issues of the day. Throw in Daryl Stanley on Bill’s speaker phone and the conversations were both expansive and cantankerous. He loved barbershop music, going to the symphony, his involvement in church, Esther, his family, and his golden retrievers. We even played a few rounds of golf in the early years and had many interesting lunches. As a fellow Yinzer, we often spoke of the city, cross country, and anything involving the old days back east. He was good people and I’ll miss the camaraderie.”
- Bob McQuaid, Associate Professor of Decision Sciences
“Bill was very influential early in my career at Pepperdine. I had many impromptu conversations with him about teaching, research and life in general. He was really inspirational to me, providing a perspective from his long career in both academics and industry. I still use concepts and suggestions from Bill in my work at Pepperdine. I will miss him greatly.”
- Jim DiLellio, Professor of Decision Sciences
As an accomplished author, Dr. Bleuel's textbook, After the Sale, became a cornerstone of service management education, succeeding his earlier book, Service Management. His scholarly achievements earned him prestigious accolades, including the Franz Edelman Award from the Institute of Management Sciences, the Armitage Medal from the Society of Logistics Engineers, and the Patton Publication Award. In 1996, he was named a Luckman Distinguished Teaching Fellow at Pepperdine, reflecting his exceptional dedication to teaching and mentoring.
Dr. Bleuel’s influence extended beyond the classroom, where he inspired countless students and colleagues through his commitment to purpose, service, and leadership. Pepperdine Graziadio is grateful for his many years of service and his profound impact on the university.
Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to Dr. Bleuel’s wife, Esther, and his family.