Suggested edit: James L. Centner, aged 94, formerly of Hyde Park and Northport Point, MI, passed away peacefully at home in The Kenwood. Beloved husband of 70 years of Naomi (nee Schlosser). Devoted father of James Jr. (Karen), Marsha (Tom) Buehler, and Amy (Tom) Behm. Loving grandfather of Jennifer (Amar) Buehler Shabbir, Camilla Buehler, Matthew Behm and Emily Behm. Preceded in death by siblings Paul and Rosemary Centner. He was a graduate of Covington Latin School and Xavier University. Commissioned from ROTC at age 19 in 1942, he served as a field artillery battery commander in the Pacific, and commanded a counterintelligence detachment in Japan during the first year of the occupation. He was discharged from active service as a major in 1946 and remained in the active reserve, retiring as a full colonel in 1972. He was a member of Xavier's first MBA class in 1954, and immediately joined the faculty as an adjunct. He taught for over twenty-five years, and completed his teaching career as an Adjunct Professor of Management. He authored a text book of Management-Labor Case Studies and wrote many articles for professional journals covering the management and labor fields. As a business executive, he was President of several custom car manufacturers, specializing in armored limousines for heads of state and other high ranking government officials. He visited over ninety countries in the process, and became "the clearing house for information on presidential limousines" according to AUTOMOTIVE NEWS. Active in the world-wide management field, he served as President of the International Society for the Advancement of Management, on the Board of Trustees of the American Management Association and was one of the thirteen Fellows of the International Academy of Management in Geneva. Died Saturday, June 3, 2017. Donations may be made to Xavier University.
Contributor: Milt Proctor (50060215) •