Thomas C. Kinnear is Eugene Applebaum Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies, Executive Director of the Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, and Professor of Marketing at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He was formerly Senior Associate Dean of the Business School and former Vice President for Development and Executive Officer for the University. He headed the $1.4 billion Campaign for Michigan in the 1990s. At Michigan, he has received awards for teaching excellence and service to the University.
Thomas Kinnear
He holds an undergraduate degree and LLD (honoris causa) from Queen’s University at Kingston, Ontario, an MBA from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Michigan. He has previously held a faculty appointment at the University of Western Ontario, and visiting appointments at Harvard University, Stanford University, and the European Management Institute (INSEAD) at Fontainebleau, France. His teaching and research interests are in the areas of entrepreneurial studies, strategic marketing planning, marketing and public policy, and market-based management. His Ph.D. dissertation examined the economic concept of “market failure” as it relates to ecological issues, especially pollution externalities. His research activity has resulted in publications in numerous scholarly journals including: the Journal of Marketing, the Journal of Marketing Research, the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, and the Journal of Business Research. He is former editor of the Journal of Marketing and former founding editor of the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing. This latter journal publishes scholarly articles related to public policy and the marketplace, including issues of FTC and FDA regulations, and environmental dynamics of consumption.
He is co-author of several books including: Modern Marketing Research, (Thomson), Principles of Marketing (Harper Collins), Marketing Research: An Applied Approach (McGraw-Hill), Promotional Strategy (Richard D. Irwin, Inc.), and Cases in Marketing Management (Richard D. Irwin, Inc.).
Professor Kinnear has worked in marketing management, marketing research, and marketing education consulting. His clients have included: Aetna, American Electronics Association, AT&T, Alcatel (France), Chrysler, Domino’s Pizza, Inc., Eli Lilly, Inc., Federal Trade Commission, General Motors, General Electric, Helmac Products, Kodak, L’ Air Liquide (France), Machine Vision International, TI Group (UK), and Travelers.
He is CEO and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Venture Michigan Corporation, a $200 million venture capital fund of funds. He is a Director and Past-Chair of the Board of the American Marketing Association and former Chair of the Board of the American Marketing Association Foundation. He has previously served as an Academic Trustee of the Marketing Science Institute, as a Director of the Association for Consumer Research, and as the Vice President for Academics and Vice President for Publication at the American Marketing Association. He also has served or is serving as a member of the Board of Directors or Corporate Advisory Boards for several companies and community organizations including: Accuri Cytometers, Inc., Ann Arbor Angels, Avail Networks, Inc., Bard Manufacturing, Inc., BlueGil1 Technologies, Inc., Center For Learning Through Community Service, Domino’s Pizza, Inc., Greenhills School, Helmac Products, Inc., Ecliptic Systems, Inc., Interpretive Software, Inc., Janeeva, Inc., Mobius Microsystems, Inc., Nanocerox, Inc., National Patent Development Corporation, Venture Michigan Fund, Network Express, Inc., Pennaflex Educational Resources, Inc., and the University Musical Society.
He is active in the entrepreneurial community as a co-founder, advisor, angel investor, and Board member of startup companies, including: Network Express, BlueGill Technologies, Accuri Cytometers, Avail Networks, Avidimer Therapeutics, Mobius Microsystems, Janeeva, Nanocerox, and NanoBio. He is also a limited partner in Apjohn Ventures, Arbor Partner Ventures, Arboretum Ventures, EDF Ventures, and RPMVentures. He is a member of the investment committee for EDF Ventures and serves as a special limited partner for Arboretum Ventures.