Business College Loses Esteemed Former Dean

Dr. William F. Schmeltz, passed away on Friday, April 11, 2014. He dedicated his life to education and devoted 30 years of service to Bowling Green State University as a professor, department chair and Dean of the College of Business Administration.

Schmeltz, a certified public accountant, earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo. He was third in his class when he earned his MBA from Harvard in 1947. He later earned his doctorate at Case Western Reserve University.

During his years as a professor in accounting and dean of the BGSU College of Business Administration, Schmeltz was driven to empower his students to tackle their education and had a reputation for assisting students with furthering their education through graduate school as well as assisting with job opportunities. He was known for bringing real-world experience into the classroom.

As dean of the College of Business Administration in the 1960s, Schmeltz helped to expand international opportunities for students, shared his practical accounting experience in the classroom and earned the highest level of accreditation for the College. A group of his former students and family also created a professorship to honor his leadership.

The William Schmeltz Teaching Professorship supports a BGSU faculty member in accounting who demonstrates the same level of commitment to teaching and mentoring students.

As dean, Schmeltz successfully managed the first efforts to accredit the College through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a distinction the University still holds.

He also established a unique partnership with the Catholic University of Puerto Rico, where he also taught after retiring from BGSU. In addition, he was among a group of business deans selected to spend time in Sweden. In the 1980’s, he was selected to travel as part of a group of investment specialist to travel to China and assist in stimulating their investment opportunities.

Dr. Schmeltz will be missed but his legacy will continue on through his family, his students and the many people he inspired throughout his lifetime.