Dean, College of Business and Administration, Professor, Department of Economics and Business Administration
1971
Bio:
Bernard F. Landuyt was born in Monmouth, Illinois in March 1907. He received a Bachelor of Education in History in 1929 from Western Illinois State University. At the University of Iowa, he received a Master’s in Economics in 1936. He remained at Iowa and was awarded his doctorate in Economics in 1938. His doctoral dissertation was entitled, The Evolution of the Concept of Reciprocity in the Foreign Trade Policy of the United States. He returned to school at Columbia University from 1942 to ‘43 and received an additional Master’s degree in Political Science.
From the mid-‘20s to the mid-‘30s, in addition to his studies, Dr. Landuyt either taught or served as an administrator at a number of high schools both in the United States and in the Philippines. His first work at the university level was at the University of Iowa as an instructor of Economics from 1937 to ’38. Also in 1938, he first joined the University of Detroit faculty as an instructor of Economics.
In World War II, Dr. Landuyt served as a Lieutenant (jg) in the Navy and functioned as a Military Government Officer in North Africa, Sicily, and later in Saipan, and Okinawa. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in the Okinawan Campaign. In 1944 and ’45, Dr. Landuyt, in his capacity as a naval officer, taught a class in Oriental Labor at Princeton University. From 1957 to ’59, Dr. Landuyt served as the University of Detroit’s Navy Liaison Officer. Dr. Landuyt retired from the service in May, 1963 as a Commander in the United States Naval Reserve.
After the war, Dr. Landuyt returned to teaching at the University of Detroit where he rose from an instructor of Economics and Business Administration to Associate Professor (1946), to full professor and chairman of the Department of Economics and Business Administration by 1947. When the university’s track team was re-established in 1946 he became the coach. Dr. Landuyt had achieved considerable prominence as a track coach in the Philippines in the early 1930’s.
From 1949, Dr. Landuyt was also the director of the university’s Master of Business Administration Program. In 1963, he was named Dean of the College of Business and Administration, a position he held until 1971 when he returned to full-time teaching.
In 1975 Dr. Landuyt was appointed as Executive Committee chairman of the university’s centennial celebration. Fr. Carron, President of the University, stated that “Dr. Landyt has a great talent for leadership and a wealth of academic and administrative experience. He distinguishes himself in every task he undertakes and I am confident that he will give excellent direction to our Centennial planning committee.”
In addition to his teaching and administrative duties at the University of Detroit, Dr. Landuyt served the southeast Michigan area in a number of positions related to transportation: Commissioner, and later President, of the Board of Street Railway Commissioners; member of the Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA); and member of the Citizens Advisory Council to SEMTA.
Dr. Landuyt was an involved member in many other civic activities as well: Advisory Committee to the Economics Club of Detroit; Board of Directors of Community Action Neighbors Northwest; Educational Advisory Panel to the Sales and Marketing Executives of Detroit; and the World Trade Committee of the Greater Detroit Board of Commerce.
Together with Dr. Clyde T. Hardwick, his colleague from the University of Detroit Business College, Dr. Landuyt authored two important books in the field of business administration: Administrative Strategy (1961), and Administrative Strategy and Decision Making (1966).
Dr. Landuyt’s professional memberships included: Alpha Kappa Psi, Alpha Phi Omega, Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma, Blue Key, Delta Phi Epsilon, Kappa Delta Pi, Order of Artus, American Association of University Professors, American Economic Association, Association for Social Economics, Cooperative Education Association, Economic Club of Detroit, National Management Association, Navy League of the United States, Reserve Officers Association, and the United States Naval Institute.
In 1971 he was named Dean Emeritus by Fr. Malcolm Carron, S.J., President, University of Detroit. In 1973 Dr. Landuyt received an honorary Doctor of Law degree from the university and in 1974 was named Distinguished Professor in U. of D.’s College of Business and Administration.