James Howard Sood

James Howard Sood passed away peacefully on September 8, 2012. The loving husband of the late Patricia Miller Sood for 52 years, Jim was the devoted father of Cynthia (Kevin), John, (Trazy) and James (Kathy). He is also survived by six grandchildren, Laura, Kelly, Patrick, Jack, Lucy, and Ellie; a sister, Dorothy Housh of Merriam, KS; four nieces and nephews; and many other friends and loved ones. Son of the late Earl and Grace Sood, Jim was born in Milwaukee, WI, on September 30, 1931. He attended the College of William and Mary and the University of Illinois for a five year combined plan of study, where he earned a B.S. in Physics and Engineering, respectively. After graduating, Jim served in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineering Corps and was later a Lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Jim began his civilian career in 1958 with Kuhn, Smith, and Harris, Inc., a building construction firm in New York City. He then took a position as marketing manager of the NY region at IBM Service Bureau Corporation. After meeting his wife and starting a family, he relocated to Maryland, where he was Vice President and General Manager of the Washington, DC office of Advanced Computer Technologies Corporation. In 1969, Jim started his own consulting business and returned to school so that he could teach in higher education. After receiving his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Business Administration from George Washington University, he began teaching in the School of Business Administration at George Mason University. From 1973-1974, Jim was visiting professor of International Marketing at the Helsinki School of Economics in Finland. In 1975, he began teaching Marketing and International Business at The American University in Washington, DC, where he earned the title of Professor Emeritus upon his retirement. Jim also completed a fellowship with the U.S. Small Business Administration and was Special Assistant to the Administrator in 1978-1979. Jim and his wife moved to Chestertown in 1999 where they embraced small town life. Jim taught courses at nearby Washington College and was Chair of the WC-ALL (lifelong learning) Council. Jim loved playing golf and served as the Men’s Senior Golf Representative at the Chester River Yacht and Country Club. He loved horse racing, the Pittsburgh Pirates, stamp collecting, and listening to all types of music. Lifelong, enthusiastic travelers, Jim and his wife visited scores of locations in the U.S. and around the world. One of their biggest adventures was in 1997, when he and his wife worked and taught in the Semester-at-Sea program, circling the world by ship as the students continued their college studies. Jim was a member of the Lions Club of Chestertown, organized food procurement for the Kent County Food Bank, was a mentor to Washington College exchange students, a member of Christ United Methodist Church, and a member of the Kent Athletic Center. Jim was a firm believer in giving back to the community and lived every day according to his values. His strength, intelligence, and good humor will be greatly missed. A combined memorial service for James and his wife, Patricia Miller Sood will be held at Christ United Methodist Church in Chestertown on Monday, September 17, 2012, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Harbour School, 1277 Green Holly Drive, Annapolis, MD 21409 or Chester River Hospice Foundation, 100 Brown Street, Chestertown, MD 21620.

James Howard Sood

September 30, 1931 - September 8, 2012