David K. Long

David K. Long, 76, of Bristol, RI and Fairfield, CT, passed away in Providence, Rhode Island.Born on September 30, 1940 in Akron, Ohio, he was the son of the late Max and Patricia (Finnegan) Long. David received a B.A. in English and Speech Communication from the University of Akron in 1965. He received the M.A. in Speech Communication from the University of Akron in 1969. He subsequently received the Ph.D. in Organizational Communication from Kent State University in 1974. In 1973, David joined the Department of Speech Communication at Ithaca College. He taught in that department until 1977 when he was appointed Associate Professor in the Department of Management in the School of Business. He then became Chairperson of the Department of Management and served in that capacity from 1977-1979. He was subsequently appointed Assistant Dean of the School of Business and served from 1979-1982. Later, in 1983, he was appointed Dean of the Business College at Ithaca and served in that role until 1996. David was the Dean of the Business College at Bloomsburg University, in Pennsylvania from 1996-2005. He oversaw 1,550 undergraduate students, 135 graduate students, 47 faculty members and six staff members. At Bloomsburg, he led the Business College to AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business) International Accreditation in 2005.As both a faculty member and an executive, David was active in a large number of professional organizations. He served on the Board of Directors of the AACSB from 2000-2003 as well as their Candidacy Committee from 1996.-2006. He was on the Board of Directors from the Middle Atlantic Association of College of Business Administration (MAACBA) from 1994-2006 and served as the President of that organization from 1998-1999. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce in Ithaca, New York, from 1993-1996 and on the Board of Directors of the Columbia Alliance for Economic Development from 1996-2006. David consulted on matters of business education throughout his career and authored and co-authored a number of publications and presentation.In addition to his many academic leadership contributions, Davids genuine, considerate, open presence won him a wide and diverse circle of friends. David enjoyed travel, reading about history, and was a car enthusiast, especially concerning Corvettes. In June 2005, David retired from an active career as a dean and was appointed to the graduate business faculty at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio where he taught courses in managerial communication and organizational behavior. In the spring of 2008, David was appointed Adjunct Associate Professor of Communication at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, where he taught until 2012. He then retired from teaching to care for his son. David spent his years after retirement with his partner Laura Niesen de Abruna and their son, Edmond Niesen. He enjoyed bring up his young son and traveling to China, South Africa, Europe, Central America and the Caribbean with his family.He is survived by his children, Jonathan Long of Arlington, VA, Edmond Niesen of York, PA, Meaghan Long of Ithaca, NY, and his longtime partner, Laura E. Niesen of York, PA.Donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, www.alz.org