URBANA, IL- Richard M. Hill, Professor Emeritus of Business Administration and distinguished Professor of Industrial Distribution died December 12, 2010 in Urbana. Memorial services will be held at a later date. Renner-Wikoff Chapel, 1900 S. Philo Rd., Urbana, is in charge of arrangements.

Professor Hill received his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D from Columbia University and taught in the Columbia Graduate School of Business and the Department of Economics at Purdue University before joining the Business Administration faculty at the University of Illinois in 1956. His business experience included positions with the Traffic Service Corporation in New York City and the OMAR Baking Company in Indianapolis. He also filled consulting assignments with a number of well-known corporations, the State of Illinois Department of Business and Economic Development, and the Educational Testing Service in Princeton, New Jersey.

Professor Hill enlisted in the U.S. Air force in December 1941 where he was a flight instructor for both the B17 and the B29. He remained in that position until 1945. When the Korean War began, he reenlisted and was assigned to an air intelligence group at Purdue University where he was teaching. When that group reorganized, he was transferred to the Air Force Ready Reserve where he was honorably discharged in 1963 with the rank of captain.

Throughout his long and distinguished career, Professor Hill received numerous honors and awards, including the Emerson Cammack Award for Outstanding Service to Undergraduate students, the Dept. of Business Administration Outstanding Professor, the Commerce Council excellence in Teaching Award, and the Distinguished Professor Award. His academic credentials included 3 books, a half dozen monographs, five U.S. Department of commerce bulletins, and a number of articles in academic and professional journals. In addition, he taught the basic business administration course at the University of Illinois (BA 202) for 20 years.

Professor Hill was passionate about teaching and students were his number one priority. Perhaps the impact he had in the classroom was best summed up by the students in the Industrial Distribution Program, which he established in 1983: "Professor Hill showed his dedication and caring for each and every student. Through his individual attention and the numerous details he attended to, he touched the lives of every one of us. His hands-on approach aided his students with decisions ranging from the monotonous task of scheduling to the more complex and sometimes frightening process of selecting a career path. He worked tirelessly to ensure that we achieved greatness, treated us with fatherly concern, and changed our lives".

Professor Hill leaves his wife of 58 years, Marilyn Fisher Hill, 3 children, Martha Anderson (Phillip), John (Wendy), and Rick (Bernice), and 9 grandchildren: Jill, Sarah, Timothy, Rachael, Tyler, Bryce, Sean, Trevor, and Abigail. He was preceded in death by a son, Robert.

Condolences may be offered at www.renner-wikoffchapel.com.