Dr. John E. Altazan
Dr. John E. Altazan will be honored on Friday, October 10, 2008 for 50 years of dedication and commitment to the College of Business at the University of New Orleans. Please use this blog to post your comments. The event has been re-scheduled due to Gustav and Ike. Please note the change in your calendar.
16 responses so far ↓
Dorothy Gonzales Carter // August 18, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Congratulations to “Dean” and Mrs Altazan. Your committment to excellence and high standards as well as vision to provide education to all will be felt for years to come not only through New Orleans, but though Louisiana, and the rest of the world. Thank you for enriching my life. Glen and I will wish you health and happiness as you make this new transition.
Andy Flores // August 18, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Congratulations Frater and Mrs. Altazan on 50 years of outstanding service to the students of Louisiana.
Jackie and I will never forget the opening convocation in 1958 in the old aircraft hanger. I will personally never forget my first class with you, “Economic History of the United States.” I was a scared freshman — in college! — and did not know what to expect — and then you told us!
My favorite memory is of being in your “Transportation Economics” class when you used the word “ubiquitous”. None of us knew what it meant and of course you wouldn’t tell us. But the next day in the newspaper comic strip, “BC” the two characters were floating on a raft in the middle of a large body of water and one of them said “Water, water omnipresent; water, water ubiquitous…” and the second character said, “try everywhere next time.” About 10 copies of that strip showed up in class the following day.
Dean, not only did we learn a lot from you, but we enjoyed being with you. It is difficult to believe that 50 years have passed since we all stood in the aircraft hanger, attended class in old Navy barracks and studied in an old warehouse which was our Library. And, of course, the “Smokestack.” Who can ever forget the Smokestack? Thank God it still stands. But more importantly, the life lessons I learned from you, not only in your classes, but through our friendship and fraternity brotherhood have helped me immensely during my entire career.
Dean, God Bless you and Mrs. Altazan for four years of fun and education and 50 years of wonderful memories. Jackie and I look forward to seeing you both on your Altazan Afternoon.
Tim Ryan // August 18, 2008 at 10:46 pm
John and Marie:
Congratulations on 50 years of service to this university and our students. It is really hard to imagine the UNO College of Business without John Altazan. I know that it won’t be the same for me. I guess I always believed that the College was really yours, John. I, and the Deans that followed, were just borrowing it for a time. You were the constant. You were always there and I believed that you would always be there. Even though you are retired, you really will alwys be part of the College of Business.
John, on a personal note, you were always a role model for me. Your care for the students, your work ethic, and your respect for our faculty made a huge impression on me through the years. I hope that I can exhibit just a fraction of what you accomplished in these three areas. If I can, I will feel I did a good job for the University of New Orleans.
All the best in your retirement. I hope to see you in Innsbruck if nowhere else.
Good luck,
Tim Ryan
Ed Kennedy // August 19, 2008 at 11:13 am
Congratulations to Dean & Mrs. Altazan!
I still remember and use in my career much of the knowledge I learned at the College of Business at UNO.
I’m sorry that my wife Elaine and I will not be able to get to New Orleans from Miami on September 12 but our thoughts will be with you!
Ed Kennedy
1976
George Mollere // August 19, 2008 at 2:52 pm
John:
Many many thanks for dealing with students who were kind of “new” to both the world of higher education, and the world of LSUNO.
Your patience and tenacity in the face of the learning challenge of the century, has bode you very well.
You have affected my life, and the lives that I affect. You instilled the discipline of learning, and an introduction to the world of business that none of us either knew or understood.
We are forever grateful to you. Also give my best wishes to Marie, who also taught many of us, and counseled us, when we sought another ear for our concerns about learnging from her husband.
Joy and continued health and happiness to both of you ,
Ron Johnson // August 19, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Dr. Altazan, I too want to thank you for the wonderful memories back then and for the great learning experience during my 3 years at LSUNO. I’m sorry that my wife and I won’t be able to attend your reception because I really want to be there.
I can also vividly remember the opening ceremonies in the old hangar and the classes in the “barracks”.
They couldn’t have found a more dedicated leader for the Business School and again I thank you for your service.
Mitchell Porche '61 // August 19, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Altazans “. . .words fail to express appreciation from so many for so much you did for so many. . .”
truly living, loving and learning experiences from all the Porche’s! :
> for perhaps, the earliest “just one more” at each lakefront semester’s registration or “with 120 grade credit points and 120 hours you are out of here” after 1961 summer school; a charity giving time to hitchhike Mexico as preparation for Navy OCS and Supply schools before launching
in the USS Alamo with ‘ready marines’ to Vietnam; times not unlike
today’s news, unfortunately. These shipmates reunite September 12th but expecting, hopefully, to thank you and Marie on the 5th at the 50th.
> for your recommendations or no; approvals or not of a series of
graduate schools’ programs leading to a most enjoyable 50 year international business and academic careers, John, surely you and Marie will fondly remember visits to Adam Smith, London and Guadalajara.
> or remembering whils working in the Mid-East and Africa with Winchester International a term “guns or butter” you used frequently in class made more ‘Cent$’ . However it is Thatcher’s use of the term that makes more sense today –
“The Soviets put guns over butter, but we put almost everything over guns.”
> from this first generation, LSUNO and family, college graduate with graditude; recognizing your interest made education possible as well as knowing so many more changes coming.
mil gracias y ‘vayan con dios’ Altazans
Mike
Ray Nolan // August 20, 2008 at 12:53 am
Congratulations to Dean and Mrs. Altazan
It was 1958….what a year!
LSUNO was a very great experience in my life and you, Dean, were at the very top of the list to make it a great experience. Your caring for your students was exemplary and most obvious.
Regretfully, I will be unable to attend your very well deserved celebration on the 12th; however my thoughts and prayers will be with both you and Marie. HAPPY 50th!
Ray
Don Stansbury // August 20, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Congratulations to “Dean” and Mrs. Altazan for 50 years of outstanding service to the students of the University of New Orleans.
Dean, due to your hard work and commitment to the University, the College of Business has become a premier Business College in the South. I can’t express what you have meant to me both as the Dean of the College of Business and as a great friend over the past 40+ years. Your guidance truly helped me obtain my degree at the University and the educational background I gained as a student in the College of Business surely helped me with my successful career.
I hope that you remember all of the good times that we had when I was a student worker in the College office. It was an experience that I will never forget. I know that we drove you a little “crazy” at times, but we always managed to get the job done, and have a little fun in the process. I still enjoy seeing you and your wonderful wife, Marie. It’s always a pleasure to find out what’s going on in your life and to bring up stories from the past.
All the best in your retirement and thanks for the many great memories.
Let’s stay in touch in the future.
Don
Mark C. Romig // August 21, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Dean Altazan was my very first mentor during my time at the University of New Orleans. He is also a fraternity hero to many men that were touched by his guidance – as a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, “Frater” Dean provided many years of advice and counsel to the TKE chapter. Most importantly, Dean Altazan served as a role model for servant leadership – and quietly went about changing the lives of thousands of students. And did it with generosity and passion.
Best wishes, Dean!!
John R Allen // August 28, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Dean John E Altazan not only was an outstanding long-tenured Dean at UNO, but an excellent advisor, mentor, and professional fraternity faculty advisor. Even more than my father at Tulane Medical School, Dean Altazan at UNO encouraged me to pursue a graduate degree and instilled in me the concept that “learning never ends”!
We greatly enjoyed meeting Mrs. Altazan with Dean Altazan various times after graduation, although we moved away from New Orleans. Dean Altazan was all business on campus, but very down to earth with every UNO student and concerned with their long term pursuits.
Contratulations on 50 outstanding years, Dean John E Altazan!
John R. Allen,
B.S. in Accounting (UNO),
M.S.in Business (VCU),
Certified Public Accountant (CPA),
Certified Internal Auditor (CIA),
Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA),
Certified in Controls Self-Assessment (CCSA),
Certified Financial Services Auditor (CFSA),
Certified Govt Auditing Professional (CGAP),
Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC),
Chartered Life Underwritter (CLU),
Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI),
Certified Systems Professional (CSP),
Certified Computer Professional (CCP),
Certified Data Processor (CDP)
Dr. Ann Salathe Allen (Mrs. John R. Allen)
B.Ed. (UNO)
M.Ed. (UNO)
Ph.D.-School Administration (VCU)
Emery Dyer '61 // September 8, 2008 at 1:56 am
Congratulations to Dean and Marie Altazan on 50 years of dedicated service to the University and your students. Our sincere appreciation for the help and guidance that you gave to so many of us. I doubt that you will ever realize the positive influence that you had on so many of us.
Emery
Dennis Raney '77 // September 23, 2008 at 1:07 am
Congratulations to Dean Altazan. Thank you for all your contributions to my life and my education. I will always remember you and what you did for me as a student. I am proud to say I am one of those 90% that sit on “deans’ row” in the library.
Best wishes, Dean Altazan!!!
Dennis
BS Economics “77
Bill Schoell // October 8, 2008 at 2:19 am
John Altazan — Dean, and guiding force that energized the faculty, staff, and students in LSUNO’s College of Business Administration from its inception and coddled it to become today’s UNO’s CBA. Your intellect, dedication, perseverance, people skills, and guidance were critical in that process.
You knew our names. You advised, taught, and mentored us. You recruited excellent professors who shared your vision for the college.
It is with respect and admiration that Rosie and I extend our genuine thanks and best wishes. And, thank you Marie, for sharing this truly exceptional man with us.
Bill
Arthur Parham '74 and '75 // October 9, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Dean Altazan – I now live away from New Orleans and I am unable to be with you at the reception on October 10th, but the lessons that I learned from you are with me every day of my life. You instilled in me an appreciation for economics and for business in general. You encouraged me as an undergraduate management major, suggested that I pursue a graduate degree, suggested that I might want to become a CPA and then offered me a position as an Instructor in the College of Business. I shall be forever grateful for your thoughtful mentoring. Your legacy is the nurturing that you provided to so many students and the success that these students have achieved. New Orleans is a much better place as a result of the values you instilled in so many of its citizens while they were students at UNO. Thank you for your many years of faithful service.My best wishes to you and Mrs. Altazan.
Philip Gunn // October 14, 2008 at 3:06 pm
John and Marie,
Jeanne and I both wish to offer congratulations and best wishes. Having known you professionally and personally, we know how you impacted the lives of many–whether it was in the classroom, the legacy you left at UNO, or your community activities. I am sorry we couldn’t make the Altazan Afternoon as we are now living in San Antonio. Miss seeing you both at PJ’s on Robt. E. Lee.