Remembering the Founding Rector of the Romanian-American University, Professor ION SMEDESCU

Five years ago, Professor Ion Smedescu, chose the 5th of October, to step on the path of eternity. In the first Editorial of our “Holistic Marketing Management” Journal (Contributing to reinventing management for the 21st century, by building our holistic story of realizing holistic marketing and developing a position guided by customer insights: http://holisticmarketingmanagement.ro/RePEc/hmm/v1i1/1/1.pdf ) we welcomed as follows: “Welcome to Volume 1, Issue 1, of our “Holistic Marketing Management” scientific Review of Management-Marketing School. Our thoughts are turning to Professor Ion Smedescu , the Founder of the Romanian American University, whose words are  still with us: marketing strategy means drift refusal. And in these critical times the market is challenging management marketing like never before”. At the beginning of the nineties Professor Ion Smedescu accepted the „Romanian-American University” (RAU) challenge, by deciding adequately the target market, taking into account the RAU’s organizational competencies, choosing the adequate design in the context of the interaction between the managerial culture, the workplace culture and the surrounding culture, encouraging emergence while considering the importance of the quality of team relations, as well as the quality of the network in initiating partnerships.

As he learned from his Great Teachers that there is always the need for moderation (as a rational attitude towards pleasure), courage (as a rational attitude towards pain), justice (as respect towards the man) and the feeling of justice, of lawfulness, education meaning first of all respect, Professor Ion Smedescu was constantly pleading for opening the eyes for truth, the good and the beautiful in an effort to shape minds and characters, the education of intelligence being connected to finding the truth and intelligence being strongly related to moral education.

A true Holistic Marketing Manager, Professor Ion Smedescu argued that the student-centered issue represents a priority involving to widely opening up the gates of knowledge management and innovation, his intuition giving birth to the Romanian – American University, a great service provided to the future generations. In his entire career, Professor Ion Smedescu made significant contributions in transposing in the academic landscape powerful ideas specific to the „cultural architect” that is his beloved „Marketing”, advocating „intelligent growth”, and mentored numerous students in this tenure.

We will always remember Professor Ion Smedescu for his big heart, for his humanity and his dedication to his students, for his caring nature. Being always generous with his time and expertise, and believing strongly in the triumph of reason, being always tenacious in arguments and constant in his coherent efforts, Professor Ion Smedescu brought all University staff, Students and Partners renewed trust, hope and inspiration, year by year.