Thomas C. Kinnear is Eugene Applebaum Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies, Executive Director of the Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, and Professor of Marketing at the University of Michigan Business School. He was formally Senior Associate Dean of the Business School and former Vice President for Development and Executive Officer for the University. He headed the $1.4 billion Campaign for Michigan in the 1990s. At Michigan, he has received awards for teaching excellence and service to the University. He holds an undergraduate degree and an LLD (honoris causa) from Queen's University at Kingston, Ontario, an MBA from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Michigan.
He has previously held a faculty appointment at the University of Western Ontario, and visiting appointments at Harvard University, Stanford University, and the European Management Institute (INSEAD) at Fontainebleau, France. His teaching and research interests are in the areas of entrepreneurial studies, strategic marketing planning, marketing and public policy, and market-based management. His Ph.D. dissertation examined the economic concept of "market failure" as it relates to ecological issues, especially pollution externalities. His research activity has resulted in publications in numerous scholarly journals including: the Journal of Marketing, the Journal of Marketing Research, the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, and the Journal of Business Research. He is former editor of the Journal of Marketing and former founding editor of the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing. This latter journal publishes scholarly articles related to public policy and the marketplace, including issues of FTC and FDA regulations, and environmental dynamics of consumption.
He is co-author of several books including: Principles of Marketing (4th edition, 1995), Marketing Research: An Applied Approach (5th edition, 1996), Promotional Strategy (9th edition, 1999), and Cases in Marketing Management (7th edition, 1997).
He is active in the entrepreneurial community as a co-founder, advisor, angel investor, and Board member of startup companies, including: Network Express, BlueGill Technologies, Accuri Instruments, Avail Networks, Avidimer Therapeutics, Mobius Microsystems, Janeeva, nanoCerox, and NanoBio. He is also a limited partner in Apjohn Ventures, Arbor Partner Ventures, Arboretum Ventures, EDF Ventures, and RPM Ventures. He is a member of the investment committee for EDF Ventures and Chairs this committee for Arboretum Ventures.