H. Naylor Fitzhugh
Howard Naylor Fitzhugh | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1909-10-31 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died | 1992-07-26 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Scholar, marketing executive, professor |
| Years active | 1930s–1980s |
| Known for | Introducing target marketing in corporate America |
Howard Naylor Fitzhugh (1909–1992) was a distinguished American scholar and among the earliest African-American individuals to graduate from Harvard Business School. He is recognized for introducing the concept of target marketing within the realm of corporate America.
Early life
Fitzhugh was born on October 31, 1909, in Washington, D.C. At sixteen, while attending Dunbar High School, he secured a full scholarship to Harvard. Originally planning a career in medicine, he completed his undergraduate studies in science at Harvard University in 1930, graduating cum laude, and subsequently earned his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1933.
Career
After facing difficulties securing employment in his chosen field, Fitzhugh returned to Washington, D.C., where he embarked on a teaching career at Howard University. Although his initial appointment was temporary, he dedicated 31 years to teaching marketing and management, during which he developed the university’s marketing curriculum, founded its Small Business Center, and mentored the student marketing association.
In 1965, Fitzhugh joined the Pepsi-Cola Company with a focus on recognizing the African-American demographic as a significant mass market. He is credited with formulating the target marketing strategy within corporate sectors and advanced to the position of Vice President for Special Markets.
In 1974, Black Enterprise honored him as the "Dean of Black Business." The next year, Vice President Nelson A. Rockefeller presented him with a special award for black enterprise achievement. Fitzhugh was instrumental as a founding member and former president of the National Association of Market Developers, served as a consultant to leading corporations, and provided guidance to the United States Census Bureau from 1975 through 1981. Additionally, he played a key role in creating the Black Alumni Association at Harvard Business School and became its inaugural chairman in 1978.
Death and legacy
Fitzhugh passed away on July 26, 1992, at age 82 at New York University Medical Center. In tribute to his contributions, Harvard Business School established an endowed professorship bearing his name. Furthermore, Pepsi instituted a fellowship at Harvard aimed at supporting students from Howard University and other historically black colleges and universities pursuing studies at Harvard Business School.
External links
See also
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1909 births
- 1992 deaths
- Academics from Washington, D.C.
- Harvard Business School alumni
- Howard University faculty
- 20th-century African-American academics
- 20th-century American academics
- PepsiCo people
- Dunbar High School (Washington, D.C.) alumni