James R. Webb Memorial Endowed Scholarship

The Dr. James R. Webb Memorial Endowed Scholarship was established in 2017 and revised in May 2019 at The University of Akron by alumni Douglas C. and Leslie S. Leohr. Additional gifts were added by former students, family and friends in sincere appreciation for Dr. Webb’s guidance and support.

Dr. Webb was born April 5, 1947, in Granite City, IL, and grew up in central and northern Illinois. He received his bachelor of science and M.B.A. degrees from Northern Illinois University, and his Ph.D. in finance from the University of Illinois.

Dr. Webb was a University of Akron College of Business Administration professor from 1982 to 1989. Following his UA career, he moved to Cleveland State University, serving as their Department of Finance chairman from 1989-1991. In addition to teaching posts, Dr. Webb was director of CSU’s Real Estate Institute.

Prior to joining UA, Dr. Webb’s career included a visiting professorship at the University of Texas, Austin, the University of Illinois and Kent State. He taught internationally at the University of Ulster, University of Hong Kong, University of Aberdeen in Scotland, and the University of Western Sydney. Throughout his career, Dr. Webb’s primary interest was in real estate finance. Whether his focus was academic, consultancy or as a researcher, Dr. Webb’s work was admired by students and colleagues.

Dr. Webb was recognized as an outstanding scholar and prolific international researcher in real estate journals. In 1985, he was a founder of the American Real Estate Society (ARES), an organization providing research and education in real estate brokerage and markets. Dr. Webb later served as its president and executive director. The ARES Foundation, established in 1986, was renamed the James R. Webb American Real Estate Foundation in 2009.

In 2004, Dr. Webb received the American Real Estate Society’s David J. Ricardo Lifetime Achievement Award. He was known to work with professors at numerous universities, helping them publish in refereed journals.

Dr. Webb married Anais H. Brown and raised three children in Hudson, Ohio. Sons, Clinton who has a finance career in New York, Stuart is a finance professor at the University of Minnesota, and daughter Carissa is a special needs teacher in Michigan.

Dr. Webb, who had an avid interest in horticulture, passed away Feb. 27, 2009. His legacy lives on through this special scholarship.

The Dr. James R. Webb Memorial Endowed Scholarship recipient(s) will be junior or senior finance student(s) enrolled in the College of Business Administration and who demonstrate strong interest and participation in student organizations. The Webb scholar(s) must maintain a 3.0 grade point average and uphold the values of the University and the College of Business Administration’s Department of Finance programs. The College of Business Administration Scholarship Committee will determine the scholarship recipient(s) with consultation from the Chair of the Department of Finance.