William A. Hamlen Jr., associate professor emeritus in the School of Management, died April 15 in his East Amherst home after a three-year battle with cancer. He was 69.

Hamlen, who served on the UB faculty for 40 years, was well-known for his work involving the economics of superstardom, which mathematically explains how certain musicians, athletes and other stars achieve exceptional fame and fortune relative to their peers.

A native of Harmony, Pennsylvania, Hamlen was the first member of his family to obtain advanced college degrees. He earned a bachelor’s degree from East Stroudsburg University, a master’s degree from the University of Hawaii, and master’s and doctoral degrees in economics from Purdue University.

He joined the UB faculty in 1973, teaching economics to thousands of students during his career. He retired in 2013.

Throughout his career, Hamlen authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications on macro-economics and international trade.

In 1990, he received a Peter D. Kiernan Fellowship to conduct research on superstardom in popular music. The study sought to determine if there was a direct relationship between the quality of a singer’s voice and the demand for his or her records.

Hamlen was a member of several professional organizations, including the American Economic Association, the Southern Economic Association and the Western Economic Association.

An elder at Randall Memorial Baptist Church, he served as a youth leader for the Christian Service Brigade and was a Sunday school teacher. He devoted much of his personal time to youth mentoring and service.

Survivors include his wife, Susan Hamlen, associate professor and chair of the Department of Accounting and Law in the School of Management.

A celebration of life service will be held at a future date.