Obituaries

Lawrence “Larry” Southwick Jr., associate professor emeritus and University Research Scholar in the School of Management’s Finance Department, passed away March 15 in Venice, Florida. He was 85.

Southwick served on the faculty from 1966 until his retirement in 2003. Over the course of his 37 years with UB, his scholarly pursuits centered around applied microeconomics. His research spanned diverse areas, including education economics, medical and legal economics, public policy and the economics of local governments. Notably, he authored the influential text “Managerial Economics.”

He was popular with the local media and often cited for his economic insights on inflation and the cost of gasoline.

As a consultant, Southwick lent his expertise to economic impact analysis and firm valuation. He also served as an expert witness, providing valuable testimony in legal cases.

Southwick held a doctorate and an MS from Carnegie Mellon University, an MBA from Western Michigan University and a BS from Case Institute of Technology. He also was a Certified Management Accountant and certified in financial management.

Beyond academia, Southwick served for two decades as a councilmember in the Town of Amherst and later, as comptroller, overseeing financial matters crucial to the town’s well-being.

His commitment extended to community service, including serving on the board of directors for the Restoration Society Inc. and contributing to the Seneca Nation of Indians Economic Development.

Known for his upbeat manner and civic-mindedness, Southwick’s first adventure after retirement was a trip to India to administer polio vaccines with Rotary International.