Michael Harvey Lubatkin

A life well-lived and many lives touched — that is the legacy Michael leaves behind. Though deeply missed, his presence is still felt — in our hearts, in our minds, and in the love he gave so freely.

Obituary

We said goodbye to our dear Michael on Monday, April 14th, 2025, in Oro Valley, Arizona. He went peacefully in his sleep with his wife and daughter holding his hands, and his son lending loving support from afar.

Michael had been battling Parkinson’s for over nine years, and later on, Lewy body dementia. He spent two years in memory care, and about a year and a half in hospice.

Born September 18, 1948, in Spring Valley, New York, Michael lived a life marked by intellectual passion, academic excellence, and a loving dedication to his family.

Childhood
Mike was the youngest of four kids — Marsha Garfinkel, Howard Lubatkin, and Ina Lubatkin. As a boy, he enjoyed watching The Lone Ranger original TV series, The Twilight Zone, playing wiffle ball, drawing, and collecting Brooklyn Dodgers baseball cards. These cards met the same fate that many did in that era: cast into the waste bin by his mother. Well, he must have protected his next efforts because a small stack of LA Dodgers cards was later discovered in his memory box.

In his teen years, he and his three closest non-conformist friends from Spring Valley High co-founded “The Schlepps”, an unofficial softball team that joined and competed with various leagues in Rockland County – a tradition they kept up during summer breaks from college. Mike played second base. He maintained these and other friendships well into old age, which speaks to the kind of person he was.

Interests & His Character
Mike had a kind and genuine spirit with a twinkle in his eye that many have mentioned since his passing. Those who knew him remember his smile, enthusiastic handshake, and witty one-liners that often came paired with a wide-eyed grin that anticipated laughter from his audience, even if the joke was mostly funny to him.

He was a philosophical and spiritual thinker and enjoyed expanding his mind through transcendental meditation, studying the metaphorical messages of the Torah, and researching the intersection of theoretical physics, cosmology, quantum mechanics, astrophysics, religion, and mystical things unseen. Toward the end of his career, he self-published “The Torah: Myths, Metaphors, and Modern Meaning”, a non-dogmatic and question-driven philosophy book on the five books of the Torah. While he never reached the point of publishing his next book, feverish research notes that filled countless legal pads, and an assortment of heavily underlined books left a paper trail suggesting that something on the cosmos was underway.

He valued his time on earth and believed in treasuring his experiences and relationships with others. As a father, he provided loving support and guidance, often reflecting on his own path as a self-made man. He nurtured the individualism of his children and cheered on their talents. As a husband, he was generous with his time, loyal, and supportive. The two spent countless hours together, whether on the couch, on the trails, or gathering with friends. They enjoyed hosting holiday celebrations with extended family. They did everything together and liked it that way.

A Love For The Outdoors
Michael had a deep love for the outdoors and led an active lifestyle. He and his wife Christa, of nearly 47 years, were avid hikers and together explored mountain ranges across the world. He supported her in launching Alpine Footsteps, a hike-touring business she started after retirement. He joined in as she led groups of around 15 hikers on 8-day journeys through the Swiss, French, and Italian Alps, the deserts of Israel, Canadian Rockies, Spain, and Sedona. Through these hikes, they created meaningful experiences for others while immersing themselves in the landscapes they loved. Their children carry that spirit forward in their own ways – his son, Justin, through extensive travels in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe, and his daughter by blending her love of running with mountain exploration in New England and Europe.

But Michael also appreciated the simple pleasures of life: mowing the lawn, raking the leaves, and sitting in the yard with a bowl of popcorn, iced tea, and the New York Times. The sound of the birds on an early morning was enough to put a smile on his face.

Career
Mike was a highly respected scholar, dedicated educator, and a driving force in the Strategic Management division at the University of Connecticut’s Business School for three decades. Yet, he never let work overshadow family. A dedicated and loving father, he purposefully arrived at the office at 4:00 AM to return home early and be present with his kids. 

Mike began his professional journey as a third‑ and fifth‑grade teacher before earning his DBA in Strategy from the University of Tennessee in 1982. He launched his academic career as an Assistant Professor at Wichita State University (1981–83) and then joined the University of Connecticut in 1983, where he was promoted to Associate Professor in 1987 and Full Professor in 1992. In May 2000, he was named the inaugural Thomas John and Bette Wolff Family Chair in Strategic Entrepreneurship.

His commitment to global engagement was profound: he held a long-standing professorship at École de Management de Lyon (France) from 1991 onward and served as a visiting professor at leading institutions including INSEAD, GSBA Zurich, Lund University, Ben Gurion University, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Mike provided outstanding service to the Business school’s community as Chair of the Business Policy & Strategy Division (now STR) in 1996–97, guiding the Division through significant growth and renewal. Over three decades, his pioneering research transformed their understanding of corporate diversification, mergers & acquisitions, agency theory, family‑firm governance, absorptive capacity, and top‑management‑teams. His work appeared in premier journals—Academy of Management Review, Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of Management Studies, and others—setting the standard for rigor and relevance in the field.

His scholarship was recognized with induction into the AOM Hall of Fame (2000), the Glueck Best Paper Award (1992), the Carolyn Dexter Best International Paper Award (2001), and the A.T. Kearney Award for Outstanding Dissertation (1983), among multiple best‑paper honors at regional and international conferences.

A devoted teacher and mentor, Mike received UConn’s MBA Teaching Awards (1987, 2006), the Undergraduate Teaching Award (1992), an Executive MBA Teaching Award at GSBA Zurich (1994), and the Lien d’Or from EM Lyon (2006).

His service to the profession was extensive: he served on the editorial boards of the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Management Studies, Strategic Management Journal, Family Business Review, and as Associate Editor for the Journal of International Business Studies (2002–05). He also enriched the community through leadership of doctoral consortia and faculty workshops at the Academy of Management and SMS meetings.

He is fondly remembered for his outstanding academic contributions, boundless curiosity, and razor-sharp wit. He inspired generations of scholars and left an enduring legacy within STR and the broader scholarly community.

Summary
A life well-lived and many lives touched–that is the legacy Michael leaves behind. Though deeply missed, his presence is still felt: in our hearts, in our minds, and in the love he gave so freely.

Michael is lovingly remembered by his wife, Christa Lubatkin; daughter, Eleah Lubatkin; son, Justin Lubatkin; sister, Marsha Garfinkel; brother, Howard Lubatkin; and brother-in-law, Rob Garfinkel. He is predeceased by his father, Abraham Lubatkin; mother, Rose Lubatkin; and sister, Ina Lubatkin.

Memory wall