Melvin L Penn

Melvin Leigh Penn, III, of Norman, Okla., age 60, died February, 15, 2011, at Norman Regional Hospital after a courageous battle with lung cancer. Mel was born April 10, 1950, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin Leigh Penn, Jr. and Virginia Hersman Penn of Wagoner, Okla. Mel is survived by his wife Betsy of the home; his triplet brothers and sister -- Frank Penn, his wife Carolyn and children Alex and Jeff of Durham, North Carolina; Michael Penn and his wife Donna of Plano, Tex.; and Deborah Virginia (Penn) Webb and her husband Phil and their children Julie and Megan of Norman, Okla.

Mel earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s of Business Administration degrees in 1972 and 1976 from the University of Oklahoma. During his college years, Mel performed as drum major with the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band and later with the OU Alumni Band during homecoming games. Mel enjoyed a distinguished 25-year career in business and 14 year career in higher education. He joined Kerr-McGee Corporation in 1976 in the International Accounting Division. Subsequently, he assumed marketing management responsibilities for the Eastern and Southern Chemical Divisions in Atlanta from 1980-1990. He was promoted to Director of Operations in 1991 for the Tiwest Joint Venture in Perth, Western Australia, a joint venture between Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation and Minproc Engineering of Perth. He returned to the United States in 1994 to become Director of Total Quality Management for the Chemical Corporation in Oklahoma City. In 1997, he came to the University of Oklahoma as MBA Corporate Relations Executive and Director of the Student Support Center in the Michael F. Price College of Business, where he and his staff provided mentoring, career planning, and corporate development services to MBA students.

Professionally, Mel served as president of the MBA Career Services Council, a professional association for individuals in the field of MBA career services and those who recruit MBAs directly. He also served as national president of his fraternity, Phi Kappa Sigma. In addition, he was active in the community serving Norman Regional Hospital as a foundation board committee member and as a member of McFarlin Memorial United Methodist Church. In April, 2010, he received the Otis Sullivant Award for Perceptivity at the University of Oklahoma. Mel had a keen love for antique cars particularly the Volkswagen Super Beetle, which he rebuilt or restored as a hobby.

Arrangements under the direction of Primrose Funeral Service, Norman, OK.