Herb Sorensen

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, to Ralph and Evelyn (Auxier) Sorensen, Herb spent his early years in Kansas City, Missouri. After graduating high school from Sunnydale Academy, he went on to complete his Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of California, Davis.

Herb is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marilyn (Turner) Sorensen. Herb and Marilyn made their home in Corbett, Oregon beginning in 1971 where they raised their five children.

Herb’s service and reception will be held on Saturday, May 9 at 11:00 a.m. at Corbett Community Church (34309 NE Mershon Road). In remembrance, donations can be made to the Corbett Firefighters Association (PO Box 1, Corbett, OR 97019, with notation ‘To be used at Corbett Fire’s discretion’).

Herb lived his life with a sense of urgency and purpose, in perpetual motion, as if he knew he had a lot to get done. One of his favorite sayings was: "Not even God can steer a parked car." He believed that clarity and direction come through action, and he applied this relentless momentum to every endeavor. From starting a family to laboratory research, and building a business, Herb was always in a hurry.

The Scientist

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, to Ralph and Evelyn (Auxier) Sorensen, Herb spent most of his early years in Kansas City, Missouri. He skipped two grades, graduating high school from Sunnydale Academy at only 16. Within five years, he had married Marilyn, started a family with two children, and earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of California, Davis.

Herb was a prolific academic. While most doctoral candidates in the late 1960s may have published one or two papers from their dissertation, during his time at UC Davis Herb published six peer-reviewed papers focusing on the intersection of biochemistry and physical chemistry. He often worked alongside his Major Professor, Lloyd L. Ingraham, a noted biophysicist at UC Davis.

After considering an academic career, including teaching positions at Pacific Union College and Colorado State University, Herb turned his focus to his real passion: business. His scientific training, zeal for data, and constant urgency would serve him well as he built a successful company and became a world renowned shopper scientist.

The Entrepreneur

Herb demonstrated his entrepreneurial instincts at an early age. He liked to say, “I learned everything I needed to know about business by the time I was in the 3rd grade.”

As a boy he sold donuts door-to-door in Kansas City. During his time at Sunnydale Academy, Herb launched several entrepreneurial ventures from a laundry pick-up service to selling mayonnaise sandwiches in the dorms. To Marilyn’s dismay, he even tried his hand at raising and selling hamsters.

After finishing his education, Herb put his knowledge of chemistry to work by co-founding a food testing laboratory. His experience with food manufacturers and grocery stores eventually led him to strike out on his own and create Sorensen Associates, a marketing research firm specializing in the shopper’s in-store experience.

Herb’s insatiable curiosity and focus made him a natural innovator. When he opened the doors of Sorensen Associates, few others were doing market research the way he did, by approaching shoppers in the stores. But Herb never saw the point of doing things the way everyone else did. He carved his own path and pioneered a whole new industry niche in the process.

Over more than 30 years in operation, Sorensen Associates earned a reputation as the gold standard in the field of shopper research and was eventually acquired by an international firm.

After selling Sorensen Associates, Herb published his seminal work, Inside the Mind of the Shopper. He spoke with audiences around the world eager to hear his insights, experiences, and knowledge as a celebrated pioneer in shopper science. The American Marketing Association honored his monumental contributions to the field with the Charles Coolidge Parlin Marketing Research Award, placing him among the most notable figures in the industry.

Herb’s success in business stemmed from a people first approach. He had a favorite quote by Napoleon Hill: "I have observed that all who acquire enduring riches have ascended the ladder of opulence with two outstretched hands; one extended upward to receive the help of others who have reached the peak, and the other extended downward to aid those who are still climbing." He understood that if you focus on people, the money will take care of itself.

The Thinker

Herb didn’t care much for small talk, but enjoyed pondering philosophical, theological and existential questions. If you engaged him in conversation, you could be sure that he had put a lot of time and thought into his views. He rarely bothered considering the most commonly accepted opinions unless he could contribute some new information or a different way of looking at them.

Herb was a Christian, a man of faith, but not blind faith. He examined his beliefs deeply, as he did all things in his life. He read the bible cover-to-cover dozens of times. He spent thousands of hours discussing - and arguing - the scriptures and their interpretations. His profound faith led him to help found multiple churches, host bible studies, start faith based newsletters, and even help launch a religious radio program.

Herb’s life-long spiritual examination led him to one central truth. He believed he was saved through God’s grace, and the sacrifice of His son Jesus. One of his favorite verses was Romans 5:18: "Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people."

Herb was a nimble and flexible thinker. He thought on a variety of complex subjects but his affinity for expressing his thoughts and ideas was not always welcomed. He was sometimes ostracised for saying what he thought. But he cherished and fought for his right to think and to speak his mind, regardless of whom he might alienate. It was a courageous, albeit sometimes maddening, element of his personality.

The “Happy Thinker”

Herb’s intelligence and his strong opinions meant that, in his early years, he could be a difficult person to get along with. As a young man, though he could be charming at times, he was a little socially awkward (remember, he was selling mayonnaise sandwiches in his dorm), he didn’t know how to dress and he often found himself in conflict with others. As Herb got older, he recognized the importance of making a good impression, and he set out to improve not only his wardrobe but also his mindset.

Herb spent years attending seminars, studying books such as “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and listening to self-help speakers such as Zig Ziglar.

He would often say that this shift in mindset was critical to his success in business, and in life. “Life is a do-it-to-yourself project” he would say. Recognizing the benefits of his new outlook, he coached his family, friends and employees on goal setting and self-improvement. No doubt deploying a kind of ‘self-talk’ strategy, he published reading lists, wrote papers, and created a website dedicated to self-improvement. His positive-thinking mindset was even captured on his personalized license plate which read ‘Happy Thinker’.

The Family Man

A loyal husband and family man, Herb was motivated by the desire to build a lasting legacy. He raised five kids, doing more than his part to ‘be fruitful and multiply’. He was also the vital link among his three brothers and his nieces and nephews, constantly pushing to stay in touch and ensure those bonds remained strong.

Herb loved living in Oregon. He first experienced the state as a boy and this short exposure to the beauty of the Pacific Northwest got him hooked. Herb and Marilyn moved around during the first years of their lives together, living in Nebraska, California and Colorado. But when they had the opportunity in 1971, they moved to Corbett and made it their home. They first lived on Louden Road, then built their own home on Larch Mountain and eventually settled in Springdale.

While raising their kids without television, Herb and Marilyn would take them on adventures throughout the northwest. Camping, floating the river, hikes in the gorge, and sandcastles on the beach. Often on Saturday afternoon hikes, Herb would teach his kids (and eventually grandkids) a unique kind of whistle that could be used when separated. The distinctive Sorensen whistle is still used by the family today.

Herb and his family were heavily involved in the Corbett community. Herb served on the School Board, where most of his kids attended school. He and his family were also fixtures of the annual Corbett Fourth of July Fun Festival. In the early years, Herb won the community spelling bee so consistently that they eventually invited him to run the event just to give others a chance to win. The Sorensen family also entered a float into the parade each year and Herb enjoyed serving up dog treats along the parade route.

After Herb retired, he and Marilyn enjoyed extensive travel. They walked the Great Wall of China, visited Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. They also visited Italy, France, England, Denmark, Sweden, and even Russia. Many of these trips included speaking engagements with sightseeing as an aside and, of course, Herb had to visit the local stores.

In the final years Herb and Marilyn enjoyed their family, friends, and home in Springdale more than ever. They gardened, cut brush, built fences and kept their place immaculate. Herb could often be spotted, two sticks in hand, walking near their home. As dementia took hold, and Herb’s considerable intellect struggled to process and find the patterns, he could have gotten frustrated and angry, but Herb did the opposite. He was a kind and thoughtful man, even to his final day.