Jan Meredith Rivenbark

Jan Rivenbark, 61, of Charlotte and Oak Island, passed away on Friday, July 29, 2011. He was born February 22, 1950, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, to Audrey Frady Rivenbark and the late George Meredith Rivenbark. His sister, Susan Kay Rivenbark, predeceased him in 1995.

Jan was a devoted husband to his wife of 35 years, Barbara Newton Rivenbark, and he was the proud father to his three children: Abby, Justin, and Patrick. Partners for life, Jan and Barbara raised their children with the same strong values of generosity, compassion, and courage that guided their own lives. Jan’s legacy will be carried proudly by all those who love him.

Jan grew up in Burgaw, North Carolina, and went on to attend Duke University, graduating in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and mathematics. He was a distinguished member of the ATO fraternity and his professional career began in Atlanta, Georgia, at C&S Bank.

A seasoned CEO with international, consulting, public and private operating experience, Jan was a leader in the business community. He excelled at executive management and turnaround business consulting as a practical-minded leader who spoke in a language everyone understood. “Jan-isms” such as “you can’t make Chivas Regal from a moonshine still” and “you can rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic, but you’re still gonna sink” will reverberate across the Southeast for years to come. An inspirational mentor to many, Jan’s professional influences will subsist through their future successes.

Family will receive friends on Tuesday, August 2, 2011, from 6-8 pm at Harry and Bryant Company. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to support the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at 1500 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan, CA, 90266 (www.pancan.org) or to support a cancer foundation of your choice.