Don Lehmann, 81, passed away peacefully at home after a long illness on December 23, 2025.  Don was a professor at Columbia Business School and coached dozens of football teams in Bergen County.  A longtime resident of Norwood, NJ, he was known by many as 'Coach.'  Don showed unreal strength and determination over a decades-long battle with cancer.

Don and his wife Kris met as teenagers vacationing and racing sailboats on Jenny Lake in the Adirondacks, where the family still gathers in the summer.  As the Lehmanns settled into Norwood, Don, a disciplined runner, became known as a fixture in the mornings on the neighborhood streets.  He coached dozens of Norwood baseball and football teams, moving on to coach football at Old Tappan High School while Bart and Kelly were students there.  After they graduated, he continued helping coach high school football in Bergen County, ending with many years at Pascack Valley.  He even insisted on being on the sidelines at the Meadowlands just weeks after heart bypass surgery to see the team in the playoffs.

Don is a graduate of Darien (CT) High School and Union College (Schenectady, NY).  A math major, he often joked that he also majored in fraternity as an active member of Delta Chi.  He went on to get his PhD from the Krannert School at Purdue University and then the family moved for the job at Columbia University Business School, where he served on the faculty for 54 years.  He retired 2 years ago as George E. Warren Professor Emeritus of Business in the Marketing Division.

He was a leading scholar in marketing, known for his extensive research on consumer choice and decision making, innovation and new product adoption, and the management and valuation of marketing assets such as brands and customers.  Don's work spans more than 200 articles and books, and he is the founding editor of the journal Marketing Letters. He also held prominent leadership roles in the field, including serving as president of the Association for Consumer Research and Executive Director of the Marketing Science Institute.  He was a fellow of several major professional associations and shaped both academic research and marketing education throughout his career.  He held numerous leadership roles within the American Marketing Association, serving on its Board of Directors and key committees, and his lasting impact on the profession is recognized through an American Marketing Association award named in his honor.

To celebrate Don's 50th year at the Columbia Business School, the Marketing Division sponsored a weekend symposium called  'Lehmannfest' to celebrate research in the field of marketing, and Don loved being surrounded by his friends, former students, and colleagues.  Well-known for his quick turnaround on research papers and the thoughtful notes he would hand to presenters after their talks, Don's mentorship was as impactful as his scholarship.  And he brought the same discipline and inspiration to his football coaching as he did to his research.

Don is survived by his wife Kris, children Bart and Kelly, their spouses Pat Lehmann and Robert Johnson, and grandchildren Margie & Liam Foody, Pearse & Emma Lehmann, Nick Johnson, and Carlyn Johnson.

Don was predeceased by his parents Donald and Margaret, several cousins, brother Chet, and infant daughter Helen.

Plans for a springtime memorial service are incomplete at this time.  In lieu of flowers, the family invites friends to give their time or make a contribution to a cause they care about in Don's memory.

The family would most appreciate any written stories from colleagues, former athletes, and friends of Don sent to our home.