ABOUT

Dean Arthur Glenn (nee Glicksman) was born on December 22, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Wheaton, Maryland, and lived most of his adult life in Vienna, Virginia. He passed away in Fairfax Virginia on February 9, 2020.

Dean’s parents were David Glenn and Marian Baratt Glenn. His brother is Neal Glenn (Sharon), and his sister is Joan Glenn Barr (Scott, Jeff).

Dean was married to Charlotte Carr Glenn for 48 years. They had three children: Adam who is married to Melissa, parents of Aiden Marshall Glenn; Lara Glenn; and Hannah Glenn.

Dean was uncle to Dustin Barr, Lindsay Glenn Dankmyer (Mike), the late Justin Glenn, Gerald Carr, and Lynda Carr O’bryhim (Joey). He was brother-in-law to the late Lyndon Carr (Sheryl), Shirley Carr, honorary brother-in-law to Jayne Carr Moran and Barry Moran, and honorary uncle to Billy Moran. He was son-in-law to Pearley Carr and the late Walter Carr.

Dean received a B.A. from Johns Hopkins in 1969 and an M.B.A. from the Darden School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia in 1971.

Dean spent a career managing small businesses. He joined Student Telephone Books in 1971 after graduating from the Darden school. The company grew progressing from Student Telephone Books to Ervin Associates, Inc., to National Advertising & Publishing Corp, Napco, Inc., Datacomp Corporation, and was eventually sold to DataNational Inc. Here, in Dean’s own words (from an old resume) is what he did for the company.

"This business publishes yellow page directories for colleges and Universities and for suburban communities surrounding the DC and Baltimore metro areas. I joined the company three months after it was founded in 1971. Worked progressively as salesman, district manager, regional sales manager,VP and President. I was responsible for all operations including sales, marketing and production. I sold the company to Berwick Financial Corp in 1974 and continued as president for one year to fulfill requirements of sales agreement. I then moved to Chicago to run a furniture business acquired by my Napco partners in 1975."

From 1976 to 1977, Dean was General Manager of Brazil Imports of Illinois (Brazil Contempo), a retail business that sold leather furniture imported from Brazil. He was responsible for sales, administration, marketing, warehousing, delivery, and profits. But retail business was not his cup of tea, and he left the business just prior to its sale to return to the Washington area to repurchase the directory business. Healways preferred the business-to-business operations. So..., as he says again in his own words:

"In 1976, in partnership with the two sales managers, we bought back the company from Berwick Financial. I bought out my partners in 1979 80. I sold the business in 1981 to H Leroy Smith, Jr of Potomac, MD. . In 1983, at Mr. Smith’s request, I rejoined Napco as head of operations and administration and minority shareholder. We sold the business in 1985 to Datacomp of Philadelphia, PA. I stayed on as general manager of operation for the period 1985-86."

If you’re wondering what happened in 1982, he worked as a consultant for Malcolm Bund & Associates. Projects included long range business plans for underground utility contractor and a specialty newspaper publisher.

Here is how Dean summed up his directory business career:

"Napco was a pioneer in developing focused yellow page directories for colleges and universities, expanding that base to include individual communities in the DC Metro area.....I started as a commissioned sales rep mid 1971 and ended up as 100% owner of the business by late 1980. I sold the business in 1981, but I bought back in around 1982. I was one of 2 shareholders when the business was eventually sold in 1984 to DataComp/DataNational. I remained as general manager of the Napco division until 1986."

1986 started a new chapter in Dean’s work life. He joined TSS, Inc., a computer repair business that eventually became LANDoctor, Inc. Again, in Dean’s words:

"TSS started in a garage in 1980 and I came aboard in 1986 as the PC revolution was starting to unfold. We repaired and maintained PCs and related hardware and peripherals connected to local area networks. I started as a 40% owner and have been in and out of the business several times over 20 years. I was responsible for all aspects of the business, including operations, business development and administration, growing it from startupto a mature enterprise. At the time of my last departure I sold my 55% interest to my partner."

Dean sold his share of LANDoctor in 2007. After that, he decided to work as an employee rather than as a business owner. By the time you get to 60, you’re really not up for the interminable hours that running a small business takes. For a while, he worked as a Service Coordinator for OutSourceIT, another small computer business in Maryland. He was also the Assistant Director of the Loudoun Small Business Development Center, where he counseled prospective entrepreneurs about starting a business and provided guidance on SBA programs and state regulations.

In semi-retirement (because full retirement wasn’t really something he would enjoy), he worked for Doggiewalker.com and for Heirloom Catering doing some accounting tasks and pretty much whatever the business owners needed.

That is his work history.

Dean was also an active volunteer. He volunteered many summers at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, manning the gift shop and handing out chairs for the lawn seating. Whenever he went to shows at the park, there were warm hellos from volunteers on duty for that event.

Dean was also a regular volunteer with Food for Others, a local food bank. Dean volunteered for them for about 9 years, distributing food in Arlington. Almost every Monday. he drove to the warehouse in Merrifield, loaded up the van, drove the food to two different locations in Arlington, and helped other volunteers distribute it to the families who lined up on the sidewalk. He really liked doing it. It meant a lot to him. In fact, when it was time to get a new van, he made sure to get a car that he could load up with the food he took to distribute. He got to know the regulars and they knew him. And he was fond of the volunteers he worked with there.Dean loved people, music, and chocolate. He loved live theater in the DC area, especially at Woolly Mammoth, The Studio, and First Stage. He had a wicked sense of humor and quick wit that could get a laugh out of you even when you weren’t necessarily in the mood for it. He was politically liberal and a strong supporter of civil liberties, equality, and justice.

Not many people know it, but he had a heroic side too. Once a woman was attackedin a restroom in his office building. Dean joined several other guys on the floor, pinned the guy down, and held him until the police arrived. For that he got a citation from the Fairfax County Police for superior service to the community along with a few bruises from the perp.

Besides being a good husband, brother, and father (those are stories on their own), Dean was a good friend. He formed lasting friendships. His relationships with business partners Lew Wison and Peter Roenke transcended the business relationship becoming life-long friendships. That was often the case with his other business relationships too.

Some of his closest friends were his AEPi fraternity brothers from Hopkins, a close group that was still going strong even past the 50-year mark. In fact, it is one of those brothers who shared these word, which Dean would whole heartedly endorse:

"We can cherish hopes, embrace values and perform deeds which death cannot destroy.So may we, the living, be charitable in deed, and in thought, in memory of those we love who walk the earth no longer.May we live unselfishly, in truth and love and peace, so that we will be remembered as a blessing,as we remember those whose lives endure as a blessing to us."

He surely was a blessing.