Richard Eugene Neel

HUNTERSVILLE - Dr. Richard (Dick) Eugene Neel, 84 passed away on August 28, 2016, at the Levine & Dickson Hospice House in Huntersville.

Dr. Neel was born to Zell and Charles Neel in Bluefield, Virginia, on January 7, 1932.  He graduated from Graham High School and attended Bluefield College where he earned an associate degree.  He received B.S. and M.S degrees from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a PH.D in Transportation Economics from The Ohio State University at Columbus, Ohio. He was a member of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Dr. Neel served as an administrator or faculty member at The Ohio State University, the College of William and Mary, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, and Georgia State University.  He was Dean of the Belk College of Business Administration at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte for 15 years.

He chaired and served on accreditation visiting committees for AACSB International-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business for nearly 15 years. He chaired AACSB’s Initial Accreditation Committee for 2 terms.

Dr. Neel chaired and served on accreditation visiting committees for The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for 30 years.  He was Vice President and then President of The Southern Business Administration Association.  He served one term as President of The North Carolina Economic Education Council. He was a founding member and two-term chair of the Charlotte Chamber’s Computer Resources Council (later The Information Technologies Council). He was also a founding member and Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Charlotte Foreign Trade Zone, Inc.

 
Dr. Neel administered the salesman and broker examination in Charlotte for the North Carolina Real Estate Commission for 10 years.

 
He was a member, and a committee chair, of the Mayor’s (Charlotte) Private Industry Council.  He served on committees of United Way of the Central Carolinas, including two terms as Chair of the Allocations and Review Board, for 25 years. He was a member of the Board of Directors, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, Inc., for three years.

 
He served as the Chair of teams of Examiners in connection with the work of the General Administration and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina in the licensing of non public institutions to conduct post-secondary degree activity in North Carolina for over 20 years.

Dr. Neel had a love of Jazz music, Broadway plays and musicals, and books.  He was an avid reader. He was so proud of the accomplishments of his children. His five grandchildren were such a joy to him. He was committed to and believed that education was a path to one’s personal opportunities and success in life.

Dr. Neel is survived by his wife Binnie LeFever Neel of 55 years and two children Jeffrey Richard Neel (Niki) and Cynthia Neel Maple (Rick) and grandchildren: Wesley Patrick Maple, Addison Grace Maple, Christian Tyler Neel, Madison Katrina Neel, and Stefan Richard Neel. He is also survived by his sister Betty Neel Cook and brother-in-law R. A. Cook of Richlands, Virginia.  He is preceded in death by his parents.

A memorial service will be held at Davidson United Methodist Church, Thursday, September 1, 2016, at 12:00 pm, with a reception following.  Burial will be private at Northlake Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Belk College of Business Scholarship Fund (Fund #440089) at the UNC Charlotte Foundation, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 or the Levine-Dickson Hospice House, 1190 Vanstory Dr. Huntersville. NC.

Friends may offer condolences at www.raymerfh.com.