The longtime ethics professor left a legacy of kindness and a commitment to doing the right thing
John Holcomb
John Holcomb, a passionate academic, dedicated mentor and champion of ethics-based education, died July 3, 2026. He was 80 years old.
Holcomb taught at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business from 1989-2021, including a stint as chair of the Department of Business Ethics and Legal Studies (BELS).
“John was an exceptional mentor, scholar, teacher, advocate and good friend,” said Bruce Klaw, the assistant dean of societal impact who currently chairs BELS. “John was old school in all the best ways— deeply passionate, exceptionally knowledgeable, ethical, funny, witty and caring to his core. A debater by nature and training, John taught me so many things; professional and life lessons I will carry with me forever. He was an enormous part of why I came to DU 13 years ago, and shaped the trajectory of my career and our entire department and college.”
In 1988, Holcomb saw an article in BusinessWeek magazine about a grant to promote business ethics education and social responsibility at DU’s then-unnamed business school. He was happily teaching at Rutgers University, but left after just one year to move west.
When he arrived in Denver, Holcomb worked closely with then-Dean Bruce Hutton to design and implement the business ethics awards program. He also successfully integrated more public policy and global dimensions into the law and ethics curriculum.
One of his proudest accomplishments was hiring “extremely gifted” teachers and scholars for BELS, as he said in a 2021 Daniels Newsroom article profiling his retirement. Many of those faculty say Holcomb’s advocacy and mentorship set the course for their careers.
“When I was a baby professor over 20 years ago, John Holcomb took me under his wing,” said Corey Ciocchetti, the Bill Daniels Chair of Business Ethics and director of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program. “He introduced me to important people in the field (he seemed to know everyone), brought me along to academic conferences (he was a staple at them all), and generally plugged me into the academy. What would have taken me years, John helped me navigate immediately upon my joining DU.”
Libbi Levine Segev, a BELS teaching professor feels the same way.
“Time and again, he stood up for BELS and for individual colleagues because he believed in us and because he believed it was the right thing to do,” she said. “His support helped shape countless careers, including my own. I am grateful for his guidance, his encouragement and his friendship.”
During his tenure, Holcomb also created a corporate governance course and cultivated a new stream of related research and publications. He continued to research and write on the subject well into his retirement.
He was known as a skilled and eager debater who closely followed current events and baseball—unafraid to express his opinions, but always with fairness and respect.
“He recognized that disagreement never diminished a person’s worth,” Segev said. “In an increasingly polarized world, I admired his ability to build and maintain friendships across different viewpoints while remaining true to his own convictions.”
In his passing, Holcomb’s family and friends are remembering him for his profound commitment to his students (he only missed one day of class during his tenure, due to a herniated disk) and his humanity.
“John cared deeply about people,” Segev said. “Despite his many accomplishments as a scholar, teacher and leader, what I will remember most is how genuinely interested he was in the lives of others.”
Added Ciocchetti: “He was a dedicated teacher and the dictionary definition of a college professor: books everywhere, multiple projects always in play and a strong dedication to his students.
“Most importantly, John was a good man, always willing to help anyone who asked. He will be greatly missed.”
A memorial to honor Holcomb’s life is tentatively planned for late September.