Remembering Ian Mitroff, founder of the field of crisis management

An interdisciplinary thinker, prolific writer and intellectual maverick, Mitroff’s work challenged conventional wisdom and pushed boundaries.

Ian Mitroff, an internationally recognized author and theorist who is regarded as the founder of the discipline of crisis management, died on June 17, 2024, at the age of 86, from a rare form of blood cancer.

Mitroff leaves behind a legacy of profound scholarly contributions to the fields of organizational behavior, strategic planning, and crisis management and leadership. Known for his thinking and writing on a wide range of business and societal issues, Mitroff authored 43 books, over 350 papers, and dozens of op-ed pieces on a wide range of topics, from the societal impact of technology to spirituality in the workplace.

His ties to Berkeley were deep and enduring. Mitroff earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Engineering Science from UC Berkeley. After leaving the Bay Area in the late 1960s to pursue an academic career, he returned with his wife, Donna, in 2007, becoming an Adjunct Professor in the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design and a Senior Research Associate at the UC Berkeley Center for Catastrophic Risk Management. He…