After decades of service at UConn School of Business, including her long-standing role as Head of the Marketing Department, Robin Coulter retired on Aug. 31. Robin’s scholarship has been widely recognized and garnered international awards, while her leadership has shaped the careers of countless students and faculty. The entire University and School of Business community is grateful for her many contributions, and significantly better for it.
Robin completed her Ph.D. at the University of Pittsburgh, and since joining UConn as an Assistant Professor in Fall 1987, she served with dedication, enthusiasm, accountability, and professionalism.
Throughout her tenure, Robin demonstrated exceptional leadership, scholarship, and service. Promoted to Associate Professor in 1993 and subsequently to Professor in 2006, she was notably the first woman in 18 years to achieve this rank within the School of Business. In January 2008, she was appointed Department Head of the Marketing Department, a role she held for over 16 years.
During this time, Robin was instrumental in the development of a robust undergraduate curriculum with concentrations and minors in digital marketing and analytics, professional sales leadership, and social responsibility and impact in business. Her leadership also guided the creation of graduate certificates and the launch of the M.S. in Social Responsibility & Impact in Business. Within the Marketing Department, she -served as steward of the Voya Financial Endowment.
Robin’s collaborative spirit fostered strong relationships within the School of Business and across the university. Remembering her colleagues throughout her career at UConn, Robin especially valued working alongside John Elliott, George Plesko, Chinmoy Ghosh, Cuihong Li, Brandy Nelson, Alana Adams, and Meghan Hanrahan. She acknowledged the significant contributions of marketing department members past and present, and of Nancy White, her trusted department manager.
When asked about her history at UConn, Robin recalled the leadership and mentorship of Peter Nichols (Provost, 2006–2012) and Sally Reis (Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, 2016–2022) as being important in shaping her career and giving her a voice. She expressed gratitude for the thoughtful counsel of colleagues Jim Wohl, Kelly Bannister, Renee Boggis, Johanna Gorgone, and Brandon Murray. Robin actively served on the University Senate, Scholastic Standards Committee, and Nominating Committee, and in these roles was exposed to myriad perspectives related to university actions. She, along with Senate colleagues and committee members Laura Burton, Holly Fitch, Jen Dineen, Hedley Freake, Jen Lease-Butts, Maureen Armstrong, Karen Bresciano, and Christine Wenzel, impacted many changes over the years. Across campus, Robin also noted her collaborations with Dave Kenny and Blair Johnson in Psychology, as well as Kathy Libal, Shareen Hertel, and Human Rights Institute colleagues.
In her instructor role, Robin taught and mentored undergraduate, MBA, and doctoral students. Robin chaired and served as advisor to many doctoral students, noting, “I am very appreciative of their engagement and insights and our joint scholarship.” Robin was a strong advocate of the Executive MBA (EMBA) program, having not only taught, but also served as the EMBA Academic Director and as chair of redesign task forces. Her Global Business Issues international trip course was a highlight learning experience for UConn’s EMBA students. She took great reward from the many students who said the trip changed their lives personally and professionally.
Over the years, colleagues suggested that Robin consider other administrative roles at UConn and elsewhere. Recalling these opportunities, Robin quoted a mantra from quotes Dr. Seuss: “Life is a great balancing act.” Robin’s many roles at UConn enabled her to contribute to the Department, School of Business, and University. She took on leadership positions at the American Marketing Association (AMA) Academic Council and served as AMA President.
In her remarkable career of scholarship, Robin’s portfolio of work, broadly speaking, focused on consumer behavior issues with attention to global citizenship and cross-cultural consumer behavior, branding in developed and emerging markets, and numerical cognition and pricing. Her long-term scholarly research program included award-winning, reprinted, lead article publications, including the recent 2025 Journal of Consumer Research article “Tournaments of Destruction: Consumers Battling for Visibility.” Robin known for her adeptness and advocacy of multi-method approaches to address interesting research questions. For this, Robin acknowledged her many co-authors over the years, particularly, her long-time colleagues, Linda Price and Yuliya Strizhakova.
Robin’s excellence in teaching, research, and service has been recognized through several honors, including being named a Voya Financial Fellow in 2015 and a nominee for Distinguished Board of Trustees Professor in 2023. She was honored as an American Marketing Association Fellow in 2023.
“Being named an AMA Fellow is very meaningful and humbling,” she said, “Of course, there are many in my academic journey to thank for their support, but particularly my colleagues, Linda Price, June Cotte, Kelly Herd, and Jerry Zaltman.”
Importantly in regard to the “balancing act,” Robin recognized the enduring support of her husband, Keith, and their daughter, Alyssa. After many years at UConn, Robin looks forward to new adventures, but to also continuing with her scholarly work because, as she said, “That is who I am.”