E. Thomas Garman in memoriam

Abstract

E. Thomas Garman (Tom) passed away February 17, 2024 in Florida. Dr. Garman was a widely known author and academic who was a respected leader in both the American Council on Consumer Interests (ACCI) and the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE). The textbook he coauthored with Ray Forgue, Personal Finance, has been widely adopted for use in classrooms for more than four decades.

Like many of the early leaders in ACCI, Dr. Garman earned his undergraduate degree in business and taught business education in high school early in his career. After completing a Ph.D. in Economics Education at Texas Tech University, Dr. Garman taught first at Northern Illinois University (for 6 years) and then at Virginia Tech University (for 25 years).

A recitation of the milestones in Dr. Garman's career cannot convey the enthusiasm with which he approached personal finance. He often said, “As professors, we should profess something.” At every opportunity, Dr. Garman professed his belief in the value of his work and its potential to improve quality of life.

Dr. Garman demonstrated his passion in a variety of ways. Early in his career, he worked in economic development in West Africa. He directed the National Institute for Personal Finance Employee Education and then founded the Personal Finance Employee Education Foundation. Dr. Garman led many research studies that linked employer financial success with their employees' financial health. He created the eight question “Personal Financial Wellness” scale, which has been used by more than 500 researchers in the U.S.; the scale has been translated into 20 languages and used in 70 foreign countries.

Dr. Garman was a vibrant participant in ACCI throughout his career. He served as ACCI Treasurer in 1972–1973, Vice-President in 1973–1974, President in 1974–1975, and Past President in 1975–1976. Dr. Garman was a frequent presenter and enthusiastically engaged in the academic discussions that are a hallmark of ACCI Conferences. In the ACCI Oral History completed by Norman Silber in 1987, Dr. Garman described ACCI Conferences: “This meeting is unlike any other place in the world. Here we are allowed to express our points of view with some vigor, not with meanness. Then we put our arms around each other, hug and go and have a drink, because we are trying to educate, project, inform, persuade.” Many of us who knew Tom received those hugs and invitations to join him in a drink at every conference.

Dr. Garman was fortunate to enjoy retirement for 23 years. During that time he married the love of his life, Geraldine Ann Chambers (Gerry), and together they traveled overseas extensively. Dr. Garman loved reading as well as golf and was a huge fan of the Denver Broncos and the UConn Huskies women's basketball team. He is survived by his wife, his sister, his son, and a granddaughter.

Each of us can honor Dr. Garman's life by exhibiting the same passion for our work as he did.

Brenda J. Cude: Conceptualization; writing – original draft; writing – review and editing.