Francis Dermot “Derm” Barrett

The MBA class of ’62 fondly recalls a favourite professor’s impact. In the late 1950s and 1960s, Francis Dermot “Derm” Barrett was an esteemed business professor at Queen’s. We were saddened to hear that Derm passed away in December 2017. He was 93. Derm played an important part in the design and hands-on education of Queen’s newly minted two-year MBA curriculum. A dozen of us became the inaugural 1962 graduates. During our time in the MBA program, Derm made certain of our involvement. He encouraged us to think independently, form our own opinions, and share our ideas with fellow classmates. He led from behind. He chastised us if we neglected to introduce original solutions to varied organizational and business problems. Our days of learning with Derm were outstanding opportunities and a privilege. We will always be grateful for his wisdom, his encouragement to build on our strengths, and the warm friendship and humour he continued to share with us.  — the MBA class of ’62