Lewis “Lew” Leeburg, a three-time UCLA alumnus and co-founder of UCLA IS Associates, died at his home in Laguna Niguel, California, on April 14 following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 85.
Born in Miller, Kansas, Leeburg earned a bachelor’s degree in business from UCLA in 1954 and served as student body president during his senior year. He later studied business administration at UCLA, earning an M.B.A. in 1964 and a doctorate in 1971.
Following a long career in sales, Leeburg returned to work on campus in 1987 as director of the management school’s information systems research program and an adjunct professor and lecturer. He retired in 2011.
IS Associates is a UCLA-sponsored organization that is dedicated to the effective management and understanding of information systems and the effective leadership of the information technology functions. The organization provides a management education forum for its membership, which is open to organizations involved in the professional application of information systems to business and research. The organization includes senior executives, leading consultants and suppliers, government, and UCLA faculty, staff and students in a program of information-sharing and research.
Leeburg held a variety of volunteer positions related to academia and business, including serving as the first secretary and treasurer for the International Center for Information Systems. He was also a former national board member for the Society of Information Management and former member of the executive committee for the Southern California chapter of the society. In addition, he served on the boards of the UCLA Alumni Association, UCLA Foundation, UCLA Retiree Association and the Order of the Golden Bruin.
Leeburg is survived by Marilyn “Nonnie” Leeburg, his wife of 63 years, and children Lynn, Karen, John and Robert.
A private service will be held by the family. In lieu of flowers, Leeburg’s family requests that friends and colleagues donate to the UCLA Foundation in his name.