John O. Bodman

1934 - 2016

John O. Bodman

81, of Indianapolis, passed away May 8, 2016. John was born December 28, 1934 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Survivors include his wife, Susan (Cahoon) Bodman; children, Susan (Brad) Roselle, John H. (Wendi) Bodman, Mark W.(Jesica) Bodman; grandchildren, Lindsay Bodman, Jessica Alles, Alyssa Alles, McKenzie Roselle, and Hannah Roselle, five great grandchildren; step children, Lynda(James) Neese, Kris(Scott) Brannan, Mike(Nichole) Lesley, Iza, Sam Lesley, step grandchildren, Justin(Courtney) Weintraut, Ryan(Mary) Harrison; sisters, Mary Emily Kenner, Jean W. Bodman;  brother, George H. Bodman. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Pricilla Rodgers, Joan Millspaugh; brother, Winston Bodman.

John graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, a Master's degree in Business Administration from Harvard University, and a Doctorate of Jurisprudence from University of Maryland.

John held a number of leadership positions throughout his career. He began as Senior Chemical Engineer, Standard Oil of California from 1956-1961, manager, marketing, and assistant to the president for Microdot, Inc. from 1961-1964, various management positions within Kerr McGee Corporation from 1964 -1988, and President and Chief Operating Officer of Amax Coal Sales Company from 1988-1991.

John was founder and Chief Executive Officer of John O. Bodman Consulting, a national, international, and emerging business and litigation consulting firm, as well as founder and Chief Executive Officer of John O. Bodman Company, Inc., a firm investing in /owning domestic and international companies, joint ventures and partnerships.

His major accomplishments included consultant to major utilities and fuel suppliers on strategic planning issues, expert witness in major coal supply arbitrations and litigations, consultant to energy ministries in Russia and the Ukraine on the restructuring of their coal industries, arbitrator in three panel and single arbitrator cases, successfully commercializing small corporations by taking an active day by day role in management, negotiated, executed and renegotiated long term sales agreements in the coal industry, managed Kerr McGee Rifining, managed and consolidated numerous pension plans, group health plans, and salary structures, established and managed Kerr McGee's first Corporate economic analysis department, and coordinated the purchase and centralization of 22 companies by Kerr McGee in the Ag Chem industry in less than 4 years.

He was associated with Junior Achievement, going from Advisor to Local Board to Regional Board, and finally to the National Board of Directors, member of The Junto of Indianapolis and Crooked Stick Golf Club.   He was on the Board of Directors, Finance Committee, and Treasurer for the Indiana United Methodist Children's Home, Inc.

Family and friends will gather on Thursday, May 19, 2016 from 4-7 p.m. at Leppert Mortuary - Nora Chapel, 740 E. 86th St., Indianapolis with funeral services at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 20, 2016 at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St., Indianapolis. You are invited to visit the website www.leppertmortuary.com to share a personal memory of John, sign the guest book.