Aubrey Daniels

DANIELS, Dr. Aubrey

It is with profound love and appreciation for an extraordinary life well-lived, that we announce the passing of Dr. Aubrey Clise Daniels of Atlanta.

A dedicated husband, father, colleague, friend, and a pioneering figure in the field of applied behavior analysis and organizational behavior management, he peacefully departed this life on March 1, 2025, at the age of 89. Aubrey's life was marked by his unwavering commitment to family and friends, his dedication to changing the way the world works through the science of behavior, and his enduring legacy of humor, kindness, generosity, and humility. Note to reader: The authors acknowledge we are not fully honoring his humility as we share this information.

Born on May 17, 1935, in Lake City, South Carolina, Aubrey was the first of 4 children born to the town barber (Aubrey Oliver Daniels), and a homemaker/ bank teller (Carrie Belle Hanna Daniels). He attended Lake City High School and graduated from his beloved Furman University in 1957 (B.A. in Psychology & Speech). While at Furman, he sang with The Furman Singers, where he met and subsequently married Rebecca (Becky) Tapp, a soloist from Greer, South Carolina. He was a Lieutenant in the US Army and a month after their wedding he served a one-year tour in Korea. He attended the University of Florida where he earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology and Philosophy (Phi Beta Kappa), and became a devotee of the renowned behavioral psychologist, B.F. Skinner.

He and Becky moved to Chamblee, Georgia and eventually settled in Tucker, where they raised their two daughters. He initially pursued a career in clinical psychology, developing a deep appreciation for the principles of behavioral science. In the 1960s, while serving as chief psychologist at Georgia Mental Health Institute, he was the first to introduce behavioral techniques with patients in this setting. After experiencing quick success with the patients, he was asked to develop a hospital-wide program for the 500-bed mental health facility. There, using a token economy, he dramatically reduced recidivism (76% to 11%), and length of hospital stay (month to weeks), further igniting his passion for behavioral science. He then began work with a remedial tutoring center where he first consulted with supervisors in the workforce, coined the phrase Performance Management, and began his pioneering work with businesses using the scientific principles of applied behavior analysis. He was co-founder and president of Behavioral Systems, Inc., and in 1978 established Aubrey Daniels & Associates, now known as Aubrey Daniels International, where his impact continues to benefit countless people in organizations worldwide.

Affectionately known as the Father of Performance Management, Aubrey became a highly sought-after keynote speaker at major associations, conferences, universities and educational events, served on the board of trustees and executive board of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies, was associate to the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and was the author of six best-selling books widely recognized as international management classics. His textbook Performance Management is in its 5th edition and has sold over 700,000 copies. His book Bringing Out the Best in People, now in its 3rd edition, is considered a seminal work amongst business books. In 1977 he founded the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, a peer-reviewed journal which is still in publication and is the main outlet for the field today. Aubrey's books have been translated into Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and French and have been licensed in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Romania and Saudi Arabia.

Aubrey is the recipient of numerous awards, including Alumni of the Year (Furman University) (College of Health Professionals, University of Florida), "The Effective Presentation of Behavior Analysis in the Mass Media," presented by the Association for Behavior Analysis International, where he was also a 2005 Fellow, and in 1988 was the first recipient of "The Lifetime Achievement Award," presented by the OBM Network.

Aubrey enjoyed spending time with friends from the Men's Sunday School Class at Briarlake Baptist Church, studying archaeology, vacationing at Kiawah Island and in the North Carolina mountains, golfing with friends, and staying curious. He was a huge fan of the golfer Bobby Jones and in 1993 he became an early member of Jones' historic home course, East Lake Golf Club.

Always ready with a joke, punctuated by his infectious laugh, Aubrey had an optimistic outlook and lived his life fully—with purpose, integrity, and humor. He had an innate ability to see the goodness in people and believed that positive reinforcement was the most important but misunderstood consequence one can use to improve the way people interact in the world.

In Aubrey's honor, we encourage you to learn more about the power of positive reinforcement and start using it today to shape someone's life for the better.

"I hope your future is filled with Positive Reinforcement." –Aubrey Daniels

Aubrey was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 67 years, Rebecca Tapp Daniels; and his sister, Claire Corbett. He is survived by his two daughters, Laura-Lee Glass (Wayne) and Joanna Daniels. Aubrey was a proud grandfather to Elijah Houston Senter, Liam Daniels Glass, and Aubrey Olivia Senter, who lovingly refer to him as "tickle monster." Aubrey is also survived by his brothers, James Edward Daniels and Thomas Kent Daniels (Carol); and his nieces and nephews, Dave Corbett (Becky), Chris Corbett (Jelly), Joel Daniels (Lystra), Aubrey Daniels (Katherine), Erin Gold (Ben), Megan Mulligan (Richard), Danny Tapp, Quai Tapp, Deborah Combs-Cronin, and Dean Tapp (Carol).

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on March 14, 2025 at Peachtree Christian Church, 1580 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30309. Offsite reception immediately following the service.

A bagpipe processional will be held at 11:00 AM on March 15, 2025. Westview Cemetery, 1680 Westview Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30310.