Robert Michael Spann

Spann

Robert Michael Spann

Robert Michael Spann was born in 1947 in Yonkers, NY, to Robert Ellington Spann and Mary Addison (Sullivan) Spann. He passed away on September 12, 2023. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Whiteley; his siblings, Peter Spann (Betsy) of California, Jeffrey Spann of Washington, and Margaret Wood (David) of Oklahoma; his daughters, Krishna Jaret of California and Ashley Merce of Virginia; and four grandchildren. He died peacefully at home with hospice care.



Bob was raised in Closter, NJ, a suburb of New York City. He attended Northern Valley Regional High School.



He earned three degrees from North Carolina State University, including a joint PhD in economics and statistics. Bob joined the Economics Department faculty at Virginia Tech. In addition to teaching, he conducted research in the areas of energy economics and the impacts (both good and bad) of economic regulation on producers and consumers.



He then joined the economic consulting firm ICF, Inc. He finished his consulting career as a vice-president at Charles River Associates. At both firms Bob advised major law firms, corporations, and government agencies in the areas of regulatory economics, energy economics, and antitrust issues. Bob had extensive experience as an expert witness, having appeared before state and federal regulatory agencies, state courts, and arbitration boards.



Bob was an avid sailor, flat-water kayaker, and hiker. He enjoyed cruising and racing his Alerion sailboat, aptly named Resilient, on the Chesapeake Bay. He was an enthusiastic member of the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association (CBYRA), the Herrington Harbour Sailing Association (HHSA), and the Maine Island Trail Association (MITA). Most recently he served on the board of directors of the Chesapeake Shorthanded Sailing Society (CHESSS). He had a special fondness for hiking in Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island in Maine.



Bob's understanding of the impact philanthropy has on the lives of students inspired him to establish the Robert M. Spann Graduate Student Support Endowment and the Robert M. Spann Professorship in Economics at his alma mater.



Funeral services were held on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. Contributions in his memory may be sent to the nonprofit hospice, Capital Caring Health.