Mr. James Warren Bradford, Dean Emeritus of the Owen Graduate School of Management, passed away on Thursday, July 27, 2023 at the age of 76. Jim is survived by his wife of 54 years, Susan Garrison Bradford; children, Geoffrey Bradford and his wife Susan of Raleigh, NC, Emily Mulder and her husband Kenneth of Granby, MA, Alec Bradford of Charleston, SC, and Laura Kuruvilla and her husband Finny of Medford, MA; grandchildren, Garrison, Samuel, Henry, Clay, Ezra, Asher, Obadiah, Ezekiel, Mamie, Thaddeus, Anna, Leila, Amos, Sophie, Aidan, Tallulah, Sadie, Luke, Timothy, Ethan, Tabitha, John, Peter, Daniel, and Bethany; and sister, Sally Bradford Vail of Billerica, MA.
Jim was born on May 3, 1947 in Newport News, VA to Col. James W. Bradford (USAF) and Blanche Elkin Bradford. He graduated from Central High School in Murfreesboro TN in 1965, from the University of Florida in 1969, and earned his JD at Vanderbilt University Law School in 1973. He served in the United States Air National Guard from 1969 to 1975 while stationed at Berry Field. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University in 1997.
Jim practiced law in Kingsport at Hunter, Smith & Davis from 1973-1984. He served as General Counsel and VP (1984-1992) and as CEO (1992-1999) at AFG Industries, INC. He was CEO of United Glass Corporation from 1999-2002. While in Kingsport, Jim was a member of the Kingsport Board of Education and served as Chairman. Jim began teaching at the Owen Graduate School of management at Vanderbilt in 2002 and was named Dean in 2005. He retired in 2013. Following his retirement from Owen, Jim taught business strategy at ESADE in Spain for three months. He also served a term as Chairman of the Graduate Admissions Council (GMAC). Jim was on the board of Satler College in Boston, MA in 2018. His favorite activity was mentoring young people.
Jim served on the Board of Clarcor Inc. from 2006-2017. He served on the Board of Granite Construction from 2007-2020. Jim was a Board member of Genesco, Inc from 2005-2017 and served as Lead Director. He was a Board member of Cracker Barrel, Inc. from 2011-2019. Jim was awarded Non-Executive Chairman of the Year 2015 for all NYSE and NASDAQ listed companies by the NYSE Leadership and Governance analysis section for his work for Cracker Barrel.
Jim was an active United Methodist. He was member of First Broad Street UMC for many years where he taught seventh grade Sunday school. For the past twenty years, he had been a member of Belmont UMC where he was on the Finance committee and the Golden Triangle committee.
Jim was an enthusiastic and talented golfer. He grew up playing with both his mother and father and enjoyed golfing with his children and friends throughout his life. He was a dedicated cyclist who loved riding in groups and alone routinely pushing himself 30 miles or more many days a week, well into his 70’s. He was also an accomplished gardener who spent Sunday afternoons in the garden much to his young childrens’ chagrin, pulling weeds, raking leaves, delighting in the roses, and the shade garden he and Susan loved so much. Jim taught himself to play the hammered dulcimer and loved Celtic music. He and Susan spent many vacations learning and perfecting their skills as travel photographers.
Most importantly, Jim was a devoted father and husband. “Pop” to his many grandchildren, he found the time throughout his busy life to take long hikes in the woods, to roll around on the floor goofing off, or to sit and talk on the porch. His warmth and love were always apparent, and he will be greatly missed.
Memorial contributions can be sent to Belmont UMC, Nashville; the James Bradford Scholarship at the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt, or Adoration Hospice Nashville.
Visitation with the family will be Sunday, August 13, 2023 from 1:30pm until 3:00pm at Belmont United Methodist Church. A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, August 13, 2023 at 3:00pm at Belmont United Methodist Church.
