In the USAF, Don was Assistant Provost Marshal in charge of internal security at Eglin AFB. At that time, Eglin was the headquarters of the Air Proving Ground Command, the site of the Air Force Operational Test Center (AFOTC) and the Air Force Armament Center (AFAC), then the main test beds for USAF research and development activities.
He has a BA from Michigan State University (Journalism), an MBA from the University of Detroit (Marketing concentration) and a Ph. D. from UCLA (Business Administration/Marketing).
Prof. Kirchner's research has included papers in consumer behavior, learning technology, faculty development and real estate. He has served on the editorial board of the Journal of Services Marketing and the Journal of Consumer Marketing and has been a consulting reviewer for all of the major business text book publishers active in marketing.
He has served at the University level on the Continuing Education Committee, the Personnel Planning and Review Committee, the Graduate Studies Committee, the Faculty Senate and various ad hoc committees. He was founding assistant director of the University's Institute for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning. Prof. Kirchner was elected as President of the CSUN Chapter of the American Association of University Professors for two terms. At various times, he was also elected to most of the standing committees of the College of Business and Economics as well as within the Department of Marketing. He was department chair during its growth years from 1976 to 1984, and has served many terms as advisor to the student chapter of the AMA and the Marketing Alumni Association.
A long term member of the Advertising Club of Los Angeles, he was the education board member for four years. In this capacity, he co-founded (with Loy Baxton) this organization's highly successful internship program, which has become a national model for operations of this type. He has been active in the Western Marketing Educator's Association where for many years he has served as reviewer, discussant, panelist and/or session chair at the annual meetings. Additional professional affiliations include: the American Marketing Association, American Academy of Advertising, the Academy of Marketing Science, the Association for Consumer Research, the California Consumer Federation and the Society for Consumer Psychology,
Don and his wife Cecile have traveled extensively, visited 45 of the 50 states and circumnavigated the globe during each of two sabbatical leaves. In the latter trips, they visited 69 countries including nearly every country in Europe (Albania excepted) as well as many of the nations in the Far East, Central Asia, the Middle East and countries in the north, south and east of Africa. During these trips, he established contacts at universities world wide.
Professor Kirchner retired as of June, 1997 with 34 years of service. He is continuing on campus as a participant in the Faculty Early Retirement Program.
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