In Memoriam: John Dennis Sullivan, 1966–2023
In Memoriam
John Dennis Sullivan, 1966–2023
With a heavy heart, the Metropolitan College community mourns the loss of Dr. John D. Sullivan, a longstanding member of the Administrative Sciences department. He was recognized as an outstanding teacher and active scholar by his students and colleagues, as well as a friend. He passed away July 22 surrounded by his family and loved ones.
John taught at MET for almost thirty years, starting as an assistant professor in 1999 and rising to the rank of associate professor in 2006. He was also coordinator of the Administrative Sciences department’s finance programs before becoming associate chair in 2005, co-chair in 2014, and then chair in 2015. In 2021, he was appointed assistant dean for partnerships and student success at the College. John led courses in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, investments, and financial markets and institutions, among others. He also earned a faculty position in the BU School of Law in 2012, teaching international transaction and merger law for the LLM program.
As a professor, John enriched his classes with impromptu discussions of the stock market and current events, while often using cases from his consulting work to immerse his students in the real-world workings of complex financial dealings.
Prior to joining BU, John held positions at Putnam Investments and W. R. Grace. He also cofounded Reliant Renal Care, served as senior analyst for corporate development at Fresenius Medical Care, and, as a consultant, provided strategic guidance for many of the largest healthcare organizations in the United States. An expert in healthcare finance, law, and policy, he frequently published articles, gave presentations, and developed case studies on the economics of renal care, the management of dialysis businesses, and mergers of healthcare companies. From 2014 to 2016, he was a research fellow with the United States Department of State.
John was a resident of Marblehead, Massachusetts. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Regis University, his master’s from Harvard University, and his MBA and PhD from Northeastern University. Like many students at MET, John earned his master’s at night while working full time. He was a champion of the Administrative Sciences department. “We teach because we like to teach, and our research and our classrooms reflect that,” John said in a 2017 interview with MET Marketing. “You’re going to get the best of both worlds—an applicable degree topped by former executives who have been in the water and know how cold it can be.”
In memory of John Sullivan, the family asks that donations be considered to Northeastern University in his name or St. John’s Preparatory School, 72 Spring St., Danvers, MA 01923, online at https://www.stjohnsprep.org/remember. The wake will be held 4–8 pm on Friday, August 4, at Murphy’s Funeral Home in Salem, MA. Services will be held at 10 AM on Saturday, August 5, at the St. John’s Prep Chapel in Danvers, MA.