Donald E. GudmundsonMay 18, 1954 – December 15, 2025Donald E. Gudmundson, age 71, formerly of Fond du Lac, Fremont, and Oshkosh, WI, died unexpectedly on December 15, 2025, at UC Health in Greeley, Colorado. Don was born on May 18, 1954, in Lincoln, Nebraska, the second of four children to Donald and Helen Gudmundson. When he was 9 years old, the family moved to Fond du Lac, WI, where his father started Gudmundson’s Landscape Nursery. 

At the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Don majored as an undergraduate student in Landscape Architecture. Following experiences working with the family business and building log homes he decided to pursue an MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh, and Ph.D. in Business from the University of Kentucky.

Don had a passion for improving how businesses and organizations operated and pursued those passions as Professor of Management for the College of Business at the University of Wisconsin– Oshkosh from 1991 through 2008. While there, he created an executive education center for the MBA program in downtown Green Bay, developed partnerships for global MBA programs in Germany and India, and served as Senior Associate Dean. 

In 2008, Don moved to Greeley, CO to assume the role of Dean of Monfort College of Business (MCB) at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), where he served until December 2013. After retiring as Dean, he continued teaching at the MCB until 2022. Included among many accomplishments during his tenure were to establish the MBA program, Student Ambassador program, Networking Night, the Professional Experience Program, and the celebration of the 45th Anniversary for MCB. Don also designed and implemented the Taking Care of Business course, which significantly contributed to student retention and satisfaction. He took on a major fundraising campaign to build a new financial center for the College. Additional accomplishments include maintaining accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business; launching a Master of Accounting Program, a global business minor, and an entrepreneurship minor; remodeling the Financial Education Center; and championing the Entrepreneurial Challenge, the Professional Experience Requirement, and an international faculty exchange. Throughout his career Don was collaborative, inclusive, and respectful of all students and colleagues: a role model of leadership for others to follow. A former colleague described him as “a conductor who got the right people on board.” 

Don greatly enjoyed outdoor sports. He participated in the Birkebeiner cross country ski race in northern Wisconsin 15 times as well as numerous marathons and half-marathons. He enjoyed playing tennis, golf, basketball, and hiking (especially in the parks of Wisconsin and mountains of Colorado). He also valued music from playing guitar in choir groups to passing along that love of music to his children (along with his trombone). In moving to Greeley, he loved taking in the world class music scene attracted to UNC and supporting the Colorado Rocky Mountain Public Media’s jazz station (KUVO). In addition, he enjoyed applying his design knowledge on projects ranging from home remodels to designing and maintaining a mixture of Asian and American gardens at his homes in Oshkosh and Greeley. 

Deeply philosophical and spiritual, he was extremely creative in his ideas and willing to accept change. He loved engaging in intellectual debates, especially with his good friend from childhood, Rick Alfuth. He was also a strong believer in gender equality and equal opportunities for everyone. Being kind and gentle with a great sense of humor, he was one of the most optimistic people one would ever meet. He was an avid traveler and believer in meeting people from different cultures and perspectives. This included attending numerous business conferences across the United States; visiting countries such as Costa Rica, Germany, India, and especially Japan (more than 35 times); and introducing students to those cultures.

Don is survived by his wife (Fumiko Fukuta) of Greeley, CO and his two children; Jesse A. Gudmundson of Madison, Erin (Kevin) Milbach with her two children (Sydney and Jordan) of Reedsburg, WI; and their mother (Nancy Schanke) of Fremont, WI. He is also survived by his siblings; Gloria (Gene Musser) Gudmundson of Fitchburg, WI; Tom (Judy) Gudmundson of Sheboygan, WI; Cheri Riedl of Burlington, WI; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Don’s life will be held on a date yet to be determined.