Jim graduated from Ohio Northern University with a degree in Business Administration, Miami of Ohio with a Master's degree in business, and The Ohio State University with a PhD in Marketing. Dr. Hensel obtained his PhD at just 26 years old.

In his first teaching position at Arizona State University in 1970, as a young professor he was able to connect with students almost immediately, including his now lifelong friend Dr. Paul Solomon.

Jim then followed his mentor Dr. Len Barry to the marketing department at Virginia Commonwealth University. Next, Jim left academia to return to his Ohio roots as a marketing consultant for top consulting group Management Horizons. Although the fame and fortune of consulting was appealing, Jim missed academia and the joys of teaching. In 1977 he accepted a professor position in the College of Business at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. At USF, Jim taught marketing and business to tens of thousands of undergraduate, MBA and Executive MBA students during his almost 40-year tenure at the university.

Jim Hensel is remembered as a loving husband and father, lifelong teacher, business professor, marketing strategy guru, and a coach and mentor to many. Dr. Hensel was invested in his students' learning and dedicated himself to his teaching practice. Bringing his real-world experiences to the classroom, he focused on preparing his students for their next step.

James is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, Joan Simon, two sons, one daughter, six grandchildren, a brother, a sister-in-law, and many nieces, nephews and loving sisters and brothers-in-law. Jim was preceded in death by his sister.

Please join the celebration of Jim's life with his family on January 30th at 11:00 at the Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club, 200 Inverness Ave, Temple Terrace FL. If so inclined, the family is requesting donations may be made to the New Tampa YMCA, a place that provided Jim an outlet and respite for his long battle with rheumatoid arthritis: https://www.tampaymca.org/give/dr-james-hensel