Jef I. Richards has served as chair of the Department of Advertising & Public Relations at Michigan State University, and as chair of the Department of Advertising at the University of Texas, the two largest and most influential university advertising programs in the United States. He is author or co-author of more than 90 published books, book chapters, and articles about advertising, marketing, or communications. He is on the advisory council of the Institute for Advertising Ethics (of the American Advertising Federation), on the board of directors for the Advertising Educational Foundation (of the Association of National Advertisers), and a panel member of the National Advertising Review Board (of the Advertising Self-Regulatory Council). Richards also is former president of the American Academy of Advertising, is a named fellow of that organization, as well as a recipient of its prestigious Ivan L. Preston Outstanding Contribution to Research Award. He is the inaugural inductee into the Rowan University Advertising Hall of Fame.