"This award is in recognition of Phil's service to RIT. His diligent effort and generosity have contributed significantly to the growth of the university. This award is meant to honor those efforts and to express our appreciation for his dedication."

Phil Tyler is Associate Professor Emeritus, Marketing in the Saunders College of Business. He is a 1965 graduate, with honors, of RIT's Saunders College of Business. He earned an MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Michigan State University in 1967. In 1972 he completed his Doctor of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Michigan State. In 1970 he joined the faculty of the Saunders College of Business. He remained there (with some times away to practice marketing management) through 2008 when he retired. He spent some time at R.T. French as the Product Manager, Condiments and a year in Jakarta, Indonesia as a marketing consultant with InterContinental Hotels. Phil served as Director of the Center for Management Development in the Saunders College from 1982-86. Here he was responsible for developing, marketing and executing executive and management development programs. Working with both for profit and not for profits, he has also been active in delivering management development programs and as a marketing consultant with small and large firms/organizations. He has published in the areas of marketing management, planning and strategy.

Phil's teaching in both graduate and undergraduate programs was primarily in the areas of Advanced Marketing Management, Professional Selling and Sales Management. He is a recipient of the Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching at RIT. He taught ten years in the MBA Program in the U.S. Business School in Prague, Czech Republic, most recently in 2006.

Active in the community he served both as a presidential appointment and as an at large member of the RIT Alumni Association Board of Directors. With the American Red Cross he chaired the Regional Blood Services Committee among other leadership positions and was Vice–Chair of the Rochester-Monroe County Board of Directors. He is a recipient of the Clara Barton Honor Award for Meritorious Volunteer Leadership from the American Red Cross. In the United Way of Greater Rochester, he served on the Board of Directors and on several committees as well as chairing several campaign divisions. He was also the Outstanding Loaned Executive for the United Way of Greater Rochester in 1977. He was Board Chairperson at Valley Manor, a retirement community which is part of Seniors First and also served on the Board at Seniors First. He serves on the Board of Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Rochester aka RethinkingDebt. In 1983 he received the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award for the Saunders College of Business.

Phil recently celebrated the joy of his first 47 years of his marriage to his bride and very best friend–Carol. They are now enjoying the commencement of the next 47 years of their marriage. Their son, Lance, and daughter, Kristin Marano have, with their spouses, presented the Tylers with the five best looking grandchildren they have ever seen. Absolute delights.