That attitude found its way into a self-published book Mills authored called “Person-Shine: The Power of Brightening Our Lives.” The book includes chapters with titles such as “Valuing Each Person,” “Only Ask If You’re Going to Listen” and “Being Positive is Personally Powerful.”

He also published another book in that vein titled “Person-Shine: Guidelines for Illuminating Our Lives and Brightening the Worlds of Others.” He published several other titles and articles in marketing, a subject he taught early in his career.

He and his wife, Darlene, had three children. He earned his first higher education degree in 1960 at Brainerd Junior College. He earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Minnesota as well as a master’s degree and a Ph.D.

And in public he was known not for his firm handshake, but for his bear-hug hellos.

“That’s probably what I’ll miss most,” Dotson said, “walking into a room and he stands up and just wraps his arms around you and gives you a big hug.”