By John Moist

Aric Rindfleisch, John M. Jones Professor of Marketing at Gies College of Business and executive director of the Illinois MakerLab, has been selected as a 2026 Fellow of the American Marketing Association (AMA). Selection as a fellow of the AMA is a rare honor recognizing faculty who have made significant and sustained contributions to marketing theory and practice.

“It’s surprising, and I’m very humbled and honored to be given this award,” Rindfleisch said. “Given the prestige and prominence of so many scholars, people who are giants in the field, just to be included in the list with them is something I never would have expected. I’m very grateful.”

Rindfleisch has been a professor of business administration at the University of Illinois since 2012. A leading scholar of technology and innovation in the digital world, Rindfleisch’s research spans topics including 3D printing, new product development, and consumer values. His work has appeared in many of the field’s top journals, including the Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research, Strategic Management Journal, and Journal of Product Innovation Management, among others. He’s also received numerous honors from the AMA and other organizations, such as the Varadarajan Award, the Louis W. Stern Award, and the Shelby D. Hunt/Harold H. Maynard Award for the best article in the Journal of Marketing.

AMA Fellows are evaluated primarily on research impact, but the designation also recognizes creativity and innovativeness, as well as active service with the organization — on review boards, in conference chair roles, and in AMA leadership. Rindfleisch’s contributions also include editorial leadership; he has served on editorial boards or as an editor for journals spanning marketing, innovation studies, and consumer psychology. In addition, he has also served in numerous service roles for the AMA, such as President of the AMA Academic Council in 2020-21. Rindfleisch noted that only around 40 currently active marketing faculty worldwide are AMA Fellows.

For Rindfleisch, the honor from AMA reflects a broad view of scholarly contribution and takes on new meaning in light of his work at Gies Business. It also connects to a longer institutional history: in 1948, the University of Illinois established the first collegiate chapter of the AMA.

“I really feel that being at Illinois was very instrumental in me receiving this award,” said Rindfleisch. “It’s a prestigious institution. But the award itself is one that takes a very comprehensive view. It’s not just solely research contributions. It recognizes other forms of leadership and contributions to the marketing domain.”

Two unique contributions helped distinguish Rindfleisch: his work with the Illinois MakerLab and his global teaching reach through online learning. As executive director of the MakerLab, Rindfleisch leads a program bridging emerging technology, industry collaboration, and student learning. He also teaches three widely enrolled Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on Coursera through Gies Business: Marketing in a Digital World, The Digital Marketing Revolution, and The 3D Printing Revolution, which have collectively reached over seven hundred thousand learners worldwide.

That teaching impact has extended Rindfleisch’s influence outside of the traditional classroom and demonstrated the field-level reach emphasized by the AMA Fellows program. Rindfleisch will be honored as part of the 2026 Fellow cohort during the AMA Winter Academic Conference in Madrid, Spain.