As a marketing analyst more than 20 years ago, David A. Carr did for buyers of secondhand college textbooks what the automobile blue book does for consumers looking to buy a used car.
As an employee of the Follett Higher Education Group, Mr. Carr devised a first-of-its-kind pricing catalog for used college textbooks, which over the years has been recognized as the source for buyers and sellers alike.
“The Follett Blue Book has become a trusted and reliable source of information on used college textbooks, and much of that credit goes to Dave,” said Britt Hinton, senior vice president of sales and operations with the company. “Because there was nothing like it before, he basically created from scratch and through countless hours of research a product that today is considered the marker within the industry.
Mr. Carr, 62, of St. Charles, vice president of textbook analysis and research for the Follett Higher Education Group in River Grove, died of a heart attack Monday, Jan. 26, in Delnor-Community Hospital, Geneva.
Born and raised in DeKalb, Mr. Carr grew up with thoughts of becoming a teacher. He went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in education from Illinois State University in Normal, where he met his wife of 37 years, Eva.
In the Vietnam War, Mr. Carr served in the Army for three years as a first lieutenant with the military police, based in Germany.
After his military discharge, Mr. Carr began a 33-year career with the Follett Corp., parent company of Follett Higher Education Group, where he initially worked as an inventory clerk in the company’s warehouse in Chicago. He went on to hold various positions before his promotion to vice president several years ago.
The Follett Higher Education Group manages more than 680 college bookstores in the United States and Canada and is the largest distributor of used college textbooks throughout the U.S. and Canada.
“Dave was truly a gentleman in every sense of the word, with accomplishments that extend far beyond the Follett Blue Book,” said Hinton. “He was an excellent manager and motivator of people, whose strong ethics and integrity had a positive influence on everybody.”
Described by colleagues as kind, respectful and considerate, Mr. Carr was credited for his ability to connect with people at all levels, whether a warehouse worker or top executive.
“Over the past few days there’s been an outpouring of so many unsolicited kind words about my father from people he’s worked with,” said his son Steven. “I’ve always felt he was someone special and it’s just nice to know I was right.”
Other survivors include his wife; another son, Eric; two daughters, Sara Roth and Laura Kemp; his mother, Jessie; a brother, George; and four grandchildren.
Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Friday in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 408 Cedar St., St. Charles.
