Jon Flaxman: HP executive, Olin benefactor

Jon Flaxman, whose 36-year career at Hewlett-Packard carried him up the ranks to become second-in-command at HP Inc. when the company split in two, passed away on Wednesday morning, March 28, 2018.

Mr. Flaxman earned his MBA from Olin in 1981 and in its announcement, HP made special note of his dedication to Washington University and the students of the business school.

“Jon was a proud (Olin) graduate and passionate about working with students of all backgrounds,” the company said of its COO on Wednesday. “While he provided tuition to a group of undergraduates, his support extended far beyond financial. Jon worked closely with students individually to help them achieve their academic and professional goals.”

Mr. Flaxman was 61 when he passed away peacefully with his wife Lauri and the rest of his family by his side, according to the announcement.

In its statement, HP said the company and the Flaxman family had established the Jon & Lauri Flaxman HP Inc. Endowed Scholarship Fund at Washington University for Olin Business School students. Previously, the Flaxmans had personally underwritten scholarship for Olin students, providing assistance to five of them since 2012.

“Jon has been a great friend to Olin and he was extremely welcoming to me during my first year as dean,” Dean Mark Taylor said upon learning of Mr. Flaxman’s death. He had served on Olin’s National Council since 2010. “I truly appreciated his counsel and friendship.”

After earning his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Mr. Flaxman immediately went to work on his Olin MBA. After graduating, he began working for Hewlett-Packard, serving in a variety of financial and operational positions.

When the company split into separate entities in 2015—one dedicated to the enterprise computing space and HP Inc. focused on personal computing and printing—Mr. Flaxman became the new company’s chief operating officer.

“We will miss Jon deeply and are indebted to him for his leadership, integrity, and vision for HP’s future,” HP’s president and CEO, Dion Weisler, said in a statement. “His spirit and memory will continue to drive us forward, and for that we are thankful. May Jon’s memory be a blessing to all of us.”

As recently as November, Mr. Flaxman welcomed 21 Olin students to HP during their “tech trek” to visit west coast companies.

A memorial service for Mr. Flaxman was set for today, March 29, 2018, at 5 p.m. California time, at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, California. In addition to his wife, he is survived by children Freddy, Emily, and Brian. Brian earned his BSBA from Olin in 2012.

The family asked in lieu of flowers for donations to the Flaxman scholarship fund by visiting the Washington University in St. Louis endowment page, selecting “Olin Business School,” then “Olin Business School Scholarships,” then “tribute in honor or memory of someone.” Enter “Jon and Lauri Flaxman HP Inc. Endowed Scholarship Fund” in the designation section.