Ross Hardwood Beville Jr.
Former MUIH/TAI Sophia Board Member
1940 – 2022
Ross passed away unexpectedly from an aorta rupture at his home in Palo Alto, CA. “Woody,” as he was known to his family and friends, was born in Philadelphia, PA, on August 30, 1940, to Ross Harwood Beville Sr. and Edna Mae LaFon Beville. He was predeceased by his sister, Lafon Beville Ward. Raised in the Maryland suburbs outside Washington, DC, where he attended Blair High School, he met his future wife of 54 years, Judith Ann Miles, at age fifteen. Woody enjoyed school, sports, and rides with Judy in his MG convertible. In 1958, Woody enrolled at the University of Maryland where he earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering, Magna Cum Laude, graduating number one in his engineering class. While at Maryland, Woody belonged to the Alpha Chapter of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and was President of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honorary when it won best chapter in the nation. He developed many lifelong friendships at Maryland and remained an active alum.
Harwood and Judy were married June 16, 1962, and moved to Boston as Harwood entered Harvard Business School, where he graduated in 1964. After HBS, Woody and Judy moved to Palo Alto, CA, for a mergers and acquisition position at Hewlett Packard. At HP, he negotiated the purchase of Diablo Rouge FMC Corporation, a manufacturer of snowmobiles, which led to his move to Wisconsin. Following Diablo, Woody worked for the US Bureau of the Budget during the Johnson/Nixon transition. In 1970, Woody began his 30+ year career at The Rouse Company, one of the leading developers and owners of entertainment retail projects, including Faneuil Hall and South Street Seaport. As CFO and COO, Woody led a team of 4000 employees.In 1995, Woody founded DirectGene, a developer of targeted, gene-based molecular drugs to treat metastatic cancers. He also founded and chaired Kaonetics Technology which enabled the production of a subatomic particle beam creating a controlled electromagnetic wave. Woody had a deep interest in alternative medical therapies.
He chaired the board of Tai Sophia Institute and helped it become the Maryland University of Integrative Health. He also had a passion for independent film and for many years, was chairman of the Carmel International Film Festival. Woody enjoyed volunteering in many capacities. He participated in four University of Maryland Dean’s Advisory groups and headed the search for the Dean of the Business School. He co-headed the fundraising for the University of Maryland 1982-84. Woody held a trustee position at the International Council of Shopping Centers 1986-92 and was a board trustee and treasurer for the Snowmass Chapel in Snowmass Village, CO 1993-98. He served as a fellow and board member of The Aspen Institute 1996-2001. Later, Woody and Judy found special joy in activities at The Monterey Museum of Art, where Woody served on the board from 2005-2011.
Woody worked to maintain a work-life balance. Woody and Judy moved to California in 2002 to be closer to their children Ross Harwood Beville III of Long Beach, CA, and Melissa Beville Kepner and her husband Scott D. Kepner of Woodside, CA. After Judy passed away in 2017, Woody continued a full life, spending time with his grandchildren Harrison, Katherine, Claire, and Ross. He will be missed dearly by both family and friends. A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.