IN REMEMBRANCE | SPRING 2026 | 61 Arthur C. Tauck Jr. ’53 P’79, travel industry innovator, philanthropist and generous benefactor to Lehigh, passed away on February 11, 2026, at the age of 94. Tauck was president of the world-renowned, family-owned travel company Tauck for 38 years and most recently served as chairman emeritus of the company. At the helm, Tauck grew his father’s small pioneering motorcoach tour business into a global travel industry leader. While building his life’s work on traveling the world, Tauck pursued philanthropic interests, which included Lehigh. His generosity founded an endowed scholarship, a chair in International Marketing and Logistics and the Tauck Scholars Program, and supported the construction of the Business Innovation Building, which opened in 2023. “We are immensely grateful for Arthur’s generosity to Lehigh and the College of Business, which has allowed students to participate in internships and educational programs across the world and has enriched the student experience on campus,” said Manoj Malhotra, Kevin L. and Lisa A. Clayton Dean of the College of Business. A Leader at Lehigh and Beyond As an undergraduate student at Lehigh, Tauck played lacrosse and served as president, vice president, treasurer and house manager of the Delta Upsilon fraternity, and was a member of the sophomore and junior class cabinets. Tauck joined his father’s tour company, Tauck Tours, in 1950 and spent his summers guiding guests through New England as a tour director. After graduating from Lehigh with a degree in marketing, Tauck enlisted in the United States Air Force as a Lieutenant and was stationed in Germany for several years. He returned to Tauck Tours in 1956 as a tour operator and was named president of the company in 1958 when he was just 27 years old. Tauck’s entrepreneurial spirit, sense of adventure and commitment to service and connection helped transform and grow the family business over the course of the next several decades. Today, Tauck, a Connecticut-based company, provides journeys for guests across seven continents in more than 100 destinations and 65 countries. Tauck is credited with pioneering many innovations, such as heli-hiking in the Canadian Rockies and creating the “Yellow Roads of Europe” series that takes tourists on roads less traveled across Europe. A Philanthropic Legacy Thanks to Tauck’s generosity, many Lehigh students have had the opportunity to participate in international internships and receive essential scholarship aid. In 1995, Tauck established the Tauck Scholars Program Endowment Fund, which is composed of two endowment funds: the Tauck Scholarship and the Tauck Scholars Fund. For three decades, the Tauck Scholars Program has provided students in the College of Business with the opportunity to expand their world through once-in-a-lifetime experiences abroad. To date, Tauck scholarships have been awarded to more than 100 Lehigh Business students who participated in internships and educational programs. In 2007, Tauck established the Arthur C. Tauck Chair in International Marketing and Logistics in the College of Business. He was also a generous supporter of the Business Innovation Building and is the namesake of the building’s Tauck Family Courtyard and Tauck Family Lobby. He also established the Tauck International Marketing Fund and supported the Centennial Campaign, the construction of the Rauch Business Center, Lehigh Fund, Challenge Scholarship Fund and Lehigh men’s lacrosse. Tauck was awarded the Lehigh New York Club’s L-inLife Award in 1999, which is presented to exceptional alumni who have contributed significantly to the Lehigh community. He also earned the Alumni Award from the Alumni Association in 1989. He served as a keynote speaker at various Lehigh gatherings. He participated in Lehigh phonathons, served on his 35th and 50th Reunion Fund Committees and was chairman of his 40th Reunion Fund Committee. Beyond Lehigh, Tauck founded the Tauck Family Foundation in 1994 to foster a legacy of giving and community involvement. —Lauren Thein Travel Industry Innovator and Philanthropist Tauck was known for his successful 75-year career in the travel industry, philanthropy and generosity to Lehigh. REMEMBERING Arthur C. Tauck Jr. ’53 P’79 TAUCK IS CREDITED WITH PIONEERING MANY INNOVATIONS, SUCH AS HELI-HIKING IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES AND CREATING THE “YELLOW ROADS OF EUROPE” SERIES THAT TAKES TOURISTS ON ROADS LESS TRAVELED ACROSS EUROPE.
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