Jack Fortner (1935-2020) Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dr. Fortner was a conductor, composer and music professor who taught at Fresno State from 1970 until his retirement as an emeritus professor. He founded the Orpheus Chamber Ensemble in 1978 and conducted the Merced Symphony from 1971 to 1977. Dr. Fortner died in Brazil on June 25, 2020 but his legacy lives through his compositions and papers in the Special Collections Research Center.