In Odesa, an important event took place as Pestel Street was renamed to Simon Litman Street, recognizing his contributions to the field of global marketing. Simon Litman, born in Odesa in 1873, became the first marketing professor in the United States. This was announced by the Odesa City Council.

The renaming of the street honors the memory of an outstanding economist and one of the pioneers of marketing theory. Litman studied at the Odesa Commercial School, now known as the Odesa National Economic University. After emigrating to the United States, he became the first professor of marketing in American higher education.

In 1911, Simon Litman published his work “Trade and Commerce” — one of the first marketing textbooks in the world. He taught at universities such as California and Illinois, and his lectures laid the groundwork for modern business education programs in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Japan. Litman was the first to define marketing as a distinct science, encompassing not just sales but also understanding consumer needs, communication, and trust. His approaches became the foundation of customer-oriented business practices as we know them today.