Ed Fronapfel helps shape the lives of University of Denver students both as an adjunct professor at the Daniels College of Business and as a donor to scholarship funds that help Daniels students succeed.
Fronapfel, a licensed engineer in more than 25 states, has been engaged in design and construction with his own companies since 2000. His current business, Solutions Before and Solutions After (SBSA), works on the ground-up side of construction and, when needed, determines solutions to correct issues that arrive after construction is complete.
Fronapfel, who teaches in the Daniels College’s Franklin L. Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management, first came to the University to fill in for a professor who was having health issues. Marie Kline, director of operations at the Burns School, was auditing the course, and she encouraged him to become more involved on a regular basis.
“I have always loved teaching,” Fronapfel says. “It is a great opportunity to share my experience with those entrepreneurial students that need to understand risk, make decisions and generally be aware of potential construction defaults.”
Fronapfel’s desire to become a scholarship donor was fueled by his belief that “helping to provide for an education to empower individuals that will make a difference in the world is essential to fulfill professional obligations for our community.”
Through ASCEND: The Campaign for the University of Denver — an eight-year fundraising effort that ended June 30 — Fronapfel was able to contribute more efficiently while helping more people. “When I was approached to participate in ASCEND, I saw it as a great vehicle,” says Fronapfel, whose donation to the Daniels College was matched by the University. “The scholarship program was discussed, and the opportunity for a match definitely increased the giving potential. It was an easy decision.”
Being a scholarship donor satisfied both professional and personal interests for Fronapfel. Giving to the university and its students holds great meaning for him professionally, he says. And on a personal level, he adds, “providing assistance for education to students who are involved in the design and construction industry creates a better community.”