FREDERICK "FRED" CROTCHFELT III
Fred served in the Army (thanks to ROTC) for two years in Fairbanks, Alaska. After joining GTE Sylvania and successor companies and relocating another seven times, Fred and his family were transferred to the Philadelphia area in 1984. He retired in 2007.
Fred started his Drexel alumni service as a founding member of the Chester County Alumni Club in 1987, serving as its president for three years. He then became active on campus and served as chair of the Alumni Association Board of Governors for three years and also as a member of Drexel's Board of Trustees, during which time Drexel completed the acquisition of the College of Medicine and founded the Law School.
Before becoming chair, Fred served in various capacities on the Alumni Board as chair of the Nomination, Planning, Constituent Outreach, Student Relations and Bylaws Committees. He is a member of Alpha Pi Lambda Fraternity and has been actively involved with the Drexel Inter Fraternity Alumni Association. Fred has been a member of the College of Computing & Informatics Deans Advisory Board, and supports Drexel student veteran activities.
Fred received the Golden Dragon Society Award at Alumni Weekend 2015.
What are you most proud of?
I'm most proud of my children for how they live their lives and the values they have and are instilling in their children, and for my wife who helped me raise them.
Why did you go to Drexel?
I went for the Co-op program. I thought the co-op periods would pay for my education and would give me great insight into the business world. For the most part it did! But, Drexel provided so much more. I met my wife, Annette, there. It gave me the opportunity to make many lifelong friends through Alpha Pi Lambda Fraternity and other student groups with which I was associated. As it has turned out, when we moved back into the area, these provided links for us to re-connect with Drexel through the Alumni Association and we have subsequently made even more Drexel friends.
What is your favorite way to spend free time?
In my free time I spend time with wife, children and grandchildren, help other people through volunteer work, and travel in this country and around the world.
What is the most valuable lesson you've learned?
Treat others how you want to be treated. We come in contact with people every day in work, social and volunteer situations. Helping each other makes us all better.
If you could say "thank you" to someone at Drexel who would it be and why?
Joe Ford – my accounting teacher and advisor when I attended Drexel. Pete Frisko – Annette and I met him when we first became involved with Drexel Alumni Board of Governors and he has been a friend ever since.
Dr. Constantine Papadakis – Taki was an important mentor to me during my time with the Alumni Association and when I was chair of the Alumni Board of Governors.