Founding Donor of Frey Deanship Fund Passes Away

A fourth-generation resident of Grand Rapids and retired chairman of Union Bank and Trust, Co. and its parent business, Union Bancorp, Frey established the Edward J. Frey Endowed Deanship Fund at Michigan Ross in 2008. The gift was made in honor of his father, Edward J. Frey (1910-1988), a 1932 U-M alumnus, World War II veteran, and dedicated philanthropist who had a distinguished career in banking, finance, and insurance. Before his death, David Frey served as the chairman and trustee of the Frey Foundation, which Edward J. Frey and his wife, Frances, established in 1974. 

Sharon F. Matusik, who became the Edward J. Frey Dean of Business on August 1, 2022, met David Frey and his wife, Judy, in September. 

“I am truly honored to hold the Frey deanship at Ross, and I’m incredibly grateful to have been able to meet the Freys on campus this past fall. Their family commitment to higher education and Michigan Ross was truly inspiring.” Dean Matusik said. “I look forward to helping to further the Frey family legacy through the purpose-driven work of our school." 

A well-known and respected donor and volunteer for the University of Michigan, Frey served as a member of the Victors for Michigan Campaign Steering Committee and the West Michigan Campaign Leadership Council. In addition to Ross — the largest benefactor of giving from the Frey Foundation at the university — Frey gave generously to other schools, colleges, and units at U-M, including the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, the School of Education (where his wife received her teaching degree in 1959), Intercollegiate Athletics, and elsewhere. 

A lifelong West Michigander with a robust history of civic engagement, Frey served as a trustee of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, a trustee of the Meijer Foundation, and at-large member of the Grand Valley University Foundation. He was also a founding chair of Grand Action, a Grand Rapids revitalization project. He retired from the banking industry as president and advisor for JP Morgan Chase (now Bank One Western Michigan), and formerly served as a United States Navy Lieutenant. 

The university’s relationship with David Frey spanned nearly 40 years. According to the obituary, a memorial service is planned for June 28, 2023.