Dr. Fransen is FEE's Board Secretary and a national authority on higher education and philanthropy. From 1996 until 2006, he served in several positions at Liberty Fund, Inc. From 2001 to 2006, he simultaneously served as director of grants for the Pierre F. and Enid Goodrich Foundation. In 2006, Dr. Fransen began providing support to philanthropists through his own advisory company, Donor Advising, Research & Educational Services (DA*R*ES). His company provides back and front office services for family foundations, engages in strategic planning and project development, and acts as an agent in negotiating and structuring major gifts and giving programs, particularly in the field of higher-education philanthropy. Dr. Fransen has been involved in helping structure and oversee tens of millions of dollars worth of gifts to universities, churches, medical facilities, and nonprofit organizations. Fred has a Ph.D. in Social Thought from the University of Chicago.
