VP heads west for new job

Bob Frazier

UM Executive Vice President Bob Frazier has accepted a position as vice president for external affairs at Western Washington University in Bellingham.

Frazier left UM in May after 15 years as executive assistant to UM President George Dennison. During that time he served UM in many capacities, from lobbying at the Montana Legislature to overseeing the University’s highly successful logo and product-licensing program, among other marketing efforts. Since last November, Frazier also had served as interim dean of UM’s Helena College of Technology.

“I find it difficult to think about the University without Bob’s presence and assistance,” Dennison said. “His contributions span the multi-campus University, which he helped to coordinate from its beginning in the mid-’90s, and little on the Missoula campus occurred without his involvement. He can say, as he moves on to a new challenge, that he has truly made a difference.”

During his UM tenure, Frazier oversaw campuswide efforts to increase the visibility of UM by improving graphic images and advancing licensing of the Montana Grizzlies logo, which has become one of the top 50 sellers among colleges and universities represented by the Atlanta-based Collegiate Licensing Co.

In addition, Frazier initiated efforts to revive the long-dormant University of Montana Press, co-authoring one of the first books published under that label, “Charles Fritz, An Artist With the Corps of Discovery.”

Frazier has worked in higher education for more than 26 years and previously worked at Montana State University. During most of his tenure with UM, he served as a member of the multi-campus Executive Committee, holding the additional title of University Executive Vice President, and coordinated the interrelationships of the four campuses.