UND inaugurates new Nistler College department

Last week, UND welcomed a prominent alumnus back to campus — one whose philanthropy helped establish a new department and degree program.

On Friday, October 2 — as part of the University’s homecoming festivities — the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration honored Bob Fransen, whose contributions led the University to create the Fransen Department of Real Estate, Economics & Finance.

A native of Coleharbor, N.D., Fransen graduated from UND in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He also lettered in track and field, becoming the first UND athlete to clear seven feet in the high jump, and was inducted into the UND Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017.

Fransen is the CEO and founder of Timberland Partners, a real estate investment and property management firm headquartered in the Twin Cities that owns and operates 21,500 apartment units in 18 states. His expertise in the field was a driving force behind the creation of UND’s first-in-the-region Bachelor of Business Administration in Real Estate.

By integrating the real estate program into the college, students will gain a comprehensive education in economics, finance, marketing and accounting, among other coursework.

UND President Andy Armacost thanked Fransen for his vision and generosity and shared an anecdote from their first meeting.

“The first time I met Bob, he had a picture on his desk of him throwing out the first pitch at a Twins game,” he said. “There was such focus and poise in that picture — I could see in his eyes that it was going to be a strike. I contrast that with my own first pitch at the Twins, when I hit the mascot who was standing off to the side.”

“You have pitched a strike here again,” Armacost continued. “You have created such a sense of momentum and catalyzed the creation of the department. The fact that it combines the expertise of an existing department – the Department of Economics and Finance — creates a vortex of academic power.”

Mike Mannausau, vice president of development at the UND Alumni Association & Foundation, praised Fransen’s lifelong commitment to UND — stating that his contributions will impact generations of students to come.

“What has always impressed me the most about Bob, is not what he built, but what he remembers,” he said. “He remembers where he came from, those who helped him and the role that the University of North Dakota played in his journey. In higher education we often talk about transformational gifts. Sometimes people assume that means a large dollar amount. While that certainly matters, true transformational gifts create opportunities, open doors and change futures for people the donor may never meet. That is exactly what Bob and his family have done.”

With his wife Renee, children Matt and Erin and a number of grandchildren in attendance, Fransen reflected on his career journey — one he joked began inauspiciously.

“I always thought that my contributions to UND would be in the field of athletics — I had no idea they would come to me looking for things from an academic point of view,” Fransen said. “Because I think most professors would recognize me as the guy who sat in the back of the class and never said anything. But as soon as I found my passion, I was able to light a fire in my life. I’ve been incredibly blessed — there have been ups and downs — but I have found myself in a career I can give my heart and soul to.”

Fransen also expressed amazement at the momentum occurring on campus and aptitude of University administrators.

“This is an incredibly tightly run ship,” he said. “These people are on top of their game and are doing wonderful things. One of the definitions of humility is to assume the person you’re talking to knows something you don’t. Everybody here knows something I don’t know, so there’s a lot for me to learn.”