Fry focuses on U. business

As executive vice president, Fry is responsible for all non-academic aspects of the University, including security, facilities, business services and finance. He and the provost -- his academic counterpart -- report to University President Judith Rodin on their respective spheres of responsibility. One important focus for Fry has been his emphasis on efficiency and good business practices. A case in point is Fry's restructuring of Penn's administration which -- while resulting in the loss of 200 jobs -- brought costs down significantly and created a more effective administrative structure. The results -- which inspired both plaudits and hostility -- have proved typical of Fry's tenure. A decision to outsource facilities management promises to be lucrative to Penn, but has left many employees with concerns about job security. The Sansom Common retail complex, an idea implemented on Fry's watch, is another example of a lucrative endeavor for the University that has aroused the ire of the surrounding community. Penn will receive guaranteed revenues in excess of $1.3 million annually from the new University Bookstore alone. But Fry has also spearheaded efforts to revitalize the area around Penn's campus, creating the possibility for unprecedented community warmth for the University. These programs have included loans for faculty and staff who buy homes in West Philadelphia, refurbishment of several of the area's retail strip malls and a variety of initiatives designed to crack down on crime in the area. Fry arrived at Penn after 10 years at Coopers & Lybrand, a prominent consulting firm. He had directed an educational and non-profit consultation team for the firm. Just prior to his arrival at Penn, Fry led a Coopers audit of the University, data and conclusions from which have guided many of his subsequent initiatives at Penn. Fry is a 1982 graduate of Lafayette University. He earned his MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business while working at Peat Marwick, another consulting firm. A rising figure nationally, Fry was named one of the top young leaders in academe by the American Association for Higher Education.