Honoring and congratulating Drexel University President John Fry on his 2021 receipt of the William Penn Award from the Greater Philadelphia Area Chamber of Commerce, and for his many contributions to Drexel University, the local community, and the entire Philadelphia region.

WHEREAS, In February of 2022, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce announced that John Fry, President of Drexel University, is the 2021 winner of the William Penn Award, which is the highest honor given to a business leader in Greater Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, The William Penn Award has been given annually since 1949. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to improving the Philadelphia region; and

WHEREAS, John Fry was born in Brooklyn, New York and attended Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. He then earned his Masters of Business Administration from New York University’s Stern School of Business before beginning a career in Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, Prior to his time with Drexel, Mr. Fry worked in consulting, specializing in higher education. He worked for both the University of Pennsylvania and Franklin and Marshall College. At both institutions, Mr. Fry helped spearhead effective strategies to elevate the institutions’ profiles and plan for sustainable expansions into the future; and

WHEREAS, John Fry was the President of Franklin and Marshall College from 2002 to 2010 and became Drexel University’s 14th President in 2010; and

WHEREAS, At Drexel University, Mr. Fry has prioritized and established a national example for public-private partnerships.

As part of Drexel’s role as an anchor institution, Mr. Fry announced the creation of a subsidiary enterprise, now under Drexel Applied Innovation, to help students and faculty members partner with the private sector to build businesses around their ideas and inventions. And those relationships will be at the heart of Schuylkill Yards, a $3.5 billion mixed-use development on University real estate adjacent to Philadelphia’s Amtrak 30th Street Station; and

WHEREAS, John Fry has championed major neighborhood revitalization projects and extensive economic development programs around Drexel University’s campus. In addition to major projects like the creation of

the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships as a University extension center in the Mantua neighborhood, Mr. Fry has also fostered partnerships to support neighborhood schools near the University; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Fry has also negotiated a groundbreaking affiliation with the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, launched the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship to foster entrepreneurial learning, and forged a series of academic and research partnerships to enhance Drexel’s global connections in China, Turkey, Israel, Brazil, Chile, India and South Korea; and

WHEREAS, In addition to leading Drexel University, Mr. Fry serves on the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, the Kresge Foundation, the Wistar Institute, Lafayette College and the Philadelphia Orchestra Association; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Fry also served two years as Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, concluding his tenure in October 2018; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the City Council of Philadelphia, Does hereby

honor and congratulate Drexel University President John Fry on his 2021 receipt of the William Penn Award from the Greater Philadelphia Area Chamber of Commerce, and for his many contributions to Drexel University, the local community, and the entire Philadelphia region.

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