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AIA DETROIT MAKES FRANK STELLA
HONORARY MEMBER
DETROIT - Civic leader Frank D. Stella will be named as an
Honorary Affiliate Member of the Detroit Chapter of the American
Institute of Architects on November 16 at the Detroit Athletic Club.
This award was established to recognize people who are not trained
as architects but have made an important contribution to the area’s
quality of life.
Frank Stella is a business leader who founded The F. D. Stella
Products Company in Detroit in 1946 to design and market food
service equipment. This successful company led to a network of
affiliates, international consulting and real estate. The fruit of
this labor has allowed him to lead a life devoted to civic
improvements and religious advancement. The two strains of his life
came together when in 1987 when he was instrumental in persuading
Pope John Paul II to come to Detroit. He was behind the move to
bring Luciano Pavarotti and the Three Tenors show to Tiger Stadium
to benefit Michigan Opera Theater.
Stella supports the arts, education, healthcare, business, community
and church. He serves as a board member for many medical,
educational and religious institutions and numerous civic, business
and political organizations. He is an alumnus of the Detroit College
of Commerce and Finance.
Stella was chair of the Save Orchestra Hall committee. This effort
was championed by AIA Detroit beginning in 1977. He has also been
active with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall and Michigan Opera
Theatre. He was decorated by the government of Italy three times and
received its highest decoration, "Grande Ufficiale," in Rome. He
received the Governor's Arts and Culture Award and Civic Leader
Award from Gov. John Engler. Four presidents have appointed him to
numerous boards and commissions.
The American Institute of Architects Detroit, headed by Victor
Saroki, FAIA, is a chapter of the 75,000 member national
organization. The mission of the Honor Awards program is two fold,
1) to show the public “What Architects Do” and to inform about the
value and importance of architectural excellence and 2) to enable
architects to better understand notable achievements so that
excellence becomes the standard. |
