Our Founders

Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb

Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb founded the Institute in 1996 with an endowment gift of $5 million. Since then, their generous support and unwavering commitment has continued to grow. To date, they have made cumulative gifts totaling $20 million in support of the Institute.

Both Fred and Barbara were born and raised in the Detroit area. After graduating in 1941 from the Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills, Fred Erb attended Cornell University to study engineering. In 1942 he transferred to the University of Michigan and it was there he met Barbara, at a New Year's Eve celebration. With the onset of World War II, Fred joined the Army Enlisted Reserve and was called to active duty in June 1943. While he was away, Barbara worked as the secretary for the headmaster of Cranbrook School. After the war, Fred and Barbara were married and Fred immediately resumed his education at Michigan. Having decided that he wanted to be an entrepreneur and "control his own destiny," Fred switched from engineering to business and achieved his BBA degree with honors in August 1947.

Degree in hand, Fred seized his first entrepreneurial opportunity and bought into his uncle's lumber and coal business in Royal Oak, Michigan. At that time, the Erb Lumber Company had one store, seven employees, and revenues approaching $200,000, one third of which were generated from the sale of coal. Fred developed and expanded the enterprise and when he sold it to Carolina Builders in 1993 the Erb Lumber Company had 45 locations and approximately $300 million in sales. Fred continues to be active in real estate development and management, and in many other businesses including Edgemere Enterprises in Birmingham. Barbara was active in numerous community service organizations and served on the boards of The Music Hall of Detroit and the Michigan Art Train.  She was a member of the Women’s Committee of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and the local chapter of the National Farm and Garden Club.  Fred and Barbara have four children and four grandchildren.