Fred Esplin stepped down as vice president for institutional advancement at the end of January, marking the conclusion of a 40-year career at the University of Utah. Esplin joined the institution in 1979 as the director of marketing for KUED Channel 7.
During his tenure, Esplin served as the general manager of KUED starting in 1981 and later held roles as associate director of media services and the Utah Education Network. He was appointed to a vice presidency in 1999. His professional contributions included helping to conceptualize the Utah Education Network, raising the production quality of KUED, and establishing a professional marketing operation for the university. Esplin was also a major force behind the adoption of the block U symbol as the university's primary logo.
Esplin was involved in significant legislative and fundraising efforts, including helping to convince the Utah Legislature to adopt an educational pathway for undocumented students. He also led one $1.65 billion capital campaign for the university and launched a second. Additionally, his leadership at KUED contributed to the establishment of the Eccles Broadcast Center.
Esplin will continue to work on university projects on a part-time basis. His future plans include managing a family ranch, working on family history projects, and volunteering with refugees.
