Erb Family Gives U-M $10 Million to Develop Ecologically and Socially Responsible Business

“If we can raise the next generation of business leaders to think about environmental protection as an essential long-term investment – not a cost to be avoided – we will have taken a major step forward.” - Frederick A. Erb

“We want to create a new generation of leaders who will consider the big picture of our world and who have the protection of the environment as a primary part of their thinking and planning.” – Barbara M. Erb

The $10 million gift in April 2005 builds upon two earlier gifts of $5 million each from the Erbs, representing the largest known commitment to a university for interdisciplinary teaching and research in the area of global sustainable enterprise. This field explores how organizations throughout the world can achieve long-term success by harmonizing economic, environmental and social interests.

Fred and Barbara Erb of Birmingham, Mich. and Naples, Fla., were born and raised in the Detroit area. Fred earned his BBA degree with honors from the University of Michigan in 1947, and promptly bought into his uncle's small lumber and coal business. When sold in 1993, the Erb Lumber Company was a 45-location, diversified business with $300 million in annual sales. His current businesses include Edgemere Enterprises, a real estate management company in Birmingham. Barbara's past community service has included board membership for The Music Hall of Detroit and the Michigan Art Train, and membership of the Women's Committee of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and the local chapter of the National Farm and Garden Club.

The Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise

The Institute fosters professional education, public outreach and scientific scholarship supportive of the transition to sustainability – that is, meeting the fundamental needs of a growing human population in an equitable manner within the means of nature.

“Fred and Barbara Erb had tremendous foresight nearly a decade ago, when they established this Institute to create and spread knowledge that both protects our natural world and facilitates human prosperity. The complexity involved in addressing these immense challenges necessitates that strong interdisciplinary partnerships be built and nourished. At Michigan, our schools of environment and business are committed to this partnership and to seeing that the Erbs' grand vision is realized through the work of the Institute.

- Rosina Bierbaum, Dean, School of Natural Resources and Environment

The success of the Erb Institute rests on the strength of the community of active, committed stakeholders—including students, faculty, staff, alumni, University partners, the Erb Institute External Advisory Board, and many other external partners.

The Erb Institute regularly works together to share knowledge, skills and goals on how to lead the transformation to sustainability, and to continue developing as a locus for this exchange. Each of these groups contributes uniquely to the Erb Institute’s mission, and its work is driven by their wisdom, passion and leadership.

“Thanks in large part to earlier gifts provided by Fred and Barbara Erb, we have accomplished the remarkable feat of securing funding for three endowed professorships with joint appointments in our schools of environment and business. The Max McGraw, Holcim and Dow Chemical Professorships have allowed us to attract and hire three of the world's most talented academics in the area of global sustainable enterprise, and these faculty members are currently conducting research on such important issues as clean energy alternatives, human mobility in densely populated cities, and business strategies for addressing global climate change.”

- Robert Dolan, Dean, Ross School of Business