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Rex Frandsen Retires After 40 Years of Devoted Service

Change and good solid values seem to be the theme of the dedication given to Brigham Young University Hawaii by Rex Frandsen. As a senior faculty member, staff and alumnus, Frandsen retires this month after spending over 40 years developing a legacy of hard work, humility, flexibility, support, service, and leadership.

"I guess it really started when I was in about fourth grade," comments the cordial Frandsen. "I just had this desire that this is where I wanted to come." Frandsen seized the opportunity to try a semester at the Church College of Hawaii. "Once I got here I just really enjoyed the people, I enjoyed the atmosphere, I enjoyed the school and I felt like this is where I needed to be at the time. So I just stayed on."

As a sophomore, Frandsen became student body president. "It was good fun working with the students and the administration. It's good to look back now and see the growth in not only the student body as a whole, but the student government and how it has matured and been able to provide a lot more activities than we were able to do."

During his time as a student, he witnessed the naming of the dorms, construction of the Aloha Center, auditorium renovations, and Cannon Activities Center plans. Frandsen met his wife, Linda Poliahu, while visiting her brother for a long weekend on the Big Island. After a three-year long distance courtship, they were married in the Laie temple. Together, they have raised five children, 13 foster children and adopted one foster child who is now 16.

Before graduating in 1968 in Business Management, Frandsen was a student worker in the library and was asked to stay on as an intern. He appreciates that opportunity because it allowed him time off to earn a master's in library science at the University of Hawaii. He then proceeded to use a year-long sabbatical to get a Specialist Degree, equivalent to a doctorate without a dissertation required, in media from Brigham Young University in Provo.

"It sounds like a really mixed up thing," Frandsen said, referring to his different degrees, "but they've all worked together for whatever jobs that I've had here." For example, he worked in various library positions including archivist, reference librarian, director, and Dean of the Division of Learning Resources. It was a "wonderful opportunity for me because I got to know the library and its workings...which prepared me to be the director of the library when the time came."

Frandsen's co-workers have nothing but praise for his amazing work ethic. "He worked at nights in the Auditorium and then worked all day in the Archives. He had very long days but he's a worker and he does it because that's what the job requires. He works to serve all the programs on campus; always has," commented Dr. Dwight Miller, fellow employee in the Division of Learning Recourses. 

Riley Moffat, head reference librarian and long time friend, explained that Frandsen was always "making sure that our library was the best it could be, as far as an undergraduate library, keeping it the best in the state."

Sonny Ah Puck stated, "I would put him in a class of his own. Very few people can do what he's done and accomplish what he's accomplished, not only here at the University but also within individuals lives." And Marynelle Chew even compared him to the Energizer Bunny!

With all the changes that evolved on campus and in the library under his watch, many have called Frandsen an innovator. Chew explained that Frandsen is a "visionary because he really had a lot of ideas that were ahead of his time." He was the first to bring computerized databases to campus. In conjunction with the School of Business, Frandsen started the 100-plus databases and Internet research facilities that we use today. He also transformed physical to electronic resources.

"He's very akamai (smart)...a very flexible person. He's also an individual who's a forward thinker," Miller continued. "I think that his greatest contribution has been his vision in seeing what needed to be done, and he always worked behind the scenes to make things happen."

"He's so creative too!" exclaimed Chew; and Moffat explained that Frandsen "would be the go-to-guy when putting up a display...[because] he had this artistic flare. He could put it together and make it look nice."

"That was the fun part of work," Frandsen responded. "The University was very generous on funds that allowed us to do some of the things that we did." Today, he said "things have changed," with less emphasis placed on materials and displays. "The University is a dynamic, ever-changing place, so you have to roll with the change or decide to move out."

Frandsen followed his own advice on flexibility. For example, he became the Associate Chief Information Officer under former CIO Bret Ellis. Though to Frandsen, "[It] was a real eye opener!" Ellis said, "He never once said, ‘This is hard!' or ‘I don't want to do this!' He just accepted the responsibility; and from my perspective, has always just been 110% in making sure that it's delivered. He's also a person that was always thinking of creative ways to improve process or organization."

As Jim Nilson became CIO, Frandsen switched gears again, maintaining the datacenter and infrastructure. "While he doesn't have the technological knowledge," explained Nilson, "he is a people person. One thing that has always impressed me about Rex is that he's always kind, understanding, and interested in you as an employee."

"It's just been a continual education process as well as a great opportunity to work and to learn," said Frandsen, who has served under all but two BYU-Hawaii presidents. "It's interesting to see the different personalities of the presidents. When you look back at it you can really see the Lord's hand in why that person was chosen as a president for that time period." In fact, Frandsen was heavily involved in multiple inaugurations as well as both the silver (25 years) and golden (50 years) jubilee celebrations.

Frandsen has also taught reference classes at UH, was there in the beginnings of the Mormon Pacific Historical Society, of the Consortium of Church Libraries and Archives, and served in various ward, stake, regional, and temple callings.

With all his accomplishments, he never fails to exhibit humility and servitude. "Rex Frandsen will long be remembered for his kind, pleasant nature and his unselfish leadership," former President Eric Shumway and his wife Caroline commented. "Rex is meek the way Moses was meek, eager to obey the Lord and to do the right thing. One might say that Rex's character helps redefine the concept of servant-leader and leader-follower. No leader who has felt his follower-ship will forget his loyalty and love."

"He is one of the jewels of the campus," declares Chew. "This place isn't going to be the same with out him."

When he retires, Frandsen plans to move to a newly purchased home in Herriman, Utah. "We will miss it [Hawaii] very much but we feel like the Lord is calling us to this other place... In December things just fell in place...and so we felt like we needed to follow what the Lord had in mind and move forward."