Franklin Hugo Schapiro (Frank) died September 16, 2017, in Fort Collins, Colorado. He was 73. The cause was lung cancer.
Frank led a diverse and full life. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio, in 1966 and his Master of Arts from there in 1967. He received his Ph.D. from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, in 1970. The focus of his PhD was Human Factors - perception, computers, and applied statistics. His working career began as an Assistant Professor at
New York University in New York City. During that time, his research was conducted with Lexington School for the Deaf focusing on language development and mainstreaming of deaf children.
Financial difficulties at NYU led to a career change for Frank. He became a marketing researcher at the leading advertising agencies Young & Rubicam in New York City and Needham Worldwide in Chicago. He moved from Chicago to one of his major clients, Anheuser Busch in St. Louis, where he was Manager of Marketing Planning and Research. His major responsibilities focused on improving the company's position in light beers including the introduction of Budweiser Light.
In 1985 Frank started Demand Factors, Inc., an independent marketing research firm. He was joined in 1987 by his wife Judith Pagel. The business was heavily involved with organizations working to strengthen America's manufacturing arm, keeping jobs in America, and shaping better trade agreements. Frank testified before the ITC and the FTC on matters associated with NAFTA. He also served full-time as a Visiting Professor at St. Louis University's Cook School of Business and later became a "Quant" at the Bank of America.
While in semi-retirement, he worked as an analyst in the Wyoming Health Department in Cheyenne. In 2015, he and Judy published "The Get Real Guide to Retirement", available on Amazon.
Frank is survived by his wife Judy. The two spent many enjoyable hours hiking in the mountains.
Frank was the son of Eleanor Shapiro, a teacher at Wadsworth High School and the author, with her class of 1938, of
Wadsworth Center to City (1938). Later she published
Wadsworth Heritage (1964), a complete history of Wadsworth, Ohio.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY or University of Akron in Akron, OH. Memorial contributions may be made privately or you may send them to Goes Funeral Care, 3665 Canal Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80524.
