Fred Bargetzi, BS '90

When Fred Bargetzi passed away in January of 2021 his family and colleagues wanted to honor the memory of a man who had inspired them so much. His colleagues at Crestron Electronics, where Mr. Bargetzi worked for over 30 years, decided to establish the Fred Bargetzi Memorial Scholarship at UB, where Mr. Bargetzi graduated with a BS in electrical engineering in 1990.

Mr. Bargetzi’s kindness, creativity and passion will not be soon forgotten. Former colleagues and friends attest that Mr. Bargetzi’s enthusiasm was contagious. He was passionate about everything he was a part of: Crestron Electronics, the audio/visual (AV) industry, his family and friends, his colleagues and co-workers and innovation itself. During his time at Crestron, Mr. Bargetzi led a global team of more than 700, mentored countless engineers and professionals and had a hand in the evolution of AV technology. His vision motivated many and led Crestron Electronics on the path of becoming an industry leader.

Mr. Bargetzi was a family man through and through and wished to leave the world better than he found it. He cared about empowering others to achieve their dreams. This scholarship keeps his legacy alive and well here at the University at Buffalo. The endowed fund provides scholarships to underrepresented students, including students who identify as female, LGBTQ+, Black, Latinx, Native American, are veterans or have a disability. Each year, at least one scholarship will go to a student majoring in electrical engineering.