Alumni Update: Fred Achenbach, ’57

Fred Achenbach, ’57, recently shared some words in the January/February 2023 Pennsylvania Gazette. He wrote about great memories of his days at Wharton and his Penn experience. Fred noted that an alumna from ’60 had written in a previous Gazette about a deli on 40th and Spruce–and could not remember its name.

Trusty Fred to the rescue: it was called Dowburd’s Deli, and Fred noted how it kept him awake in the evenings, “reading, studying, and writing.”

“I loved my four years at Penn where I had a great roommate and fraternity brother, John Stadtmueller ’57, along with a very supportive brotherhood at SPE,” Fred added.

Fred went on to describe a full career and noted that he helped coordinate the merger of Bell of Pennsylvania, New Jersey Bell, and C & P Bell into the Bell Atlantic Corporation, which eventually folded into Verizon.  

After retirement, Fred reported that he was active in the Bucks County political campaigns of John Heinz and Dick Thornburgh.

Fred and his Mrs. have been married for over 65 years and have “three successful kids and five grandchildren.”

Fred concluded, “Thank you, University of Pennsylvania,” and added, “I must be most thankful to my parents who gave me these opportunities.”

As alumni Communications VP, I have to observe that it was Fred who, in turn, chose SigEp, a big win all around.