Dean Fritchen

Wednesday, March 10, 2021 1:43 pm

Dean Henry Fritchen, formerly of Decorah, and a leader in the communications business in New York City, and later a highly successful commercial real estate specialist in Central Florida, died Nov. 9, 2020, of natural causes. He was 91.

Mr. Fritchen, who liked to say he had had “a good kick of the can” during his very active career, was proud of being a native of Iowa (During his stint in the Navy, after graduating from the University of Iowa, he served as an ensign aboard the USS Iowa). Later, although only a Lieutenant, he was promoted to head of the Magazine and Book division and later head of Public Speaking and Civil Inquiries.

After the Navy, Mr. Fritchen began a career in public relations. He first joined Dudley-Anderson-Yutzy in New York and next ran his own PR agency, Dean Fritchen Public Relations, from 1958-1966. He then joined the communications conglomerate Metromedia as Corporate Vice President of Marketing. In 1971, he moved to the Advertising Council, home of Smokey the Bear and other public service advertising icons, serving as VP for five years. In 1976. Mr. Fritchen became Senior VP of Madison Square Gardens sports complex.

Mr. Fritchen moved to Orlando, Fla., in 1978 where he started a second successful career in real estate as Senior Commercial Associate with Coldwell Banker. While there Mr. Fritchen closed property deals of all sizes and varieties during his 35 years in real estate. He was affectionally known as “the Dean of commercial real estate” among his peers.

Mr. Fritchen was twice married with no children