Mike Fritzler (HS’88)

Drive, determination and passion are three qualities that have guided and directed Mike Fritzler (HS’88) professionally for over twenty-five years, enabling him to enjoy a rich and rewarding career as a local business owner and community leader.

For the past twenty-six years, Mike has been President and CEO of Fact Computers in Regina, a computer sales and service company, catering to the small and medium-sized business market. After leaving university with a strong grounding in business and computer science, he worked in the security area for a few years at CIBC. But, with only lateral positions available, he took his moxie and knowledge and started Fact Computers. And he’s never looked back.

“I happened to be at the right place at the right time and had enough talent to translate people’s needs and wants into a service they found valuable,” says Mike, who now focuses mainly on sales, but ran all aspects of the business in the early days. But even in those challenging and tough times when his company was still in its infancy, he knew he had made the right decision.

“I could do a little bit of everything, which was great,” says Mike. “The customers had needs and I was able to provide them with solutions. I love being able to fix people’s problems.”

Mike originally opened a retail store on south Albert Street in 1993. In 2009, with the help of his family, he was able to buy a property and move his business closer to Regina’s downtown. He has since expanded into a larger store, also near Regina’s downtown, and in 2012 he opened a second store in Saskatoon. Mike currently employs thirty-two staff between the two locations.

Throughout the many years that Mike was building his business, he was also involved with Luther College High School. He was a board member for seven years, sitting on various committees. Mike was also the first chair of the Building and Facilities Renewal Committee, with the primary focus to complete the High School campus renewal and expansion. The $18 million project included: building the new gymnasium, three classrooms, the student commons, an outdoor team building; as well as upgrades and repairs to the classroom wing and building a new stage in the old gym now called the Merlis Belsher Heritage Centre. The next phase of the project will see upgrades to the University campus and residence.

Although Mike’s role largely involved governance and strategy, he admits he became very involved in the operational side of the building and renewal project. “My mantra was, if we’re gonna build it, we’re gonna build it once and we’re gonna build it right.” He adds that every aspect of the project, right down to the placement of bricks, involved great forethought. “It had to feel like it all fit together and have a feeling like this is your home,” says Mike, stressing his passion for the school drove him to ensure every detail was perfect.

With the successful renewal project winding down, Mike took on an even larger role at Luther, becoming Chair of the Board of Regents in 2015. This volunteer board is involved in all aspects of the College’s strategic operation, developing and managing governance models and policies and assessing its risks to ensure the best possible education is available to the students of both the High School and University campuses.

To learn more about his memories of Luther, please visit www.luthercollege.edu/high-school/lutherstory.

“I wanted to be on the Board ever since high school when I saw the Board members come into chapel and speak. I thought ‘that’s what I want to do’. I saw them as the fathers of the institution. They were driving and steering the school and the staff.”