Alumni Fred Potthoff, 1970 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and Ann Reddig Potthoff, 1972 Bachelor of Science in Education, have built a life fueled by entrepreneurship, philanthropy and teamwork. From Fred’s start in pharmaceutical sales to the couple’s co-founding of Kroff Chemical Company, Inc, they’ve worked together to build a successful business enterprise. Today, Kroff Inc. serves as a holding company comprising seven specialized businesses focused on industrial water treatment and technical services.
Shippensburg University and the Shippensburg University Foundation continue to celebrate entrepreneurship through America the Entrepreneurial campaign, as well as the renovation of Kriner Hall, which serves as the new home of the Charles H. Diller Jr. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation. The Potthoffs’ success represents the Diller Center’s mission to inspire current and future business leaders. Their generous support helped bring this entrepreneurial hub into fruition. Their legacy is commemorated in the center, where the vestibule has been named the Fred and Ann Potthoff Vestibule in recognition of their entrepreneurial achievements and their commitment to supporting education.
Fred explained how his time at Ship taught him the importance of interpersonal communication within business and sales, while both he and Ann credit the university with providing them with a strong foundation for their shared future.
“Sales is fundamentally about building trust, listening and forming genuine relationships. Ship was ideal for this because it allowed me to interact more closely with professors, staff and peers.
After graduating, Fred served on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve before continuing to advance his business career in pharmaceutical sales. Eventually, he joined Nalco, a former Fortune 500 company specializing in industrial water treatment. Following Ann’s graduation in 1972, the couple married and began building their life together in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
As Fred gained industry expertise at Nalco, he met Keith Kronk, who would later become his business partner. In 1988, Fred and Ann, alongside Kronk, co-founded Kroff Chemical Company, Inc. Turning their vision into reality required confidence to take calculated risks. They took out a line of credit and entered what Fred described as “a race against time” to build a steady flow of income. With time, their hard work paid off.
Today, Kroff Inc. has grown into a diversified holding company that provides industrial water treatment products and technical services to customers across a wide variety of industries. In addition to supplying treatment chemicals, Kroff Inc. also specializes in engineering services, laboratory testing, process optimization and on-site technical support.
While Kroff’s primary market remains in the United States, it serves customers worldwide.
“We’ve done business in all the continents in the world except for Australia,” said Fred.
The Potthoffs’ entrepreneurial success has enabled them to give back to education. In 2011, they established the Frederick and Ann Reddig Potthoff Scholarship, a four-year scholarship supporting students in the John L. Grove College of Business and those pursuing secondary certification in English.
Together, Fred and Ann have remained committed to ensuring future generations of students have access to opportunities that can set them up for successful futures. Their shared values of giving back, celebrating innovation, collaboration and perseverance are central to the mission of the Charles H. Diller Jr. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation. Through experiential learning, mentorship and industry partnerships, Ship continues to celebrate alumni entrepreneurs and prepare the future generation of business leaders.
