Steve and Frosene Zeis

UNC Asheville’s Science and Multimedia Building is named in honor of Steve and Frosene Zeis, who earlier this year presented a $3 million gift to the University, the largest private gift in UNC Asheville’s history.

The Zeises established scholarship funds with a $1 million bequest and provided a $2 million life income gift for university programs.

In recognition of their contributions, the UNC Asheville Board of Trustees voted to name UNC Asheville’s new Science and Multimedia Building in honor of the Zeises. 

Steve Zeis is a native of Istanbul of Greek heritage who immigrated to the United States in 1957. Planning to study textiles at North Carolina State College (now N.C. State University), he enrolled at Asheville-Biltmore College, predecessor to UNC Asheville. After a year of classes, he transferred to N.C. State and earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Textiles.

His career in textile research, development and processing provided the international business experience and contacts that allowed the Zeises to start their own firm, ZTM Sales and Service Inc., in 1983. This Asheville-based company represented some of Europe’s most prominent textile machinery manufacturers in the United States and Canada. Steve, who speaks six languages, represented a diverse mix of European textile machine companies, while Frosene, an Asheville native and honors graduate with a degree in business from the former St. Genevieve of the Pines School in Asheville, managed the business side of ZTM.

The Zeises kept their eye on UNC Asheville, returning to participate in numerous career fairs where they sought new employees from among graduating students and offered advice to students who were creating their own dreams and plans for the working world.

“We have watched UNC Asheville grow, widening its curriculum and receiving diverse accreditations and recognitions. We are proud of UNC Asheville and are happy to be contributing in some measure toward the fulfillment of the university’s educational objectives while assisting young students to pursue their life’s dream, as we ourselves were able to do,” Steve said.