Doug French

| Alumni Profile | By Doug French BA’80

University of Northern Colorado alumnus Doug French (BA ‘80) couldn’t help but notice that every time he went sailing, he would inevitably spill his drink. To help solve that problem, he invented a prototype for attaching a koozie to his lifejacket so he could keep his drink and use both hands to sail at the same time. He kept that prototype for 15 years, but the idea kept nagging him until he finally started doing the research. He soon realized that no one else was doing anything similar, so he decided to move forward on the idea.

His resulting invention was the Stick It Coolie, a drink holder with an adhesive backing that can stick to any clean and dry surface. A person can use a Stick It Coolie on a car, lawn mower, boat, golf cart, jet skis, cooler, ladder or stroller. The website boasts, “If it moves, stick it!” He filed for an intellectual patent and is developing five new models that are stronger with better adhesive.

“It’s not just a cup holder,” he says. “I actually use it as a cell phone holder for my Blackberry while I am in the car or on the boat.”

Doug is no stranger to a boat or the ocean. He first went out to Florida as a part of the Senior Professional Baseball League and his work with the Fort Meyers Sun Sox. He became involved in sailing and now holds his captain’s license. Doug, however, wasn’t always around the ocean and the warm weather. He grew up in Colorado, moved to Berthoud in 1970 and graduated from Berthoud High School in 1975. “I loved the mountains, but I always wanted to live in a warmer climate by the water,” he says.

After high school, he joined Up with People, touring with the group during 1976—the bicentennial year. He remembers being on the field at the halftime show for Super Bowl X. Doug also remembers participating in Bob Hope’s 70th birthday celebration. Up with People was chosen to be ushers, “but I was actually picked from the other lead singers to get up and sing ‘Thanks for the Memories’ to Bob himself,” he recalls with a chuckle.

Once Doug’s stint with Up with People was over, he enrolled at the University of Northern Colorado where he immediately got involved with campus life. “I loved my time at UNC,” he says. “The professors were great.” He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, played on the men’s tennis team, and was a resident advisor in McCowan Hall for three years. Doug’s other claim to fame was that he was the first male UNC cheerleader. Doug graduated in 1980 with a BA in Liberal Arts—English and a minor in business.

Doug used his degree when he went into his first job after graduation as a flight attendant. He flew to Europe for 10 years, traveling to France, England, Germany and Italy where he even picked up some of the languages. “I understood so much of the history and surroundings because of the literature I had read,” he says. “I even recall teaching passengers on the plane about the places they were going and the features they were seeing because of literature.”

The use of his degree was not limited to work in the travel industry. That is how I was able to work on things like the Stick It Coolie,” he says. “The business minor also helped me now that I am working with lawyers.”

“UNC taught me the ability to read and write contracts,” Doug says. “It is so important to know how to write and communicate well, especially now with the Internet and web-based communication.”

Doug continues to remember the University of Northern Colorado in many important ways. A regular donor, Doug is quick to say how vital it is for him to give back to his alma mater. “I thoroughly loved college, and it is important to give back,” he says. “I have loyalty to UNC because of the great education and the great time I had while attending college there.”