Fran’s Chocolates made big news in 2009 when it was learned that newly elected President Barack Obama was a big fan of her Grey Sea Salt Caramels. While that was nice, the truth is that owner Fran Bigelow, ’65, has always had a big following in the Pacific Northwest for the artisan chocolates she started crafting and selling in 1982.

This fall marks the 30th anniversary of Fran’s Chocolates, which has grown into a world-class chocolatier with three shops in Seattle, not to mention a thriving online and mail-order business.

Fran’s is a family operation; her son Dylan is director of chocolate and manages production, while daughter Andrina is the CEO and manages sales and marketing. They work together in handling growth, production and development of new products. Truth be told, Bigelow didn’t expect this much sweet success. “My goal was just to open a European style chocolate shop,” she says. “I was a business major at the UW. My education gave the confidence that I could go into business. I knew I had the background to ask the right questions and where to get assistance when that was needed.”