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Need something to spruce up your dorm room?

Zaid Safiulla, a 2002 University of Denver graduate, can help out. “Zed,” Safiulla’s business, designs and creates architectural accents and decorations, as well as hardware and sculptures.

The business is officially run out of an office, but Safiulla has a private studio in his home in Aurora in case of 3 a.m. bursts of creativity. Safiulla is the owner of the business, but he works with several others.

Originally from India, Safiulla graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in business from the Daniels College of Business.

The artisans of “Zed” mainly work in metals, specializing in bronze, stainless steel and copper. Many of the signs at DU’s Graduate School of International Studies were made by “Zed,” as were all of the clocks in the GSIS cafCB).

A sculpture of a hockey player made by “Zed” is for sale in the DU bookstore in Driscoll Center. Safiulla has also worked with the DU physics department, Arboretum, and office of the Dean.

At the moment, Safiulla is working on a project with a designer in New York. They are embedding semiprecious stones in steel tile. According to Safiulla, this has never been done before. Tiles have been made with glass and other decorative objects, but never with semiprecious stones. He said that he wanted to offer sincere thanks to Casey Medina and Susie Geiger, who have helped him a lot with his business.

“Zed” is also creating bronze bolts in the shape of the rose window on the Newmann Center for the Performing Arts. The bolts will be used to hold up plaques bearing the names of donors. The company is also creating a bronze insert of the DU logo for Marc Holtzman’s office.

Nancy Allen, dean and director of Penrose Library, ordered small plaques with the DU logo, which she will be giving as gifts to donors at the upcoming donor luncheon.

Safiulla was one of the candidates for Time magazine’s spotlight on alumni who have started businesses, but was not selected.

Safiulla can be contacted by e-mail at zsafiull@du.edu.

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