Frank Bracken (’63)
Frank Bracken retired from Haggar Clothing Co. in 2005 after a 42-year career with the company, joining as a management trainee and retiring as president. Mr. Bracken, who received his bachelor's degree in marketing from UNT in 1963, and his wife, campaign-co-chair Janet Bracken, have been involved with The Campaign for UNT since its beginning in 2007. The Brackens have generously supported many fundraising initiatives, including Mean Green athletics, the College of Business and the Emerald Eagle Scholars program.
"The North Texas region has a huge economy — to be the go-to university here is a fabulous aspiration," he says. "We are far and away the most significant university in this region."
Mr. Bracken is an alumni member of Sigma Nu fraternity and currently serves as president of the Dallas-Fort Worth alumni chapter. He says his time at UNT shaped his successful career.
"My education here was second to none. It prepared me in a tremendous way for the business world," he says. "If you apply yourself, you can come out of UNT and do great things. Not just the invaluable education you receive at UNT, but all the personal life experiences you take away — nobody can take that away from you."
Janet Bracken
An active Dallas community volunteer, Janet Bracken serves on the Dallas board of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Additionally, she chaired the Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas "Big Black Tie Ball" in 2010 and 2011. She and her husband, campaign co-chair Frank Bracken, are ardent UNT supporters. Together they have generously supported many fundraising initiatives, including Mean Green athletics, the College of Business and the Emerald Eagle Scholars program.
When Mrs. Bracken decided to pursue a four-year degree last year, UNT was the only university she considered. She is now earning a bachelor's degree in applied arts and sciences. As a current student, she frequently meets classmates who could have gone anywhere but chose UNT because of the strength of its programs and its reputation in North Texas.
"When you're on campus and you meet these students, you see that UNT gives them an opportunity that they wouldn't have somewhere else," she says. "I just look at the university and see what it does for our community, for our students, and I want to be a part of that. I'm so proud to be a student here — I can't wait to graduate."
Mrs. Bracken has a special place in her heart for UNT's Emerald Eagle Scholars.
"I'm thrilled that the Emerald Eagle Scholars are afforded an opportunity to go to a fantastic university that they can be proud of, and that they can graduate and go on to do great things," she says.
G. Brint Ryan (’88, ’88 M.S.)
Brint Ryan is the chairman and CEO of Ryan L.L.C., an award-winning global tax services firm headquartered in Dallas. He is married to Amanda Ryan. Mr. Ryan received his bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting from UNT in 1988. He is vice chairman of the UNT System Board of Regents. Ryan has generously supported his alma mater, giving more than $1 million to support the College of Business' accounting program and supporting initiatives such as scholarships, the Emerald Eagle Scholars program and the new Apogee Stadium.
Mr. Ryan says he is living proof of the transformative power of education. He counts himself among those who started with little and succeeded because of a UNT education.
"I came to Denton with $300 and an old Buick," he said. "UNT gave me an opportunity that was the foundation for my success. We wouldn't be here if not for UNT."
Mr. Ryan is currently leading the UNT Presidential Search Advisory Committee appointed by UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson to find a successor for UNT President V. Lane Rawlins, who is retiring this year. In 2012, Mr. Ryan was named top CEO in the mid-size company category by the Dallas Morning News, and his company was ranked sixth among mid-size companies in the News' Top 100 Places to Work list. Ryan L.L.C. serves more than 6,500 clients around the world, including many prominent Global 5000 companies.
Gayle Strange (’67)
Gayle Strange and her husband, Virgil Strange ('68), are owners of Axiom Commercial Co. in Denton. Mrs. Strange received her bachelor's degree in English from UNT in 1967. She also received a bachelor's degree in journalism, summa cum laude, from Texas Woman's University in 1980. Mrs. Strange is a former chair of the UNT System Board of Regents. She and her husband have generously supported many UNT fundraising initiatives, including the Alumni Center in the Gateway Building, the Shrader Pavilion and the Student-Athlete Development Center, which is dedicated in their name.
Mrs. Strange, who came to UNT 50 years ago this year, says she has been lucky to experience UNT as a student, as a community leader and as a representative of the university.
"We've lived in Denton most of our lives, and we've been associated with the university for all this time," she says. "I have gone from an undergraduate student finding my way and not being able to afford to buy the books to being on the board of regents — that's a pretty good span, and it's a good perspective on the university!" Mrs. Strange says private support for UNT is more important than ever.
"As state support for public institutions continues to go down and costs continue to escalate, private giving is imperative," she says. "We need to do the very best job we can to provide that funding if we believe in what's going on here at UNT. And I do."
Mrs. Strange is especially passionate about supporting UNT's Emerald Eagle Scholars program.
"The Emerald Eagle Scholars reach all aspects of the university, every discipline, and they're worthy students who need the assistance we can give them," she says. "Many of them would not be here without that program."