May 7, 2021
Bob Brown has been a champion for fiscal responsibility and students-first initiatives that have moved UNT forward throughout the seven years he has served the university as senior vice president for finance and administration.
Brown's strong work ethic and dedication to UNT helped him guide the university through a tough financial transformation that set a strong foundation for UNT's recent progress. He even unveiled himself in superhero garb at a staff meeting in an effort to pump up the staff.
There is no question that Brown more than deserves to be named UNT's Brand Ambassador of the Month for May, an award presented to staff and faculty who demonstrate four or more of UNT's primary brand attributes — creative, imaginative, artistic, original, dedicated, persevering, industrious, resilient, supportive, friendly, compassionate and inclusive.
“This award is for those who typify the spirit of our university,” President Neal Smatresk said. “Bob has earned the Brand Ambassador of the Month Award for his determined and persistent support of UNT.”
Brown, who also is a two-time UNT alumnus, truly appreciated receiving the award.
“I think it is a fabulous honor. I bleed Mean Green. One of the main reasons I came back to UNT is because I love this place,” Brown said Thursday when he was surprised with the award at his retirement celebration. “To believe that others feel I personify what the University of North Texas is all about is about the highest honor I could get.”
Those who report to Bob also say he has been an incredibly positive force for the university and also for many of them in their careers and personal pursuits. Words like “accountable,” “approachable,” “supportive,” “transparent,” “leader” and “mentor” are used again and again by his staff to describe him.
There was never any question what Brown stood for at UNT. He is well-known for stressing fiscal responsibility and work efficiency, championing employee engagement and collaborating with his peers on the cabinet to implement initiatives that helped move student success forward.
“With Bob's support and dedication, we've been able to achieve great successes in recent years such as designation as a Tier One research university, record-setting enrollment, campus beautification, creation of 100 new doctoral lines, Frisco campus establishment, and significant main campus growth,” the president wrote in a message to the UNT community. “It is clear that he worked for the good of the whole.”
Read about the Division of Finance and Administration's Bob Day celebration.