Brian Brady ’03 had a dream — several dreams in fact. One of his dreams was for an events and recreation center to be built at The College at Brockport. Today, just nine years after graduating from Brockport, Brian is helping to turn his dream into a reality.
“I realized when I returned to the campus for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Clark V. Whited Baseball Complex that I wanted to give back to my College when I was financially able to do so. When I heard that SERC (Sports, Events, Recreation Center) construction had begun, I thought it would be a great way and the right time to make a gift to the College. I’ve always told everyone that the four years I spent at Brockport have been the best four years of my life,” says Brian.
It was through Brian’s initial efforts that SERC was born. “I remember the first time I thought the campus needed a venue like SERC. I was BSG president in 2001 and BSG did a lot of programming on campus, including a major concert in Tuttle North. The gymnasium where the concert was held is designed so that the floor is ‘on springs,’ which is more conducive to playing basketball than to hosting rock concerts. Unfortunately, during the concert, the spring in the floor caused a tower of speakers to nearly fall over. Luckily that did not happen, but it was clear that we needed a different venue for major campus programs,” says Brian. But he didn’t want to build just any venue. His dream was for what he calls a pinnacle facility that would differentiate Brockport from other campuses. This would be a state-of-the-art facility the entire campus and community could be proud of.
Brian took his idea to then President Paul Yu, which launched many brainstorming sessions. “Today I envision SERC as being one of the largest and most innovative athletic and special events center in the SUNY system. It will be a facility that other campuses will want to emulate,” said Brian.
SERC will open in September with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the naming of the center’s two multi-purpose rooms, one of which will be designated The Brian Brady Multi-purpose Room.
As an international business and economics major at Brockport, Brian also learned many things about himself and his dreams for his own future. He realized that he wanted to pursue a career with Henry Schein, Inc. where he participated in two summer internships — internships that would give him a head start in launching his dynamic career with the company. But it wasn’t just his major and internships that gave Brian an edge over his competition. Brian’s advanced managerial and leadership skills developed during his term as BSG president also have served him well in the business world.
“My degree from Brockport has most certainly given me a competitive advantage in my professional life. When I was promoted to management at Henry Schein, I immediately had a team of more than a dozen professionals reporting to me; many of whom were twice my age. The leadership skills I attained as BSG president, where I also managed a large staff, helped me tremendously in easing into a corporate management role,” said Brian.
When his BSG presidency came to an end he wasn’t ready to hang up his hat in event programming. “I had a passion for it, and in 2002 I launched The Creative Promotions Agency (CPA), a booking agency for several high profile speakers (authors, activists, celebrities, etc.) that lectured nationally. It was a terrific experience. The majority of the agency was sold off a few years later to a larger music agency that wanted a lecture division, but I still own CPA and broker select engagements on occasion. The knowledge and skills I acquired at Brockport, without a doubt, have benefitted me both with my agency and in the corporate arena.
“When President (John R.) Halstead and I had dinner not long ago in San Diego, I candidly told him that on my first night as a freshman at Brockport living in Benedict Hall, I wanted nothing more than for my parents to come back from Long Island and take me home. It was my first experience being away from home. I was quite miserable. After a couple of weeks, I knew I had to be proactive and get involved if I was going to enjoy my time at Brockport. One day I walked into the BSG office and asked if I could volunteer. I quickly began making friends and my happiness outlook did a 180 degree turn.” Brian later became involved in theatre and the College/Community Chorus, and was active with charities in Rochester. “I have memories from those experiences that I will never forget,” said Brian.
I am looking forward to returning to Brockport for the SERC ribbon cutting ceremony. My family and younger brother Curtis ’06, also a Brockport graduate, will be coming with me as well. It’s going to be stunning to see that this state-of-the-art facility, once just a dream in my mind, has become a reality. I also am looking forward to seeing many of the other changes that have taken place on campus since I left in 2003 and connecting with faculty and friends.
Brian’s plans for the near future are to remain in “sunny and beautiful San Diego,” where he had attended a student government convention in 2001. “I vividly remember walking along Pacific Beach (a suburb of San Diego) with some other conference attendees and saying to myself, ‘I hope to one day live here; this is paradise.’ It’s amazing how life plays out. I hope to continue my career at and advance with Henry Schein. It’s a large company with a progressive global strategic plan, and I hope to be a part of that plan and potentially have the opportunity to live and work in other countries,” says Brian, who also plans to continue giving to Brockport.
“I told President Halstead that I would like to be a part of the expansion of the International Exchange Program. I think Brockport would benefit from more international students on campus and integrated with traditional students. Scholarships can help attract quality international students from around the globe, and I also plan on assisting with that in the future.
“In order for public universities to build state-of-the-art facilities such as SERC, offer innovative programs, and attract the best faculty and students, they need more funding than the state provides,” says Brian. It’s so important for alumni to give back to their Alma Mater if they are financially able to do so. Offering a major gift to Brockport provides me an outlet to continue my connection to the place that provided me the four best years of my life.”
Brockport Foundation
350 New Campus Drive
The College at Brockport
Brockport, NY 14420
Learn about some of the scholarships and awards that have been made possible through the generosity of alumni and friends like you.
Mornings with the Professors began Tuesday February 12!
Zotero (Education focus)
5 pm - 6:15 pm
Naturalization Ceremony
11 am - noon
Leadership Program Kick-off
3:30 pm - 5 pm
ADP Distinguished Speaker Series "The Audacity to Heal: Our Rape Culture"
7 pm - 9 pm
Faculty/Staff Campaign Kickoff
noon - 1:30 pm
