On June 13, Texas Governor Greg Abbott appointed three people to the University of North Texas System Board of Regents. According to an announcement from the Office of the Texas Governor, all three terms will expire on May 22, 2027.
Those appointed were Laura Wright, Ashok Mago, and Lindy Rydman.
The Board of Regents is composed of nine individuals who govern the University of North Texas System, per the UNT System website. The Texas Senate must confirm the appointees after the governor appoints them.
“Regent terms last for six years and are staggered so that three members are appointed every two years during the legislative session,” the website explains.
A student regent is also appointed each year, with terms beginning on June 1.
Wright has been on the Board of Regents since 2015 and has acted as the chair since 2019, Abbott’s announcement stated. She also spent 25 years working for Southwest Airlines. During her final eight years with the airline, she was the senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer.
“She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for TE Connectivity, LTD, CMS Energy, Spirit Aerospace Systems, and Joby Aviation,” Abbott’s announcement read. “She is a former trustee, audit committee chair, governance chair, and executive committee member of the University of North Texas Foundation and a former member of the University of North Texas Business School Advisory Board. Additionally, she is a member of the Texas State Society of Certified Public Accountants. Wright received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of North Texas.”
Mago is the CEO and chairman of Mago and Associates Inc. and a member of the Salvation Army of North Texas Advisory Board, the UT Southwestern Simmons Cancer Center Community Advisory Board, and the Primary Care Clinic of North Texas.
The president of India awarded Mago the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman award in 2010 and the Padma Shri award in 2014.
“Mago is a distinguished alumnus of Leadership Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas,” the official announcement shared. “Mago received a bachelor’s degree from Delhi University, India and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas.”
Mago has also been a member of the Dallas Museum of Art Board of Trustees, the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau Board & Executive Board, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Board, and the BBVA Compass Bank Advisory Board in Dallas. He founded the Greater Dallas Indo-American Chamber, which has since been renamed the US-INDIA Chamber.
Rydman also attended the University of North Texas, the announcement states, where she majored in Music Education. She has been the co-owner of Spec’s Wines, Spirits and Finer Foods since 1996.
“Prior to her current position with Spec’s, she held various roles with the company since 1972,” Abbott’s official announcement stated. “She is a member of the Texas Package Stores Association and President of Spec’s Charitable Foundation.”
According to the UNT System website, terms are staggered, with the governor appointing three members every two years. Members with terms expiring in May 2023 are Carlos Munguia, Mary Denny, and Milton B. Lee. The terms expiring in May 2025 are for board members Melisa Denis, Daniel Feehan, and John Scott Jr.
