Hiring Spaniolo a coup for North Texas group

The North Texas Commission has hired a real leader — James D. Spaniolo, former president of the University of Texas at Arlington.

This is a significant hire for the 45-year-old commission, a consortium that includes business executives, government leaders, chamber of commerce representatives and university administrators.

Think of it as a sort of super-regional chamber of commerce that aims to strengthen public-private alliances and boost the North Texas economy.

Spaniolo is a man with broad vision. As UTA’s president from 2004 until he retired in 2013, he was responsible for generating and guiding booming growth in the university’s classrooms and research facilities, on-campus housing and creating the College Park District

Behind all of that was Spaniolo’s concept of what UTA could become, no longer a local “commuter school” but a leading university with vibrant campus life.

When he retired, he moved back to his former home area of Michigan. The North Texas Commission has scored a real coup in luring him here again.

This story was originally published August 18, 2016 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Hiring Spaniolo a coup for North Texas group."