Office of Development and Alumni Relations
Michael DeFrank
Michael DeFrank is the assistant vice president for corporate and foundation relations at The University of Texas at Dallas. DeFrank helped establish the University's Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations when he became director of corporate relations in 2006.
He received a bachelor's in political science and a master's in government from The University of Texas at Arlington. DeFrank also received a post-graduate fellowship to the University of Essex and Wolfson College, Cambridge University.
DeFrank served as staff at UT Arlington from 1970 to 1989, primarily as associate vice president for academic affairs and university relations. From there, he moved to national sales and marketing positions with the American Institute for Foreign Study—where he was senior vice president—and the Council on International Education Exchange, as national field director.
In 2001, DeFrank became director of eCollege and zUniversity.com, technology startup companies utilized by major universities for online alumni and learning services. Just before coming to UT Dallas, DeFrank developed high-value business seminars for the Young Presidents' Organization, an international association of 10,000 CEOs.
DeFrank also served on boards of numerous Dallas-area organizations, including the Metroplex Technology Business Council Tech Titans Gala Steering Committee, North Dallas Chamber of Commerce Technology Trends Conference Steering Committee, University Task Force, Tarrant County American Red Cross and the Fort Worth Ballet.
At UT Dallas, DeFrank focuses on supporting funding priorities by developing mutually beneficial long-term relationships with local and national corporations and foundations. Corporations and foundations comprised 80 percent of the philanthropic gifts received in 2008 and 84 percent in 2009. DeFrank helped UT Dallas achieve "strategic university" status with three global market leading technology companies, and his CEO Awareness Initiative was adopted by external consultants as a campaign best practice.
