Rodney Howard Brady, a prominent business executive and former president of Weber State College, died on January 9, 2017, at his home following long-term battles with Alzheimer's disease and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The former leader of Deseret Management Corp. was 83 years old.
A Life of Academic Achievement
Brady's death followed a period of significant health challenges, including a three-year struggle with Alzheimer's and more than thirty years managing autoimmune hemolytic anemia. He was born on January 31, 1933, in Sandy, Utah, as the second of four children to Kenneth A. and Jessie Brady.
An accomplished scholar, Brady graduated as valedictorian from Jordan High School in 1951. He later attended the University of Utah, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration in 1957, graduating with High Honors. His academic pursuits culminated at Harvard University, where he earned a Doctor of Business Administration degree.
Corporate and Academic Leadership
His professional career spanned high-level roles in government, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals. During the Nixon administration, Brady served as the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in Washington, D.C. He also held the position of Chairman, President's Sub-Cabinet Executive Officers Group.
Brady's corporate resume included serving as Vice President of Management Systems Corp. in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Vice President of Hughes Tool Company in Los Angeles, California. He also held the role of Executive Vice President at Bergen Brunswig Corporation in Los Angeles before transitioning to academic leadership.
Impact on Weber State University
In June 1978, Brady was appointed president of Weber State College, a tenure that many credit with beginning a new era for the institution. According to Weber State University, Brady emphasized teaching excellence and worked to establish the school as a superior undergraduate college. His vision for the institution was captured in a 1978 interview with the student newspaper, The Signpost, where he stated his primary responsibility was to ensure students received the finest education possible.
During his time as president, Brady oversaw significant institutional growth. Under his leadership, both student enrollment and donations increased. A notable achievement occurred in 1982 when the J. Willard Marriott Family Foundation donated $1 million to the School of Allied Health Sciences, a gift that facilitated the construction of the 59,000-square-foot Marriott Allied Health building.
Legacy of Excellence
Brady also took an active interest in expanding the college's academic offerings. He was pleased to see Weber State granted its second master's degree program, a Master of Accounting, which commenced in the fall of 1985. His influence continued long after his 1985 resignation, as he regularly attended commencement ceremonies and spoke for the Ralph Nye Lecture Series at the John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics.
