Cecily Haeger and William Franke get some advice from Joe Rolle, a longtime NAU administrator, benefactor and supporter, who was among the 80 guests who attended the reception. Photos by Jerry Foreman. View more photos online.

NAU, Flagstaff says thank you
to Franke family

View photos from the event.

About 80 Northern Arizona University and community representatives gathered in The W.A. Franke College of Business to honor and say thank you to the Franke family.

William and Carolyn D. Franke and their five adult children made a "transformational" $25 million investment in NAU last May to support undergraduate education.

He chose NAU because he "was enamored with the product," William Franke said. "I hope we can support what you have and help make it grow."

NAU President John Haeger praised the Frankes' commitment to undergraduate education. "Philanthropy is going to be a big piece of how education is supported in the future," Haeger said.

So far, the Franke gift has been partially used for scholarships designed to recruit and retain first-generation and traditionally underrepresented students.

Money also has been set aside for faculty opportunities, according to Mason Gerety, dean of the College of Business

"The gift has allowed us to think very big and to push our undergraduate business education program into one of the premier programs in the nation," Gerety said. "It's going to allow us to do some really spectacular things."