Celebrating excellence, meet the 2026 Alumni Award Honorees
Kelly Roberts Trailblazer Award: Molly Sandlin
“When I hear trailblazer, I think of someone who is willing to step into the unknown, challenge the status quo, and create opportunities—not just for themselves, but for others coming behind them.”
Molly Sandlin poses for a photo. Photo by Ellman Photography.
Not many people get to say they won an award named after one of their mentors. Kelly Roberts Trailblazer Award recipient Molly Sandlin can.
“What makes this recognition so special is that Kelly herself has been a mentor to me over the past six years,” said Sandlin, who owns CAET Project Management Consultants and CAET Construction, alongside her husband Jason. “Kelly has set a very high standard for what success, leadership and integrity look like in this field, and I’ve learned so much from her example. I can only hope that my career continues to grow in a way that reflects the same kind of impact and success that she has achieved.”
The award recognizes the remarkable career journey of Molly Sandlin (MBA, 2014) and the impact she has made in the commercial construction industry. In 2016, Sandlin founded CAET Project Management as a one-woman operation, providing project, construction, and contract administration services for nationally recognized and global brands. The company's rapid growth earned recognition as the fastest-growing Maverick-owned business in the 2020 MAVS 100. Building on that success, Sandlin launched CAET Construction in 2021, transforming the organization into a full-service commercial general contracting company serving some of the world's most recognized brands. By 2026, the combined companies had grown to nearly 30 employees, supporting the development of restaurant, retail, airport, and commercial projects. The company's growth reflects Sandlin's entrepreneurial vision, perseverance, and commitment to delivering exceptional results in a highly competitive industry while creating opportunities for employees, clients, and the communities they serve.
“There aren’t always clear paths, especially as a woman in this space,” Sandlin said. “I’ve had to be comfortable taking risks, making decisions without a perfect roadmap, and learning as I go. Building a company, growing a team and taking on complex projects has required a willingness to push past limits and not settle for how things have always been done.”
Sandlin, believes that being a trailblazer isn’t just about personal success; it’s about impact and creating a culture that opens doors and elevates the next generation.
“When I hear ‘trailblazer,’ I don’t see it as a finish line. It’s a responsibility,” Sandlin said. “It’s continuing to grow, to lead with intention and to make sure the path is a little clearer for those who follow.”
That same philosophy has guided her longstanding involvement with the College of Business. From mentoring students through MavPitch and participating in Business Week to speaking at college events, she has remained committed to sharing her experience with future business leaders.
Her connection to the college deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when then-Dean Harry Dombroski called simply to ask how she and her family were doing.
“It wasn’t just an institution I attended,” she said. “It was a community that truly cared.”
That sense of community also inspired her and her husband to become founding members of the Dean’s Leadership Circle and establish an endowed scholarship. As their business grew, they wanted to create opportunities that would continue benefiting students for years to come.
Looking back, Sandlin hopes current students take full advantage of the relationships and opportunities available to them at UTA.
“The most meaningful parts of my journey came from the experiences and relationships I built along the way,” she said. “Show up, stay engaged and take full advantage of everything UTA has to offer.”
Maverick Award: Andrew Feghali
“There’s been so many times where I just wanted to quit, so I’m thankful for the trait of resilience because I pushed through those times.”
Andrew Feghali poses for a photo. Photo by Ellman Photography.
Andrew Feghali didn’t begin his journey at UTA in the College of Business. As an engineering student, Feghali (MBA) competed in the university’s MavPitch entrepreneurship competition, where the seeds of his entrepreneurial journey were planted.
Today, the Maverick Award winner owns two companies, Bramport Supply Company and Aeroblaze Laboratories, turning the business ideas he first explored at UTA into thriving ventures. Bramport is a transportation industry supplies company; Aeroblaze provides aerospace and automotive material testing services.
“I don’t really take time to pause and think about what I’ve done,” Feghali said. “That’s the coolest thing since I found out I got the award is being able to stop and think and be thankful for how much I’ve accomplished since I graduated.”
For Feghali, the word maverick means resilience, something that has been reflected in his own journey as an entrepreneur and business owner.
“The first six months I didn’t even think it was going to work. I thought we were going to fail, and we had our first baby in that time, so it was scary,” Feghali said. “Since then there’s been so many times where I just wanted to quit, so I’m thankful for the trait of resilience because I pushed through those times.”
Fegahli says that pursuing an engineering degree changed his approach to problem solving, while returning to UTA to complete his MBA gave him the knowledge to start his own business.
“I don’t think I can really separate one from the other in terms of where it brought me,” Feghali said. “The engineering really set the foundation and then the MBA helped give me those extra skills.”
While Feghali first explored entrepreneurship through MavPitch, he said turning an idea into a successful business is far different than simply having one.
“It’s easy to come up with ideas,” he said. “The difficult thing is actually where the rubber hits the road. You have to figure out what step one is, then step two. There’s no map for you, so you’re constantly moving forward, taking steps back and figuring out the next move.”
That experience has shaped the advice he now shares with students participating in the same competition that helped launch his journey. As a returning MavPitch judge, Feghali encourages aspiring business owners to seek honest feedback before investing time and money into an idea.
While entrepreneurship has brought its rewards, Feghali is quick to dispel the idea that building a business is glamorous.
“People look at entrepreneurship as this glamorous thing, but it’s really not,” he said. “It took me 10 years to get to the point where I can even take a day off. It’s a lot of hard work, but if you know what you’re getting into and you’re willing to stick with it, it can be worth it.”
Dean’s Service Award: Jerry Thomas
“Every time I come back to campus, I leave having learned something new. I feel like I'm getting far more than I'm giving.”
Jerry Thomas poses for a photo. Photo by Ellman Photography.
Decades before he helped build advisory boards and mentor business students, Jerry Thomas was simply a kid growing up next to what was then Arlington State College.
He spent his childhood exploring the campus before becoming one of the first in his family to earn a college degree there. Today, that lifelong connection continues through his commitment to helping create opportunities for the next generation of Mavericks.
"Growing up on that campus really shaped my appreciation for education," Thomas said. "Looking back, I kind of have pretty deep roots in the university."
Thomas' connection to the College of Business began with a simple compliment.
"Back in the 1990s, I bought one of Carl McDaniel's marketing textbooks at the campus bookstore and was impressed with the quality of his writing," Thomas () said. "I'm a believer in good writing, so I sent him a note to tell him how much I enjoyed the book."
The compliment came with an unexpected consequence.
"I learned you should never compliment a professor's writing," Thomas said. "The next thing I knew, Carl and another professor were asking me to chair the advisory board for the new marketing research program and recruit members to help get it off the ground. Foolishly, I said yes."
Thomas, founder and CEO of Decision Analyst, a marketing research and consulting firm, moved quickly, recruiting industry executives to serve on the advisory board while helping attract students to the fledgling program. What began with only a handful of students soon grew into a thriving graduate program.
That first "yes" marked the beginning of decades of service to UTA. Beyond supporting the marketing research program, Thomas has served on the College of Business Advisory Council and the President's Advisory Council while returning regularly to campus to speak with students during Business Week and other events.
"I'm doing it selfishly," Thomas said. "Serving on the marketing research, College of Business and university advisory boards has given me the chance to learn from remarkable leaders. Every time I come back to campus, I leave having learned something new. I feel like I'm getting far more than I'm giving."