President James D. Spaniolo recently added two members to his administrative team who will lead UTA's external relations efforts in the key areas of development and communications.

Gary M. Cole, former director of development for the Hockaday School in Dallas, was named vice president of development. Lynn Handley, former director of retail communications for TXU Corp./TXU Energy, was named vice president of communications. Both began their duties in September.

"We are very fortunate to be able to add two highly skilled and energetic executives to our UTA leadership team," said Spaniolo, who became the University's seventh president in February. "Gary and Lynn bring both vision and experience in areas where we need to grow."

At Hockaday, Cole oversaw the design, implementation and completion of a $54 million capital campaign. He was also responsible for annual giving, major and planned giving and reunion giving. Prior to joining Hockaday, he was development director at The University of Texas at Dallas, where he established the school's planned giving program, strategies and Legacy Society.

He has also been director of development/planned giving for the United Way of Odessa, Texas, and director of school development for the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth. He received a bachelor's degree in English-technical communications from Texas Tech University and a master's degree in philanthropy and development from St. Mary's University in Winona, Minn.

He is a member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, Association of Fundraising Professionals and National Association of Independent Schools.

An award-winning branding strategist, Handley developed TXU's first retail brand advertising/public relations campaign and communications strategies for its retail energy company. She also developed and executed its public/media relations program to create awareness of the new retail company and developed strategies to improve the corporation's reputation and image with key stakeholders.

Before joining TXU, Handley was senior manager of marketing communications for Verizon Communications, where she designed an integrated branding program for the commercial markets group that achieved 84 percent customer awareness. She has also been an account director for DDB Needham Worldwide/Dallas, the fourth largest advertising agency group in the world, and a product manager/marketing manager for Baylor Health Care System, Dallas, the nation's third largest private health care system.

She earned a bachelor's degree and master of journalism degree from the University of North Texas.