The Bennie Brigham Scholarship Endowment was established in 2021 by Mary Brigham and the Brigham Family in memory of Bennie Brigham to provide scholarships to students majoring in Food Science within the Department of Animal and Food Sciences in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Bennie Rhea Brigham was born in Dallas, TX on January 3, 1944. He lived in the back of his parents' Polar Bear Ice Cream store until he was 7 years old. At the age of 13, he began working summers for his dad and continued throughout college. Bennie graduated from Adamson High School in 1961. He continued his education at Texas Tech University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Industry in 1965. While at Tech, he was a member of Phi Eta Sigma and Alpha Zeta honorary fraternities, Alpha Tau Omega and was a member of the Saddle Tramps spirit organization.

After graduating, Bennie married the love of his life, Mary Gibbons. Three months later, his father died of a heart attack, and at the young age of 21, Bennie took over the family business. He grew the business from 3 stores to 65 stores before selling the company in 1983. Bennie then focused his attention on the second business his dad had begun in 1950, Pecan Deluxe Candy Company, developing inclusions, flavorings and toppings for the frozen dessert and food industry. Bennie has served as past president of the Oak Cliff Lions' Club, the Dallas Ft Worth Dairy Society, the Texas Dairy Processors Supply Association. He was also a past director of the Dairy Products Institute of Texas and was on the board of the International Dairy Food Association. In addition, he was on the International Ice Cream Board. He was inducted into the Texas Dairy Industry Hall of Fame in 2000. He has twice been speaker at the International Dairy Foods convention. Bennie was a very strong Christian and was an active member of Prestonwood Baptist Church until Parkinson's Disease halted his activity in the church. He put God first in everything he did, and his family loved him and respected him to the ends of the earth. He was a devoted and loving husband and a wonderful father and grandfather.

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Contact

Alex Yack
Alex.Yack@ttu.edu
Senior Director of Development
806.742.2802

Matt Williams
matt.williams@ttu.edu
Director of Development
806.742.2802

Shelbey Havens
shelbey.havens@ttu.edu
Assistant Director of Development
806.834.1108