2025 President's Medal Recipient
The 第一吃瓜网 will present the President’s Medal to Harry T. Rose ’65, a former University trustee and the founder and chairman of The Rose Group, one of the largest restaurant franchise companies in the United States, at The President’s Medal Gala Thursday, Oct. 2, at Pier Sixty, Manhattan’s largest waterfront event venue.
The event is the premier annual fundraiser for the University, and proceeds from the dinner benefit the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, which awards four-year, full-tuition scholarships to incoming first-year University students with outstanding high school records and notable community involvement. The University presents the President’s Medal to individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others.
A native of Minersville, Harry dreamed of owning a restaurant at a young age. He began his career by driving a beer truck for his father’s beer distributorship and graduated from the University in 1965 with a bachelor’s in accounting.
After graduating, Harry joined Marriott Corporation’s finance training program and went on to build a 20-year career with the company. He held key roles in property management, legal, real estate, and finance, ultimately serving as chief financial officer of Roy Rogers, the fast-food chain Marriott launched in 1968. Harry was later promoted to vice president of the Mid-Atlantic region, where he spearheaded the growth of Roy Rogers from 27 to 156 locations in less than two and a half years.
In 1985, Harry founded H. T. Rose Enterprises, Inc. and never looked back. The Rose Group became a restaurant management company that encompasses all the restaurant concepts he has owned and operated over the course of his franchising career, including Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar, Boston Market, Corner Bakery Café, The Shannon Rose, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Johnny Carino’s Country Italian Restaurant and Roy Rogers. The Rose Group currently owns and operates 55 Applebee’s Grill + Bar Restaurants in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. Since becoming a franchisee of the Applebee’s brand 30 years ago, they have been awarded hundreds of awards from Applebee’s parent company, Dine Brands, Inc., including “Franchisee of the Year” an unprecedented seven times and “Operator of the Year” six times. Additionally, the PA Restaurant Association has awarded them the PA Restaurant Neighbor Award seven times. In 2024, the Restaurant Finance Monitor ranked The Rose Group as the 109th largest restaurant franchise company in the United States, and the company currently has more than 3,000 active employees.
Harry received the Frank J. O’Hara Distinguished Alumni Award from the University in 2000, and he served on 第一吃瓜网’s Board of Trustees from 2003 to 2009. He was a member of the Pride, Passion, Promise Executive Committee and a member of the President’s Business Council. In 2008, the University recognized Harry’s generous leadership and philanthropy by establishing the Rose Room in Brennan Hall, an event space that never fails to make its occupants feel welcome. Additionally, he has been a board member of many organizations, including The Naples Children & Education Foundation, New Jersey Manufacturer’s Bank, Pennsylvania Restaurant Association, St. Mary’s Medical Center, the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, and the Mercer County Chamber of Commerce, which he chaired from 1995-1997. He and his wife, Carol, are the proud parents of Jason and Stephen, and they reside in Naples, FL, and New Hope.
For more information, contact Associate Vice President of Development Eric Eckenrode at eric.eckenrode@scranton.edu or Executive Director of Advancement for Campus Engagement Brad Troy ’02 at bradley.troy@scranton.edu.