Veritas Liberabit Vos
Southern Methodist University motto
“The truth will make you free.”
Board of Trustees
Chair
The Board of Trustees is the principal governance authority of Southern Methodist University. It governs the University by establishing policy and exercising fiduciary responsibility for the long-term well-being of the educational institution.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the election of the president and oversees and aligns the University’s strategic direction, educational policy, finances and operations with its charitable mission. The trustees dedicate their expertise and resources to the advancement of SMU and play an integral role in the implementation of the mission and strategic plan of the University.
The Board of Trustees meets four times a year (in February, May, September and December).
Board Composition
- The Board is composed of 50 trustees.
- With the exception of the ex officio trustees, trustees serve four-year terms.
- The Board has four ex officio trustees: (i) The president of the University, (ii) a representative of the University Faculty Senate, (iii) a representative of the University Student’s Association, and (iv) a representative of the University Alumni Association. The ex officio trustees hold their respective trusteeship by virtue of their position at the University.
Inquiries
Inquiries concerning the SMU Board of Trustees may be directed to the Office of the Secretary of the University.
We appreciate your interest in Southern Methodist University.
Board of Trustees
Richard K. Templeton
Chair, Texas Instruments Inc.
Martin L. Flanagan ’82
Vice Chair, Invesco Ltd.
Jennifer Burr Altabef ’78, ’81
Secretary, Civic and Philanthropic Leader
William D. Armstrong ’82
Armstrong Oil and Gas Inc.
Michael M. Boone ’63, ’67
Haynes and Boone, LLP
Tucker S. Bridwell ’73, ’74
Mansefeldt Investment Corporation
Bradley Brookshire ’76
Brookshire Grocery Company
Christa J. Brown-Sanford ’04
Baker Botts LLP
Thomas G. Burish
University of Notre Dame
Laura Welch Bush ’68
Former First Lady of the United States
Pastor Richie L. Butler ’93
St. Luke Community United Methodist Church
Kelly Hoglund Compton ’79
The Hoglund Foundation
Jeanne Tower Cox ’78
Civic and Philanthropic Leader
Katherine Raymond Crow ’94
Civic and Philanthropic Leader
Gary T. Crum ’69
CFP Foundation
Robert H. Dedman, Jr. ’80, ’84
DFI Management Ltd.
Gerald J. Ford ’66, ’69
Diamond A Ford Corporation
The Hon. Antonio O. Garza, Jr. ’83
White & Case in Mexico City
David C. Haley ’86
HBK Capital Management
Jay C. Hartzell
SMU President, Ex Officio
Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey ’99
Texas and Rio Texas Conferences of The United Methodist Church
Frederick B. Hegi, Jr. ’66
Wingate Partners LP
Laura Guerin Howard ’00
SMU Alumni Board Chair, Ex Officio
Clark K. Hunt ’87
Kansas City Chiefs and FC Dallas
Ray L. Hunt ’65
Hunt Consolidated Inc.
David S. Huntley ’80
AT&T Inc. (Ret.)
Christopher W. Kleinert ’88
Hunt Consolidated Investments
James K. Lee
SMU Faculty Senate President, Ex Officio
Steven J. Lindley ’74
Johnson and Lindley LLC
Bobby B. Lyle ’67
Lyco Holdings Incorporated
David B. Miller ’72, ’73
EnCap Investments LP
Kyle D. Miller ’01
Silver Hill Energy Partners LP
James T. Mobley ’81
Pony Rose Holdings, LLC
Frances A. Moody-Dahlberg ’92
Moody Foundation
Connie Blass O’Neill ’77
Civic and Philanthropic Leader
Sarah Fullinwider Perot ’83
Civic and Philanthropic Leader
The Hon. Jeanne L. Phillips ’76
Hunt Consolidated, Inc.
Caren H. Prothro
Civic and Philanthropic Leader
The Rev. Paul L. Rasmussen ’04
Highland Park United Methodist Church
Bruce A. Robson ’74
Robvest Texas LLC
Bishop Ruben Saenz, Jr. ’97, ’09
Horizon Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church
Carl Sewell ’66
Sewell Automotive Companies
Bryan S. Sheffield ’01
Formentera Partners
Reid Spitler ’24, ’27
SMU Student Trustee, Ex Officio
Brian S. Tyler
McKesson Corporation
William H. Vanderstraaten ’82
Chief Partners LP
John E. Waldron, III
The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Richard Ware ’68
Amarillo National Bank
Abigail Williams ’94
United to Learn
The Rev. Dr. David M. Wilson
The Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church
Trustees emeriti
Alan D. Feld ’57, ’60
Milledge A. Hart, III
Gene C. Jones