Donor support builds new SMU Tennis Complex
Four donors gave more than $1 million each to support the new SMU Tennis Complex.
By Robert Miller
Four donors gave more than $1 million each to support the new SMU Tennis Complex. They are:
- Edwin L. Cox Sr. of Dallas. The chair and chief executive of Edwin L. Cox Co. is also the former chair of Cox Oil & Gas Inc., Sedco Inc. and Keebler Co. Cox previously served as chair of SMU’s board of governors and the board of trustees. In 1978, SMU’s business school was named the Edwin L. Cox School of Business in recognition of his contributions to the school.
- The Jack A. Turpin family of Dallas. Jack Turpin is founder of Hall-Mark Electronics Corp. and the T Bar M tennis clubs and resorts, and president of the Jack and Sally Turpin Foundation. He graduated from Rice University where, as a member of its 1949 tennis team, he was national junior indoor doubles champion. Turpin’s late wife, Sally Poe Turpin, attended SMU. Their eldest son, Scott Turpin, played tennis for Rice. Their younger sons, Mark Turpin and Jeff Turpin, played for two of the highest-ranking tennis teams in SMU history.
- The Altec/Styslinger Foundation of Birmingham, Ala. This foundation represents three brothers who have been avid tennis players since childhood. Mark J. Styslinger is senior vice president of Altec Inc. and an SMU graduate. He played tennis for the SMU Mustangs from 1983 to 1986, earned 81 individual victories and played in four NCAA team championship finals. Lee J. Styslinger III is chairman and chief executive of Altec, and Jon C. Styslinger is president of Altec.
- The family of Ann Warmack Brookshire and Brad Brookshire of Tyler. Three generations of the Brookshire family have attended and supported SMU for more than 50 years. Ann Warmack Brookshire is a certified public accountant. Brad Brookshire is chairman of the board of Brookshire Grocery Co. Two of their sons, Trenton Brookshire and Anderson Brookshire, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SMU. A third son, Clifford Bradley Brookshire, will graduate from SMU in spring 2015.
Donors who have committed gifts ranging from $25,000 to $500,000 include Kenneth Z. Altshuler and Ruth Collins Sharp Altshuler; the Cash family; Kit Carson; Shirley Williams Crow and Stuart M. Crow; the late Richard L. Dennie and Shirley Dennie; C.J. “Don” Donnally Jr. and Carol G. Donnally; Al G. Hill Jr.; Clark K. Hunt and Tavia S. Hunt; Daniel L. Hunt and Toni Munoz Hunt; Roman J. Kupchynsky II and Ruth Irwin Kupchynsky; the Tripplehorn family; Charles Wear and Janet Mitchell Wear; and King R. White and Nicole Hunt White.
“The new tennis complex will enable us to recruit top-ranked student-athletes and develop programs that perform at the highest levels, building on SMU’s legacy as home to world-class tennis events,” SMU president R. Gerald Turner said.
The SMU Tennis Complex, located on the southwest corner of Mockingbird and North Central Expressway, includes Turpin Stadium, with six outdoor courts, and the Styslinger Grand Viewing Terrace and Brookshire Pavilion, with six indoor courts and a patron balcony. The third-floor Edwin L. Cox Club Suite has outdoor and indoor viewing areas and an entertainment area.
The gifts to fund the SMU Tennis Complex count toward the $1 billion goal of SMU Unbridled: The Second Century Campaign. The campaign has raised more than $942 million in gifts and pledges.
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