Fostering enterprising spirit

Bill ’74 and Kim Shaddock commit $6 million to Cox School of Business

A gift from Kim and William (Bill) Shaddock ’74 will establish Shaddock Hall as part of the building renovation project of the Cox School of Business. The $6 million contribution will foster educational excellence through dedicated spaces for learning, research and collaboration.

Kim and William (Bill) Shaddock ’74

“Through this gift, Bill Shaddock and his family are helping to nurture business education and an enterprising spirit in future generations of SMU and Cox School students,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “Additions like Shaddock Hall will help the Cox School of Business grow in prominence and national rankings.”

A vital new addition to the Cox School’s building renovation project, Kim and William C. Shaddock Hall will promote strong partnerships and industry research to meet the needs of an ever-evolving business landscape. Providing students with unique learning and networking opportunities, Shaddock Hall will strengthen the Cox School’s position as a leading institution for business education and leadership in North Texas.

Shaddock Hall Rendering

“SMU was a bright and illustrious beacon in my life,” said Bill Shaddock. “It gave me the entrepreneurial education I needed, as well as the confidence to drive myself towards a very successful career. It feels only right that I provide a tangible gift of appreciation for what SMU and Cox School of Business have done for me, my family and the success of my business. I hope that this gift will help propel current and future students toward their own success, and that they, too, will pay it forward.”

Shaddock Hall will include dynamic spaces with a dedicated business library reading room and expansive classrooms, which will ensure that students are equipped with the knowledge and resources necessary to reach their goals. The hall will also be home to the dean’s boardroom, a premier conference room with seating for 20, overlooking the central hub of the Cox School. Shaddock Hall will also house offices for support services including marketing, communications and academic affairs.

“I hope that this gift will help propel current and future students toward their own success, and that they, too, will pay it forward.”
—  Bill Shaddock ’74

“This gift illustrates the quality and bold initiative of SMU’s alumni,” said Cox School Dean Matthew B. Myers. “As the Cox School continues to expand its reach beyond SMU’s campus, partnerships with our local business community are critical, and we are excited to join Bill in this new endeavor. Shaddock Hall is an exciting addition to our school’s renovation and development plans, and it is guaranteed to have a lasting impact on our students, our school and our University.”

Seated at the heart of SMU’s campus, Shaddock Hall will bolster the future growth and success of SMU Cox and the work of its faculty and students within the school and across campus. Shaddock Hall will strengthen the school’s ability to attract external partners and outstanding new faculty and students, ushering in an exciting new era of business education at the Cox School and SMU.

Expected Impact

  • Ignites market research and industry collaboration through dedicated classrooms and a business library reading room
  • Houses student support services to help students blaze new paths in their academic and professional lives
  • Creates new opportunities for internal and external partnerships in the dean’s boardroom, overlooking the central hub of Cox School’s campus

“We are incredibly grateful to Bill Shaddock and his family for their tremendous commitment to the Cox School building renovation project,” said Brad E. Cheves, SMU vice president for Development and External Affairs. “Our donors are the backbone of our campus and our mission, empowering academic, personal and professional growth on the Hilltop. The generosity of Bill and his family showcases the growing strength and dedication of the Mustang community, leaving a lasting impact on the Cox School and SMU for generations to come.”

A proud SMU alumnus, Bill Shaddock ’74, owner and CEO of the Bill Shaddock Family of Companies, is a leading figure in the North Texas business community. Bill earned his MBA in Real Estate at SMU in 1974 and went on to earn a JD from Baylor Law School before joining the law firm of Turner, Hitchins, Webb, McInerney, Hartnett & Strother in 1977. Shaddock left the practice of law in 1983 to join his brother, Peter, in the real estate development business. Since that time, Shaddock Development Co. has become one of the most prolific real estate businesses in North Texas. Bill is still a partner in Shaddock Development Co. with his brother Peter and sons, William and Andrew.

In addition to being a partner at Shaddock Development Co., Bill is owner and CEO of Capital Title of Texas (the largest independent title company in the United States) and Shaddock National Title Holdings (a collection of leading title companies across the United States). He is also owner of and serves as Chairman of the Board for First National Title Insurance Co. (the ninth largest title underwriter in the United States) and Willow Bend Mortgage Company. Aside from his generous commitments to SMU, Shaddock’s many professional and personal accomplishments include business and humanitarian awards for both his business acumen and selfless work in the Dallas community and at his alma maters.

Kim McDonald Shaddock graduated from Baylor University in 1976 and has a master’s degree from University of Texas at Dallas. Utilizing her university education in social work and sociology, she proudly served the children of Dallas as a special education teacher in the Dallas Independent School District for many years. A founding member of the Kim and Bill Shaddock Family Foundation and of Star Children’s Charity, Kim was also an active member of both the National Charity League and National Service League.

The Shaddocks’ relationship with SMU is strengthened by their sons, William and Andrew, and daughter, Caroline. All three of the Shaddocks’ children and their two daughters-in-law have attended and graduated from SMU. The couple’s contribution to the Cox School of Business honors and magnifies the family’s legacy at SMU by supporting a future of excellence at the Cox School and in its students.

“As the Cox School continues to expand its reach beyond SMU’s campus, partnerships with our local business community are critical, and we are excited to join Bill in this new endeavor.”
—  Matthew B. Myers, Dean of the Edwin L. Cox School of Business

SMU Fund for Cox

Gifts to the SMU Fund for Cox address the school’s most pressing funding priorities. Allocated at the discretion of the dean, this fund allows the Cox School to meet new opportunities as they arise. Funding priorities include scholarship support, faculty fellowship and research grants, international study and research support, new program development and leadership development opportunities.