Remembering Cary M. Maguire, Sr.

Cary M. Maguire, Sr., trustee emeritus and former SMU Board of Trustees member, passed away on August 10, 2021, at the age of 93.  A long-standing leader in the community and founder of our Center that bears his name, Cary will be remembered as a dedicated and innovative leader as well as a friend to so many.

“Cary was a vibrant, pioneering member of the Mustang community,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “His commitment to the growth of the University’s programs, the development of its students and the brightness of its potential laid the groundwork for its future success. Our University was made a better and more enriching learning and research environment because of Cary, and we feel his loss profoundly.”

Cary became a part of the Mustang community through his late wife Ann Thompson Maguire ’52, a Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences alumna. His service to the University included 24 years on the SMU Board of Trustees, as well as his being a member of the Executive Committee for the Campaign for SMU and co-chair of the Cox School Campaign Committee. Over the years, he chaired several University boards and committees, including the Cox School of Business Executive Board, the Maguire Energy Institute Advisory Board, the Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility Advisory Board and the Investment and Audit Committee. He sat on the President’s Leadership Council and held directorships in the Foundation for Business Administration and the John Goodwin Tower Center in Dedman College.

 “The Maguire Center would not exist without the foresight and leadership of Cary Maguire,” said Rita Kirk, William F. May Endowed Director of the Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility. “His dedication to ethics education and community outreach is felt in everything we do here at the Center. His loss is immeasurable, but his vision will be continued through the lives we change and the students we educate.”

Cary’s gifts to the University were as numerous as his active roles in its development. Cary provided the founding gift for the Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility in 1995, providing unprecedented University-wide ethics-related education and activities to students and faculty. Later, Maguire endowed the Center’s directorship, naming it for the Center’s founding Director William F. May. He was a key donor to and supporter of the Cox School of Business, establishing the school’s Maguire Energy Institute in 1974, which has been at the forefront of energy education and research for nearly 50 years. Other contributions to the University include the Maguire Chair in Oil and Gas Management and the Cox School’s Maguire Building, which houses undergraduate programs. In 1995, Maguire and his late wife, Ann, were named recipients of the Mustang Award for extraordinary philanthropy to the university. He was again recognized for his contributions in 2019 as the recipient of the L. Frank Pitts Energy Leadership Award.

Cary was Chairman Emeritus of Maguire Oil Company, Maguire Resources Company, and Components Corporation of America. His passion for the energy industry and ethical business practices led him to serve on various national committees and councils and to fund various causes, including the Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History in the Library of Congress. A national leader and well-respected businessman, Cary will long be remembered on the Hilltop for his generosity, his dedication and his outstanding service.

If you would like to make a gift or tribute in celebration of Cary, please mail them to the Maguire Ethics Center at the address below:

Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility

Southern Methodist University

P.O. Box 750316

Dallas, TX 75275-0316

If you would prefer to make a gift online, please click the following link and follow the instructions below.

1. After clicking the button above, please enter your desired gift amount in the box on the right side of the page and click "Give Now."
2. On the next page, under "Gift Options," please click the bubble next to "Make a one time gift," then click "Next."
3. On the next page, under "Gift Information," you will have the opportunity to select your gift's destination in the area of the university. Please click the pull-down menu and select "Other," located at the bottom of the list. Once you have done so, a box will appear that says, "Enter Designation Here." Type "Maguire" in this box and a list of donation areas will appear. Scroll to the bottom of this list and click "Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility." Confirm your gift amount and then click "Next."
4. The next page will give you the opportunity to leave a tribute message and check a box indicating your gift is in memory of Cary Maguire. Fill out any relevant fields and, finally, click "Submit."