Gerald B. Alley ’75

After earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas in 1973, Arkansas native Gerald B. Alley ’75 took a job in Dallas – but soon found himself looking toward greater opportunities. At his mother’s encouragement, he enrolled in SMU’s MBA program, building on the values of education, hard work and resilience that he credits both of his parents with instilling in him.

Alley worked full time while pursuing his MBA, earning a scholarship and grant that would help lay the foundation for what became his construction and real estate services firm, Con-Real. His involvement with the Dallas Alliance of Minority Business Enterprise further shaped his ambitions, inspiring him to focus his growing company on the Dallas community and economic development.

In 1979, Alley founded Con-Real with his brother, Troy Alley ’76. Since then, the company has successfully completed more than 3,000 projects and expanded to offices in Arlington, Dallas, Houston, Little Rock, Northwest Arkansas, Atlanta and San Francisco. Today, Con-Real performs construction and related services for Fortune 500 corporations including JPMorgan Chase, American Airlines, Loews Hotels, Walmart and CBRE.

Alley’s entrepreneurial interests have continued to grow alongside Con-Real. He launched The Alley Group, a division of Con-Real, as well as Bravado LP, a real estate and hospitality development firm. He also serves as the managing partner of A-Squared Global, a development investment entity.

That commitment to creating opportunity extends well beyond business. Alley co-founded the Gerald and Candace Alley Family Foundation, which supports organizations addressing the needs of underprivileged students. He is also a major sponsor of the Alley Scholars program, which has provided scholarships for more than 300 students. Alley serves as the only non-Houston board member of the Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity, supporting Houston-based African American businesses and nonprofits.

At SMU, Alley made history as the first African American entrepreneur to serve on the University’s Board of Trustees and chair its Buildings and Grounds Committee. In 2013, he the Cox School of Business recognized his accomplishments by naming him a Distinguished Alumnus.

His impact in business and service has earned recognition from organizations across Texas and his native Arkansas. In 2025, Alley received the Arlington Visionary Award from the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Award from Scouting America. He received the University of Arkansas Alumni Association’s Johnson Fellowship in 2023 and was inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame in 2020 and the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2006, The University of Arkansas’ Sam M. Walton College of Business named him Entrepreneur of the Year.

Alley and his wife, Candace, are celebrating 40 years of marriage this year. They have three children – Gina, Stephanie and Byron – and three grandchildren, Aniyah, Malik and Zoe. His connection to SMU is also shared across generations: His brother, Troy, received his MBA from SMU in 1976, and his nephew, Troy Alley, III, earned his bachelor’s degree from SMU in 2015.