Board of Trustees

David Miller R Gerald Turner

David B. Miller ’72, ’73
Chair

R. Gerald Turner
President

Veritas Liberabit Vos:

Southern Methodist University Motto
“The truth will make you free.”

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 48 trustees.

  • With the exception of the ex officio trustees, trustees serve four-year terms.

  • Under the Bylaws’ Nomination of Methodist Trustees provision, seven of the trustees shall be members of the United Methodist Church, including one bishop of the United Methodist Church recommended by the College of Bishops of the South Central Jurisdictional Conference of the United Methodist Church.

  • 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 to the Board of Trustees.

We appreciate your interest in Southern Methodist University.

JENNIFER BURR ALTABEF ’78, ’81
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
Provost Emeritus, University of Notre Dame

LAURA WELCH BUSH ’68
Former First Lady of the United States

PASTOR RICHIE L. BUTLER ’93
St. Luke Community UMC

KELLY HOGLUND COMPTON ’79 (Secretary)
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.

MARTIN L. FLANAGAN ’82
Invesco Ltd.

GERALD J. FORD ’66, ’69
Diamond A Ford Corporation

ANTONIO O. GARZA, JR. ’83
U. S. Ambassador to Mexico (Ret.)
White & Case SC

DAVID C. HALEY ’86
HBK Capital Management

CYNTHIA FIERRO HARVEY ’99
Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church

FREDERICK B. HEGI, JR. ’66
Wingate Partners LP

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.)

CHRISTOPER W. KLEINERT ’88
Hunt Investment Holdings

STEVEN J. LINDLEY ’74
Johnson and Lindley LLC

JUDE A. LUGO ’25
Student Representative
Ex Officio

BOBBY B. LYLE ’67
Lyco Holdings Incorporated

DAVID B. MILLER ’72, ’73 (Chair)
EnCap Investments LP

KYLE D. MILLER ’01
Silver Hill Energy Partners LP

JAMES T. MOBLEY ’80
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 UMC

BRUCE A. ROBSON ’74
Robvest Texas LLC

DAVID SEDMAN
President, SMU Faculty Senate
Ex Officio

CARL SEWELL ’66
Sewell Automotive Companies

BRYAN S. SHEFFIELD ’01
Formentera Partners LP

RICHARD K. TEMPLETON (Vice Chair)
Texas Instruments Inc.

R. GERALD TURNER
Southern Methodist University
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

PHILIP J. WISE ’78, ’81
Chair, Alumni Board
Ex Officio