SW Graduate School of Banking Foundation Announces New Leadership

William T. Chittenden, Ph.D., Becomes 8th President and CEO in Foundation’s History

Dallas, TX (SMU) Jan. 11, 2024 — Following a national search, William T. Chittenden, Ph.D., has been selected as the President and CEO of the SW Graduate School of Banking (SWGSB) Foundation, headquartered at the SMU Cox School of Business. Dr. Chittenden, whose new role took effect earlier this month, most recently served as Chief Academic Officer of SWGSB and Associate Dean for Graduate Programs in the McCoy College of Business at Texas State University. The selection follows previous President and CEO Jeffrey R. Schmid’s appointment to President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in August 2023.

“The Board of Trustees is extremely excited for Dr. Chittenden’s leadership after serving as our Chief Academic Officer and more than two decades on our faculty,” said Jill Castilla, Chairman of the SWGSB Board of Trustees and President and CEO of Citizens Bank of Edmond. “Dr. Chittenden advanced SWGSB’s reputation as a nationally recognized leader in financial institution executive education and enhanced our curriculum with innovative offerings and esteemed faculty. We are excited to build upon President Schmid’s foundational leadership. I am confident Dr. Chittenden will continue to elevate SWGSB’s reputation as the most trusted educational source for bank executive education, leadership development, and director training programs.”

Dr. Chittenden has a long and respected academic career, having previously taught at the University of Colorado Denver and Northern Illinois University, specializing in short-term financial management and financial markets and institutions. A past president of both the Academy of Financial Services and the San Antonio Treasury Management Association, Dr. Chittenden currently serves on the investment committees for both Comal and Hays counties and is an ex-officio member of the Texas Association of Counties’ County Investment Education Committee. He is widely published and quoted in the media around the world and has served as a consultant to regional, national, and international financial institutions. Dr. Chittenden earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Texas at El Paso, and a Ph.D. in Finance from Texas Tech University.

“As a long-time SWGSB faculty member, I am proud to take on this leadership role,” said Dr. Chittenden. “SWGSB changes the trajectory of careers with an executive education experience like no other. In collaboration with the prestigious Cox School of Business, we have exciting plans for SWGSB, the Assemblies for Bank Directors, and the Certified Community Bank Director’s Program in 2024 and beyond. I am honored to continue to be a part of providing this transformational experience that builds effective leaders and well-informed bank boards nationwide.”

About the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU Cox  

Established in 1957 at SMU Cox, the mission of the SW Graduate School of Banking (SWGSB) is to be the most trusted educational source for loan officers, bank directors, regulators, commercial lenders, operations officers, marketing officers, and management professionals. SWGSB is a nationally recognized leader in bank management education at the corporate level, serving financial services professionals with banking education, bank leadership development, and bank director training programs. Learn more at www.swgsb.org or contact us at (214) 768-2991 or info@swgsb.org.

About SMU Cox

In 2020, the Cox School of Business celebrated 100 years of business education at SMU. The Cox School is committed to influencing the way the world conducts business via prolific research that provokes innovation, change, and global thought leadership. SMU Cox offers a full range of business education programs including BBA, Full-Time MBA, Professional MBA (part-time), Executive MBA, Online MBA, Direct MBA, and Master of Science degree programs, as well as Executive Education. Consistently ranked among the world’s leading business schools, SMU Cox maintains an active alumni network in more than 40 countries. SMU Cox is accredited by the AACSB.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Anna Martinez
214-768-4474
annam@cox.smu.edu