SMU Honors John Tolleson’s Leadership in Financial Services with Distinguished Alumni Award

John Tolleson was recognized last week at the annual SMU Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony. The event recognizes extraordinary achievement, outstanding character and good citizenship of leaders in the community. Family, friends and employees attended as John accepted the highest honor the university can bestow upon a graduate.

John began his career in banking while an undergraduate at SMU. He joined MBank Dallas and later became President and CEO of MBank Austin. John returned to Dallas as head of retail banking and marketing of MCorp, the predecessor of First USA, which became the nation’s second-largest independent credit card bank. In 1997, John sold First USA to Bank One and founded Tolleson Wealth Management where he is Chairman and CEO.

John has served as an SMU trustee, chairman of the Cox Executive Board, chairman of the endowment Investment Committee and is a longtime sponsor of the Tate Lecture Series. He was the recipient of the Cox School’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1996 and the Mustang Award in 2012. John serves on the boards of Southwestern Medical Foundation, Baylor Healthcare System Foundation and is a Laureate of the Dallas Business Hall of Fame.

The SMU Distinguished Alumni Award is selected based on a detailed nomination form, resume and biography. Award winners are selected by the Alumni Board Nominating Committee and are honored at a November event hosted by President R. Gerald Turner and the SMU Alumni Board. To view additional disclosures about rankings, awards and recognition, please click here.