Custards’ $1M gift endows directorship of SMU’s Meadows Museum
William and Linda Custard of Dallas have made a $1 million gift to SMU to endow the directorship of the Meadows Museum and Centennial Chair in the Meadows School of the Arts at the university. Image courtesy of SMU.
DALLAS – A $1 million gift from Linda and William Custard of Dallas will establish and endow the position of Linda P. and William A. Custard Director of the Meadows Museum and Centennial Chair in the Meadows School of the Arts at SMU. An additional $1 million from the Meadows Foundation will add to the endowment of the position.
“We are deeply grateful to Linda and Bill Custard for their generosity in establishing this endowed position for the Meadows Museum and Meadows School,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “Linda Custard has provided dedicated leadership on the SMU Board of Trustees and the Leadership Council of the Second Century Campaign. This endowed Centennial chair supports one of the campaign’s highest priorities. It brings the total of SMU’s endowed academic positions to 93 toward a goal of 100.”
The Centennial designation is a special gift category during SMU’s 100th anniversary commemoration, 2011-15. Centennial endowments include operational funding to support the immediate needs of a scholarship or academic position while the principal of the endowment matures.
Mark A. Roglán, who has served as director of the Meadows Museum since 2006, will be the first holder of the position of the Custard Director of the Museum and Centennial Chair in the Meadows School of the Arts. As the chair of the Meadows Museum Advisory Board since 2009, Linda Custard has worked closely with Roglán in development and expansion of Museum programs.
“Mark Roglán has enhanced the Meadows Museum’s international stature with important new programs, such as a partnership with the Prado Museum in Madrid,” said Linda Custard. “I have been privileged to assist him in implementing some of his exciting plans for the museum. Bill and I are pleased that we can endow the museum directorship and delighted that Mark will be the first person to hold the position.”
Linda Custard has served the University and its arts programs in numerous roles. A member of the SMU board of trustees from 2000 to 2012, she currently serves on the campaign steering committee for Meadows School of the Arts and the Meadows School’s executive board, which she chaired from 2006 to 2010.
Linda Custard received an MBA degree from SMU in 1999. She was honored with the Cox School of Business Distinguished Alumni Award and SMU’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
William Custard earned a BBA degree in banking and finance from SMU in 1957. He is a member of the Advisory Board for the Maguire Energy Institute in Cox School of Business and has served on the Executive Board of the Cox School. He was honored with the Cox School’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
Linda Custard is a general partner for Custard/Pitts Land and Cattle Co., a real estate and energy company based in Dallas. William Custard is president and CEO of Dallas Production Inc., a privately held oil and gas operating company. He is a member of the National Petroleum Council, advisor to the Secretary of Energy.
Both of the Custards have provided leadership to Dallas civic and arts organizations.
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
William and Linda Custard of Dallas have made a $1 million gift to SMU to endow the directorship of the Meadows Museum and Centennial Chair in the Meadows School of the Arts at the university. Image courtesy of SMU.
