Countless students at Southern Methodist University have benefited thanks to the efforts of alumnus Frederick B. Hegi Jr., whose name is one of those most closely associated with SMU.
It is through his many contributions to the University that many students have found their path forward, either through the Hegi career fairs or through the Hegi Family Career Development Center. And now, at the 2009 SMU Homecoming, he will receive the Southern Methodist University Distinguished Alumni award, which is the highest honor the university can award its graduates.
Hegi graduated from SMU with a B.B.A. from the Cox School of Business in 1966, but his accomplishments did not stop there. He went on to earn his M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School and eventually obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.
In recent years, he has been honored by his former schools: He was inducted into the McCombs School Hall of Fame at UT in 2006, and in 2007 he was honored with the Cox’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
Hegi has had a very long, colorful and successful career. He was the founding partner of Wingate Partners, a company that purchases controlling equity investments in middle- market story deals. Currently, he is board chair of United Stationers, Inc., as well as a member of several other boards.
Though he attended multiple colleges, Hegi has maintained the closest relationship with SMU. He has been a member of the SMU Board of Trustees since 2004 and is co-chair of the Dedman College Campaign Steering Committee for SMU’s Second Century Campaign.
Hegi is also heavily involved in the Dallas community, where his philanthropic efforts have earned him much fame and praise. He is the vice chair of Communities Foundation of Texas, and trustee of Southwestern Medical Foundation, Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation and UT Southwestern Board of Visitors.
In being awarded the SMU Distinguished Alumni award, Hegi will cement his place as one of the most influential and generous students to have graduated from SMU.
