President

Following an extensive national search, we are pleased to announce that the SMU Board of Trustees named Jay Hartzell the 11th SMU president, effective June 1, 2025. 

Jay Hartzell currently serves as the president of The University of Texas at Austin. He holds the Trammell Crow Regents Professorship in Business. Prior to serving as president, Hartzell served as the 12th dean of the McCombs School of Business at UT Austin, one of the largest and most distinguished business schools in the country. As dean for over four years, Hartzell launched the Goff Real Estate Labs, elevated the Canfield Business Honors program and opened Rowling Hall, the home of UT’s MBA program. He helped create many significant partnerships with colleges and schools across campus including the Dell Medical School, the College of Fine Arts, the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Natural Sciences and the Moody College of Communication.  

Hartzell joined UT in 2001 after teaching at New York University’s Stern School of Business. Prior to his time as dean, he held several key administrative roles at the McCombs School of Business. His most notable positions include his service as the senior associate dean for Academic Affairs, chair of the Department of Finance and executive director of the McCombs School’s Real Estate Finance and Investment Center.

Hartzell holds a B.S. in business administration and economics (cum laude) from Trinity University and a Ph.D. in finance from The University of Texas at Austin. 

Read the full press release here. 

David Bellshaw and Courtney Wilk-Mandel led this search with Jaime Morgen and Drew Nichols.