The Dallas Regional Chamber picked a familiar North Texas figure to steer its next chapter of growth.
Brad Cheves, a senior executive at Southern Methodist University, will take over as president and CEO of the influential business organization in January. Cheves succeeds Dale Petroskey, who led the DRC for nearly 12 years before stepping down this summer for family reasons, the Dallas Business Journal reported.
His appointment caps a months-long search led by Russell Reynolds Associates and a nine-member selection committee of past, current and future board chairs.
Darcy Anderson, vice chair of Ross Perot Jr.’s Hillwood Development, was the only representative of the commercial real estate sector on the selection committee and is slated to serve as the chamber’s board chair next year.
The chamber will introduce Cheves at its annual meeting on Jan. 27 at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center.
Cheves, 63, has spent the past two decades as SMU’s senior vice president for development and external affairs, where he oversaw fundraising, marketing and community engagement. He led the school’s $1.65 billion “SMU Ignited: Boldly Shaping Tomorrow” campaign, which reached its goal three years ahead of schedule.
“I love SMU, and there’s never a good time to leave a place you love, but if there is a time, it’s now,” Cheves told the outlet. He said his focus at the chamber will center on education and workforce development, areas he believes are critical to sustaining Dallas’ economic momentum.
Petroskey called Cheves “a proven and highly respected leader,” adding that he’s stepping into “the best job in America” at what he described as a “sweet moment in time for the Dallas region.” Under Petroskey’s leadership, the number of Fortune 500 firms in DFW grew by a third, while more than 70 Fortune 1000 companies joined the DRC’s ranks.
Cheves’ civic resume runs deep. He sits on the boards of Broadway Dallas, the Circle Ten Council of Scouting America, the Texas Lyceum and the Dallas Council on Foreign Relations. His connections across business, academia and philanthropy are expected to help the DRC continue shaping Dallas’ ascent as a global corporate hub.
Former Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall, a past DRC chair, called Cheves the “right leader for a new era,” while Cowboys owner Jerry Jones praised his “remarkable record of success.”
Cheves said he’s bullish on Dallas’ resilience and future.
— Eric Weilbacher
Read more
Hillwood exec reps real estate in Dallas Regional Chamber CEO search
Dallas Mavericks seeking arena site in city limits by year’s end
Wilks Development, Jerry Jones inch forward in flourishing Frisco
Alvarez and Marsal to renovate SMU Plano for tech hub
