Thomas Leppert

Tom Leppert has a distinguished record of accomplishment that includes high profile, leadership positions in both the private and public sector, including Chairman/CEO of The Turner Corporation, the nation’s largest general building company, CEO of Kaplan, Inc., the global multi-billion-dollar educational services company, CEO of Castle & Cooke Properties and Vice Chairman of Pacific Century Financial Corp. and Bank of Hawaii. Earlier, he was a Principal with McKinsey & Co.
From 2007-2011, he was the elected Mayor of Dallas. He made the city a national focal point in the areas of public safety, economic development, education, and the environment.

Leppert served as a White House Fellow in 1984, in both the White House Office of Policy Development and Department of the Treasury. He holds an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School and graduated cum laude from Claremont McKenna College. He has also received several Honorary Doctorate degrees.

He has served on a wide range of corporate boards on three continents. Currently, he is board chair of Austin Industries and serves on the boards of Fluor Corp., Dallas Theological Seminary, Claremont McKenna College, and the NACD North Texas Chapter. He also serves on the Executive Board of the SMU Lyle School of Engineering, the Advisory Board of Cerity Partners and is co-leader of the Brain Health Project at the Center for Brain Health.

Leppert is a noted speaker and has appeared regularly in the media. He has been recognized nationally for his leadership, including “CEO of the Year” by D Magazine, the “Texas Businessman of the Year” by the Texas Association of Business, “Outstanding Director of the Year 2020” award from the Dallas Business Journal, the “George Benson Distinguished Alumni Award” by Claremont McKenna College, the “Torch of Conscience Award” from American Jewish Congress, the Russell H. Perry Free Enterprise Award from Dallas Baptist University, “The Global Cross Millennium Award for Corporate Environmental Leadership” from Global Green and the “Father of the Year” recipient in Dallas (2010). He has also been inducted into the “Energy Efficiency Hall of Fame” and the “Dallas Business Hall of Fame”.