SW Graduate School of Banking at SMU Cox Announces 2026 Distinguished Service and Distinguished Alumnus Awards

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The SW Graduate School of Banking at SMU Cox (SWGSB), a nationally renowned source for banking executive education, has announced its highest honors for 2026. Michael G. O’Rourke, president and CEO of TIB, will be honored with the Distinguished Service Award, and J. Carter Tolleson, CEO of Tolleson Wealth Management, will be honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. The awards will be presented during the next session of the SW Graduate School of Banking at SMU Cox, May 26–June 5, 2026.

“We are proud to recognize these award recipients for their extraordinary dedication of time and talent to strengthening their communities, institutions, and SWGSB,” said William T. Chittenden, Ph.D., president and CEO of SWGSB. “They exemplify the very best of SWGSB, and we are honored to present them with these awards.”

Michael G. O’Rourke
Distinguished Service Award
Michael O’Rourke joined TIB in 1984 as senior vice president and chief credit officer. In 1991, he was named executive vice president and chief lending officer, overseeing one of the largest correspondent lending divisions in the United States. In 1999, he made the shift to the Investments Division of the bank and was named president of TIB Capital Markets. In 2005, he was elevated to his current position as president and CEO of what is today the nation’s largest and most trusted bankers’ bank, providing correspondent banking products and services to over 1,400 independent community banks of every size from coast to coast.

O’Rourke graduated with a BBA in Finance from Texas Tech University and attended the BAI Graduate School of Executive Bank Management at Emory University. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Bank Investments and Financial Management at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, as well as of the Buckley School of Public Speaking in Camden, South Carolina. In 2023, the Independent Bankers Association of Texas honored O’Rourke with its Chairman’s Award. In 2026, he will be inducted into the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame, presented by Sam Houston State University’s Smith-Hutson Endowed Chair of Banking. O’Rourke is an advisory director for the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, a former trustee of SWGSB, and a longtime supporter of the institution and programs. He and his wife, Cindy have three grown children and two grandchildren.

J. Carter Tolleson
Distinguished Alumnus Award
SWGSB Class XLV
The youngest recipient in the history of the SWGSB Distinguished Alumnus Award, Carter Tolleson is CEO of Tolleson Wealth Management, a company dedicated to a mission of high-touch, comprehensive financial solutions anchored in trust, integrity, and long-term stewardship. With an emphasis on coordinated planning and personalized client experience, Carter guides the organization in serving as a central resource for all things financial and helping families navigate complexity with clarity and confidence.

Carter serves as chairman of the CEO Committee and sits on the firm’s Investment Committee. He has been a member of the Tolleson Wealth Management Board of Directors since the company’s inception. Carter is also CEO of Tolleson Wealth Management’s subsidiaries—Tolleson Private Wealth Management, Tolleson Private Bank (Member FDIC), and Tolleson Trust Company. In these roles, he is responsible for key strategic, marketing, and policy determinations for all these lines of business and manages their operations. He chairs the bank’s Trust Committee, Asset Liability Management Committee (ALCO), and Credit Committee.

Carter earned a BS in Finance from the University of Arkansas and currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Walton College of Business at the university. He is a graduate of the SWGSB and holds a certificate in Financial Planning from SMU.

Carter actively supports numerous Dallas arts and cultural organizations. He has been an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) since 2008. He currently serves as chair of the Tate Board of Directors of the SMU Tate Lecture Series. He is a member of the Executive Committee at Highland Park United Methodist Church, The Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs, and St. Philip’s School and Community Center. He is also a member of the finance committee at the Dallas Museum of Art. Past board service includes Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, The 21st Century Council at SMU, The Texas Bankers Association, and The Senior Source.

In 2012, Carter was named as a member of the “40 Under Forty” by the Dallas Business Journal, an honor given to top executives under 40 years old. He was named “Most Admired CEO” by the Dallas Business Journal in 2022 and is listed annually as a D CEO “top 500 most influential business leader.”

Carter is married with four children. He is a longtime Dallasite and Park Cities resident. Outside of work and spending time with his family, he is involved with numerous charitable organizations, enjoys traveling, and collects art.

ABOUT THE SW GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BANKING AT SMU COX

Since 1957, the nationally recognized SW Graduate School of Banking at SMU Cox (SWGSB) has educated and empowered community bankers in all positions, regulators, experienced, new, & aspiring bank directors, and other financial services professionals with knowledge and relationships that strengthen careers, organizations, and communities. SWGSB is a nationally recognized leader in banking and commercial lending education, bank management training, and bank director training programs. Learn more at swgsb.org or call 214.768.2991 for more information.

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