Speakers
Preston M. Geren
President, Sid W. Richardson Foundation
Preston (“Pete”) M. Geren is president of the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, which provides grants to educational, health, human service, and cultural nonprofit organizations in Texas. He assumed the position in July 2011 after serving as senior advisor and president-elect of the foundation since March 2010. Prior to joining the foundation, Mr. Geren served in the Department of Defense as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Acting Secretary of the Air Force, Under Secretary of the Army, and Secretary of the Army. As Secretary of the Army, he had command of an annual budget of $140 billion; 1.1 million soldiers, active, Guard, and Reserve; 230,000 civilians; and 15 million acres of land. He served four terms from 1989 to 1997 as U.S. Representative for Texas’ 12th congressional district and was formerly assistant to U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen. Mr. Geren is a director of Anadarko Petroleum Corp. A lawyer and former business executive, he has held leadership positions in numerous civic, educational, business, and philanthropic organizations in Texas. He earned his J.D. and B.A. in history at the University of Texas at Austin.
