Robert H. Dedman Sr. (1926–2002) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He is best known as the founder and past chairman of ClubCorp.

Biography

Early life

Robert Dedman was born in poverty in Rison, Arkansas. His family house only had two bedrooms and no electricity or running water. At the age of fourteen, he and his brother moved to Dallas, Texas to live with their aunt. He attended

North Dallas High School North Dallas High School is a public secondary school located in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas, Texas, United States. It enrolls students in grades 9- 12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District. As of 2017, the principal adminis ...

and graduated as valedictorian in 1944, upon which he joined the United States Navy. Whilst serving as a sailor during the day, he received three degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, in engineering, economics, and law.Stewart Information Services Corporation Board of Directors
/ref> After he left duty, he earned a law degree from Southern Methodist University in 1953, specializing in oil, gas, and taxation. During that time, he sold insurance during the week and real estate on the weekends.

Career

He started his career by joining a prominent law firm in Dallas. During that time,

H. L. Hunt Haroldson Lafayette Hunt Jr. (February 17, 1889 – November 29, 1974) was an American oil tycoon. By trading poker winnings for oil rights according to legend, but more likely through money he gained from successful speculation in oil leases, he ...

became his mentor. After learning to play golf from Byron Nelson, Ralph Guldahl, and Ben Hogan, he decided to invest in golf courses. In 1957, he founded Country Club, Inc., later renamed ClubCorp.Robert Dedman, 76; Philanthropist and Golf Course Operator
'' The Los Angeles Times'', August 22, 2002Alan Shipnuck
The Prince Of Pinehurst
'' Sports Illustrated'', June 14, 1999SMEI Academy of Achievement
/ref>
'' The New York Times'', August 21, 2002Obituaries: Robert H. Dedman Sr.
''

The Pilot A pilot is a person who flies or navigates an aircraft. Pilot or The Pilot may also refer to: * Maritime pilot, a person who guides ships through hazardous waters * Television pilot, a television episode used to sell a series to a television n ...

'',Businessman Robert H. Dedman Sr. dies
''

Dallas Business Journal American City Business Journals, Inc. (ACBJ) is an American newspaper publisher based in Charlotte, North Carolina. ACBJ publishes The Business Journals, which contains local business news for 44 markets in the United States, Hemmings Motor News ...

'', August 20, 2002Dallas businessman, philanthropist Robert H. Dedman Sr. dies
University of Texas at Austin, August 20, 2002Patti LaSalle, 'SMU Law School Renamed in Honor of Dedman Family', ''SMU News'', February 14, 2001Robert Miller
Dedman Foundation gives $5 million to SMU
'' The Dallas Morning News'', May 21, 2012 He served two terms as the chairman of the Texas State Highway and Public Transportation Commission of the Texas Department of Transportation. He also served on the board of directors of the

Stewart Information Services Corporation Stewart Information Services Corporation (SISCO) is a real estate information, title insurance and transaction management company. Wholly owned subsidiaries, Stewart Title Guaranty Co. and Stewart Title Company offer products and services in the Un ...

. He was invited to

Camp David Camp David is the country retreat for the president of the United States of America. It is located in the wooded hills of Catoctin Mountain Park, in Frederick County, Maryland, near the towns of Thurmont and Emmitsburg, about north-northwe ...

by President

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...

. He became the Entrepreneur of the Year in 1976 from the

Cox School of Business The Edwin L. Cox School of Business is an American business school, part of Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. The SMU Cox School of Business is headquartered in four buildings on SMU's 210-acre main campus five miles north ...

at SMU, Dallas Humanitarian of the Year in 1980, Texas Business Hall of Fame in 1987, and the Horatio Alger Award from the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans in 1989. He was inducted in the Academy of Achievement of the

Sales & Marketing Executives International Sales & Marketing Executives International (SMEI) is a worldwide non-profit organization offering membership and professional sales and marketing certification. SMEI is dedicated to ethical standards, continuing professional development, knowledge s ...

(SMEI). In 2003, Dedman received the Ambassador of Golf Award, presented annually to a person who has fostered the ideals of the game on an international level and whose concern for others extends beyond the golf course.

Philanthropy

In 1986, he donated $10 million to the University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts. In 2000, a street on the UT Austin campus, Robert Dedman Drive, was named for him. The Dedman Memorial Hospital in Dallas is also named for him. In 2012, the Dedman Foundation donated $5 million to SMU. He joined the board of trustees of Southern Methodist University in 1976, and served as chairman of the board from 1992 to 1996.Ellen Sterner, 'Robert H. Dedman Sr. Played Major Role in SMU Advancement', ''SMU News'', August 20, 2002 He donated $77 million to SMU. The

Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences is the school of liberal arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth- ...

, the Dedman School of Law, and the

Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports Dedman is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Bill Dedman (born 1960), American journalist, Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author * John Dedman (1896–1973), Minister in the Australian Labor Party governments led by John Cu ...

on the SMU campus are named in his honor. He also donated to Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, North Carolina, where the Robert H. Dedman Center for Business Leadership is named for him.Sandhills Community College: Robert H. Dedman Sr.
/ref>

Personal life

In 2001, the year before he died, Dedman made the Forbes list of America's 400 wealthiest individuals with a net worth of $1.2 billion. He was married to Nancy Dedman. Together they had a son,

Robert H. Dedman Jr. Robert H. Dedman Jr. is an American heir, businessman and philanthropist.Alan Shipnuck '' Sports Illustrated'', June 14, 1999

, CEO of ClubCorp from 1998 to August 2004, and a daughter, Patricia Dedman "Patty" Dietz, who served a couple of years on its board of directors. Dedman died on 20 August 2002 from a long-term illness.

Bibliography

*''King of Clubs: Grow Rich in More Than Money'' (Taylor Publishing Company, 1998)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dedman, Robert H. Sr. 1926 births 2002 deaths Businesspeople from Dallas University of Texas School of Law alumni Dedman School of Law alumni 20th-century American businesspeople American billionaires People from Rison, Arkansas 20th-century American philanthropists Cockrell School of Engineering alumni University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts alumni