Brad Cheves joined the Dallas Regional Chamber in January 2026 as President and CEO. Prior to joining the DRC, he served as Senior Vice President for Development and External Affairs at Southern Methodist University, where he led the university’s fundraising, marketing, communications, and community engagement efforts. At SMU, Cheves spearheaded SMU Ignited: Boldly Shaping Tomorrow, a $1.656 billion comprehensive campaign that surpassed its goal three years early and ranks among the largest in Texas higher education history. Cheves also directed SMU Unbridled: The Second Century Campaign and helped secure the George W. Bush Presidential Center for the SMU campus. Earlier, he served as Vice President for Advancement and Public Affairs at Pepperdine University, where he created the university’s first Office of Marketing and modernized its advancement operations. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Cheves is deeply involved in civic life across North Texas. He serves on the boards of Broadway Dallas, the Dallas Assembly, the Dallas Council on Foreign Relations, the Texas Lyceum, the Circle Ten Council of Scouting America, and the Honorary Board and Men’s Advocacy Group of New Friends New Life. He is also an elder at the Preston Road Church of Christ. A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Cheves earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from Abilene Christian University and a Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and has worked with the Texas State Legislature. Cheves and his wife, Angela, have three sons—Kyle, Conner, and Keaton—all of whom are SMU Mustangs.