Southern Methodist University proudly announced that it has surpassed its ambitious goal of raising $125 million for its ACC Competitiveness Campaign, launched shortly after SMU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference on Sept. 1. Reaching and then surpassing this financial goal wouldn’t have been possible without generous donations from Matthew Fleeger, an alumnus from the class of 1987.
Matt Fleeger’s $2 million contribution to the cause came in part from the Fleeger Family Foundation and includes a few earmarked specifications for his investment. This includes $1.2 million being earmarked for the Weber End Zone Complex and another $800,000 dedicated to helping SMU reach its $125 million target goal for the ACC Competitiveness Campaign.
“We are deeply grateful to Matt Fleeger and the Fleeger Family Foundation for their extraordinary generosity. Their commitment not only propels us to our campaign goal but also significantly enhances our facilities and resources, positioning SMU Athletics for sustained success in the ACC,” shared Rick Hart, SMU’s director of athletics.
Matt Fleeger: “I’m Proud To Support Our Transition’
This enviable achievement was possible thanks to the collective efforts of supporters, donors, and alumni like Matt Fleeger, who have rallied together to elevate SMU and the Mustang athletics program overall. These funds will be vital in ensuring SMU’s student-athletes can compete at the highest levels on and off the field.
Matt Fleeger, CEO and president of Gulf Coast Western and an alumnus who values and advocates for the continued success and improvement of SMU, said, “I’m thrilled with the future direction of SMU Athletics. It’s never been a better time to be a Mustang, and I’m proud to support our transition to the ACC.”
And SMU should be proud to call Fleeger a graduate. His unique focus and approach to investment are characterized by forming partnerships with investors and embracing the latest scientific tools to better ascertain production potential and quantify risks. This means he ensures that to fully informs his investors from the outset on both the risk and potential return on their investment.
Matt Fleeger’s Leadership and Innovation in the Oil Industry
The oil industry has gone through various cycles, ranging from booms to busts. However, Fleeger’s focus on improvement has been a unique aspect of Gulf Coast Western’s 50 years of stability. He believes that rather than investing too much in bad news or downturns in the industry, it’s wiser to concentrate on finding new ways of sourcing cash flow and keep an open mind. “The trend that excites me is the innovation and American ingenuity taking place in our industry,” he says. “The advancements in technology have created opportunities and efficiencies that weren’t there even five years ago.” Due largely to his efforts, Gulf Coast Western successfully navigated the oil crises of both 2008 and 2020.
Gulf Coast Western was founded by Fleeger’s father in 1970. Thomas H. Fleeger started the Fleeger Drilling Company. His mission was to explore, acquire, and develop oil reserves throughout the gas-rich Gulf Coast states. After his father retired in 2007, Matt Fleeger took the reins and expanded the Dallas headquarters to other locations, including Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Colorado, and Kansas.
Prior to helming Gulf Coast Western, Fleeger cut his teeth by founding a successful waste disposal company shortly after graduating from SMU. Thirteen years later, he sold that company for $59 million. He learned through riding out recessions and other experiences throughout his career that there’s value in having cash reserves on hand. He also learned to latch on to the many unique investment opportunities that came his way.
Matt Fleeger’s Charitable Work
Matthew Fleeger and the Fleeger Family Foundation, supported by Gulf Coast Western, assist local and national endeavors. Various organizations like The North Texas Food Bank, St. Jude’s Hospitals, Shriners Hospitals for Children, the American Cancer Society, the Smile Train, and the Magdalene House, an organization that helps sex trafficking survivors overcome abuse and alcoholism benefit from it. He also supports education in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through the Parish Episcopal School,
As a survivor, he’s also committed to fighting cancer. Fleeger paired up with the Sadie Keeler Foundation, which 7-year-old Keeler started when she found out that she had leukemia. They started a nonprofit to provide toys to hospitalized children throughout the holidays. Gulf Coast Western donated $25,000 to Keller’s efforts. And they signed on as an official sponsor for the foundation’s annual fundraising gala.
Matthew Fleeger went beyond simply writing a check by taking a more hands-on approach with the Sadie’s Sleigh gift-giving bonanza. Keeler commented on the company’s support for her nonprofit. “That was such an amazing experience. Everywhere I looked around the lobby, it was like Nintendo Switches, Xboxes, bicycles, and amazing gifts that anyone would want.”
It’s no wonder that Matt Fleeger saw fit to give to SMU’s efforts to successfully transition to the ACC. They met and surpassed the initial goal of SMU’s Athletics, thanks in large part to the efforts of alums like Fleeger.
Coming off the heels of a school-record eighth championship season, the program is well poised for its inaugural season in the ACC. SMU has already set new season ticket sales records for Ford Stadium. And it’s a good bet, Matt Fleeger. His Gulf Coast Western cohorts will be in the stands to cheer them on.
Sources
information about Matt Fleeger: https://www.expertpages.com/united-states/dallas/expert/matthew-fleeger
News that recapped:
https://smumustangs.com/news/2024/7/1/smu-mustang-club-smu-athletics-surpasses-125-million-goal-for-acc-competitiveness-campaign.aspx
more about charitable giving and the background of the oil company: https://gulfcoastwesternreviews.medium.com/how-gulf-coast-western-ceo-matthew-fleeger-gives-back-da2adfedf77c
https://www.crunchbase.com/person/matthew-fleeger