Cary McIlwaine Maguire (May 30, 1928August 10, 2021) was an American businessman and philanthropist.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] He was noted for his involvement with Southern Methodist University, whose ethics center bears his name.
Maguire was born in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, on May 30, 1928.[6] His father, J. Russell Maguire, worked in the oil business; his mother was Luna Ambler Maguire.[7] He attended the Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland.[4] He then studied economics at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1950.[6] [7]
Maguire relocated to Wichita Falls, Texas, a year after graduating to work in the oil industry.[6] He later served as chair and president of the Maguire Oil Company – which he established in 1969[7] – as well as of the Maguire Energy Company. He was also chair of the Components Corporation of America and Staco.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [8] He has served on the National Petroleum Council and the executive committee of Mid-Continental Oil and Gas Association.[1] [3]
Maguire sat on the board of trustees of Southern Methodist University from 1976 to 2000.[1] [2] [3] He also sat on the board of directors of the John Goodwin Tower Center for Political Studies at SMU.[9] The Maguire Center for Ethics and the Maguire Energy Institute are named in his honor. He founded the latter in 1974,[6] and served on both Advisory Boards.[1] [2] [4] [5] [10] [11] The Cary M. Maguire Chair at SMU is the result of one of his donations to the university.[3] In 1995, he and his wife received the Mustang Award for Philanthropy from SMU.[1] He ultimately donated almost $9 million to SMU during his lifetime.[6]
Maguire was also a member of the James Madison Council of the Library of Congress, where he funded the Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History.[1] [3] [4]
Maguire married Ann Thompson in 1956. They met during a blind date in Dallas four years earlier. Together, they had three children: Cary Jr., Melinda, and Blainey.[6] [1] He and his wife resided in Dallas, Texas.[5] He enjoyed painting and sculpting as hobbies,[5] as well as amassing presidential memorabilia.[6]
Maguire died on August 10, 2021, at his home in Dallas. He was 93 years old.[6]