LEO EVELETH
Supporter
LEO EVELETH has been a part of The University of Texas at Dallas since long before there ever was a university. And, he’s been an integral part of the UTD athletic program as long as that program has existed, as well.
Leo is best known as an unparalleled supporter of the UT Dallas men’s basketball team, but he’s been a friend to the entire athletic program for many years – using his influence and resources to help support the UTD Comet Club, the annual fund-raising Golf Classic and other endeavors. He is never one to shy away from any opportunity to speak glowingly about the University and its athletic accomplishments.
A native of Owosso, Michigan, Eveleth graduated from high school in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1944 and served two years as a Platoon Leader in the U.S. Army Infantry during World War II. After returning from service, he worked as a teacher in the Des Moines Independent School District while earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business from Drake University.
In 1957, he joined an emerging company in Dallas, Texas, called Texas Instruments. When TI formed its Graduate Research Center of the Southwest (now UT Dallas) in 1963, Eveleth joined the new advanced training facility as its Manager of Administrative Functions, and has been a part of its development and history since.
Eveleth went on to a successful career in business and community leadership outside the university, including 15 years as a Vice President for First National Bank of Dallas and later served 12 years on the Board of Trustees for the Richardson ISD. But Leo never forgot where he came from. After retiring in 2000, he returned to the university in both a formal and informal capacity. Well into his 80s, Leo taught recreational tennis classes, volunteered in various projects, and even stepped in as a last-minute coach for the Comets tennis team in an emergency situation just a few years ago.
