George W. Bush Foundation

George W. Bush Presidential Library

The George W. Bush Presidential Library is the 13th presidential library operated by the National Archives and Records Administration and provides access to official documents and artifacts from the George W. Bush administration. The George W. Bush Presidential Library intends to promote an understanding of Bush’s presidency, especially as it relates to the specific time in history during which it occurred. ¹

George W. Bush Institute

George W. Bush Institute is a nonpartisan policy organization that advocates for strengthening democracy, ensuring opportunity for all, and advancing free societies. To achieve this, the Bush Institute engages with the public, develops leaders, and proposes action-based policies. ¹

The George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative promotes policies that encourage domestic economic growth to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in the global economy. ³

Collaboration with Southern Methodist University

The Bush Center frequently collaborates with Southern Methodist University (SMU), where the Center is housed. Together, they host events, conduct research, and provide educational opportunities to university students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. ¹ SMU provides access to its faculty, who act as panelists at  policy summits, mentors to Bush Institute fellowship participants, and guest lecturers for visiting scholars and public events. ³

Through this collaboration, Southern Methodist University students benefit from internships at the Bush Center, invitations to attend summits and symposia at the Bush Center, and informal student discussions and select SMU classes with former President George W. Bush. ³

Funding

The George W. Bush Foundation is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While the George W. Bush Foundation does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Moody Foundation ($4 million in 2019), ⁴ the Mercer Family Foundation ($1.97 million in 2016), ⁵ and the Greater Washington Community Foundation ($1.3 million in 2018). ⁶

Director

David Kramer is the executive director of the George W. Bush Institute. Kramer formerly worked as senior director for human rights and democracy at the McCain Institute for International Leadership, president of Freedom House, and senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Kramer is the chair of the board of the Free Russia Foundation and sits on the board of the International Republican Institute. During the George W. Bush administration, Kramer worked as assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor; deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs; and senior advisor to the undersecretary for global affairs. ⁷

Board of Directors

Ken Hersh is the president and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Hersch is the co-founder and former CEO of NGP Energy Capital Management. Hersh sits on the boards of the Hoover Institution, the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, and the Dallas Citizens Council. Hersh is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Council of the American Enterprise Institute, and the Dean’s Council of the Harvard Kennedy School. ⁸

Donald L. Evans is the chair of the board and served as Secretary of Commerce during the George W. Bush administration. ⁹

Reginald “Reg” Brown is a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Brown formerly worked in the White House Counsel’s office as principal legal liaison to the Departments of Treasury and Housing and Urban Development, and as a counselor for the White House Office of Political Affairs, the Presidential Personnel Office, and the National Economic Council. ¹⁰

Former President Gorge W. Bush’s wife Laura Bush is a former First Lady of the United States, co-founder of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, and chair of the Bush Institute’s Women’s Initiative. Bush sits on the boards of the Salvation Army, the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. ¹¹

Kelly Compton is the executive director of the Hoglund Foundation, secretary of the board of trustees at Southern Methodist University, and a member of the International Women’s Forum. Compton formerly sat on the advisory boards of Teach for America and the Prison Entrepreneurship Program. ¹²

Harlan Crow is the chair of Crow Holdings and sits on the boards of the American Enterprise Institute, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, and the Supreme Court Historical Society. Crow is a member of the American Antiquarian Society and the Philosophical Society of Texas. ¹³

Antonio Garza is the chair of Vianovo Ventures and former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. Garza sits on the boards of Southern Methodist University, Americas Society/Council of the Americas, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico City. Garza is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. ¹⁴

Dylan Glenn formerly worked as special assistant to former President George W. Bush for economic policy and is a former member of the National Economic Council. ¹⁵

Henry Hager is the managing director at Waterous Energy Fund. Hager formerly worked as deputy operations manager during the 2004 Bush-Cheney Presidential Campaign. Hager sits on the board of the Coastal Conservation Association’s Building Conservation Trust. ¹⁶

Jon Hammes sits on the boards of Teach for America and the Badger Institute. Hammes is the former chair of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. ¹⁷

Bill Hickey is a senior executive vice president at the Lincoln Property Company. Hickey sits on the boards of the David Raymond Price Foundation and the Elizabeth Toon Charities. ¹⁸

John W. “Johnny” Johnson is chair of Amegy Bank of Texas’s executive committee. Johnson is a former commissioner of the Texas Transportation Commission, former member of the Governor’s Business Council, and former member of the Task Force on Charter Schools. Johnson formerly sat on the board of Goodwill Industries, the American Leadership Forum, and the Young Presidents’ Organization. ¹⁹

Joel Kaplan is the vice president of global public policy at Facebook. During the George W. Bush administration, Kaplan was deputy chief of staff for policy and deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget. ²⁰

Jeremy Katz is the president and COO of D1 Capital Partners. Katz is a former deputy director of the White House National Economic Council and former member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board. During the George W. Bush administration, Katz was a senior policy advisor to the Secretary of Commerce and special assistant to the President. ²¹

Mark Langdale is a former president of the George W. Bush Foundation. Langdale is a former U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica, former chair of the Texas Department of Economic Development, and former member of the Young Presidents Organization. ²²

Dina Powell McCormick is the president of global client services at BDT-MSD Partners. McCormick formerly worked as global head of sovereign business at Goldman Sachs and president of both the Goldman Sachs Foundation and Goldman Sachs Gives. McCormick formerly worked as a senior White House advisor, deputy national security advisor, and assistant secretary of state and undersecretary for public affairs and public diplomacy. McCormick is the chair of board of the Robin Hood Foundation and sits on the boards of the National Geographic Society and the Atlantic Council. ²³

Mike Meece is the COO at N2 Capital Management. During the George W. Bush administration, Meece worked as a senior official at the White House and the Department of Commerce. ²⁴

David B. Miller is co-founder and managing partner of EnCap Investments and vice chair of the board of Southern Methodist University. Miller is a member of the National Petroleum Council and sits on the boards of the Maguire Energy Institute, Goodwill Industries of Dallas, and the DFW Salvation Army. ²⁵

Peter Pace is the chair of the Military Service Initiative Advisory Council. Pace is a former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and is former member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and the Secretary of Defense’s Defense Policy Board. ²⁶

Pamela Patsley is a former executive chair of MoneyGram International. ²⁷

Jeanne Phillips is a senior vice president at Hunt Consolidated and president of Hunt Global Partnerships. During the George W. Bush administration, Phillips worked as U.S. permanent representative to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Phillips sits on the boards of Southern Methodist University, American University in Paris, France, the Cooper Institute, the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. ²⁸

Caren Prothro is a former chair of the boards of Southern Methodist University, the Dallas Salvation Army, and the Dallas Foundation. ²⁹

Larry D. Thompson is the John A. Sibley Chair of Corporate and Business Law at the University of Georgia School of Law and a former executive vice president for government affairs at PepsiCo. Thompson is a former U.S. deputy attorney general and former head of the Corporate Fraud Task Force. ³⁰

Gerald Turner is the president of Southern Methodist University. Turner sits on the board of the American Council on Education and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and is the co-chair of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. ³¹

Ted Ullyot is the founder of Highway 50 Ventures, LLC and formerly worked as general counsel at Facebook. During the George W. Bush administration, Ullyot worked as an associate counsel in the White House. Ullyot sits on the boards of the Federalist Society and the U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society. ³²