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DALLAS (SMU) – SMU’s Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility has named , CEO of DallasNews Corporation and Publisher of the Dallas Morning News, as its new board chair. The appointment comes as the center marks its 30th anniversary and secures new funding to advance character education research.

"This is a unique time in our society where ethics and social responsibility are being contested," said Moise. "The center will play an important role in ensuring they remain a fabric of our community."

Moise became CEO of DallasNews Corporation in May 2022 after joining the Dallas Morning News in 2018. He previously served as senior vice president of business development, overseeing mergers and acquisitions while managing the company's magazines, Spanish-language newspapers, and digital ventures.

"As a board member since 2020, Grant has played a key role in advancing the center's mission to foster ethical reflection and public responsibility," said Rita Kirk, director of the Maguire Center. "With his leadership, I'm confident we will continue to be a relevant, responsive and trusted voice in the ethics conversation."

Moise succeeds Bobby B. Lyle '67, a founding board member who led the center's growth over multiple decades. Lyle will remain on the board as past chair. Under Lyle's leadership, the Maguire Center established the J. Erik Jonsson Ethics Award, completed a $2 million endowment campaign, and expanded its board to include leaders across Dallas. The center recently received a grant from the Educating Character Initiative at Wake Forest University, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., to conduct a year-long research study on character education at SMU.

Founded in 1995 by Dallas oilman and philanthropist Cary M. Maguire, the center was established to ensure that ethics remains central to both academic and public life. For three decades, it has served as a hub for ethical reflection and civic dialogue, helping students engage deeply with their values while addressing complex questions of leadership, justice, and public responsibility.

"We are deeply grateful to Bobby B. Lyle for his steady leadership and decades of service," said Rachel Davis Mersey, executive vice president and provost at SMU. "With Grant Moise now stepping into the chair role, the center is poised to build on its legacy and expand its reach in meaningful ways."

Lyle reflected on his tenure with optimism. “Watching students develop into ethical leaders who serve their communities gives me great hope for the future, and I know Grant will continue nurturing that transformation,” he said.

About the Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility
The Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility is a university-wide center at SMU that supports student and faculty ethics-related education and activities, as well as outreach to the community and public and private institutions.