Morton H. Meyerson, a longtime business leader and arts supporter who grew up in Fort Worth, has died at 87, following an illness.
Meyerson, who graduated from R.L. Paschal High School in 1956, had several lifelong friends in Fort Worth though he spent much of his life in Dallas.
“Mort Meyerson is the best,” lifetime friends Gordon and Louise Appleman said in a statement. “Succinct, forthright and honest.”
In the business world, Meyerson was a driving force behind H.Ross Perot Sr. and the development of computer services giant Electronic Data Systems, better known as EDS, as well as in Perot’s other ventures, including his 1992 run for president.
He’s best known in the arts for the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas which opened in 1989. Meyerson led the effort to raise the $100 million for the project.
Meyerson attended the University of Texas at Austin earning a bBachelor of aArts in economics and philosophy. He was named a Distinguished Alumnus in 2005.
He served as an officer in the U.S. Army, learning the emerging science of computer technology, which served him well in his ventures with Perot. He began his business career at helicopter manufacturer Bell as a data processing engineer before joining EDS as a systems engineer.
In the 1980s, Meyerson played a significant role in the sale of EDS to General Motors, becoming GM’s chief technology officer. He left GM to focus on private investing, working closely with Fort Worth’s Richard Rainwater, a fellow Paschal graduate, and coaching Michael Dell during the formative period of Dell Computer.
In 1992, he and Perot teamed up again, becoming chair and CEO of Perot Systems and leading it to $1 billion in revenue.
Meyerson was also an influence on Hillwood founder Ross Perot Jr., who remembers meeting him when his father brought his son to weekend meetings at EDS in the 1960s.
“Even then, Mort stood out because he never thought inside the box,” Perot said in a statement. “Over the years, I had the privilege of working with Mort at EDS, during the 1992 presidential campaign, and later at Perot Systems. He was instrumental to our success, especially when he led our expansion into India in the mid-1990s.”
Meyerson’s involvement with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra began in 1975 when retailer Stanley Marcus asked the EDS executive for a donation from the company, according to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra website.
Meyerson made the gift and was invited to join the board shortly after. Few then knew the businessman’s musical background.
His mother was a piano player and singer. Meyerson began singing at age 3 and started piano lessons at age 4. At the UT, he sang in the a cappella chorus.
Meyerson spent 10 years spearheading the building of the symphony’s home that would bear his name.
“In Dallas, the symphony center that bears his name reflects a larger legacy of civic leadership and generosity,” Perot said. “On behalf of our family, I’m grateful for his decades of partnership and friendship.”
Meyerson was a believer in the Jewish tradition of Tzedakah —– the Hebrew word for the obligation to help others. On the webpage of his family office, 2M Companies, he said they believed that “the profits from our businesses and our investments are shared with our employees and our communities, and directly support the giving capacities of our foundations.”
Meyerson was elected to the Texas Business Hall of Fame in 2021.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marlene Nathan Meyerson, and his son, David Nathan Meyerson.
Memorial details have not yet been released.
Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org.
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