Dan Petty, a well-known civic and business leader in North Texas and a major supporter of UT Dallas, died on Tuesday of complications from surgery.

Petty, 71, was a member of the UT Dallas Development Board, the Advisory Council for the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS) and the Institute for Public Affairs Advisory Committee. He was president of the North Texas Commission for many years and was a leading member of the committee that brought next month’s Super Bowl to the Metroplex.

“Dan Petty was a great asset to our school and a major supporter of many other North Texas organizations,” said Dr. Jim Marquart, dean of EPPS. “We will miss his wise guidance and enthusiastic support. Our sincere condolences go out to his family at this difficult time.”  

Petty retired last spring from his leadership post at the North Texas Commission and started working as an instructor in UT Dallas’ Public Affairs program. He taught a course on the complexities of hosting the Super Bowl and the need for good intergovernmental relations among a variety of public service agencies in the North Texas region.

In addition to his 17 years as president of the North Texas Commission, a nonprofit that markets the area, Mr. Petty was president of several Dallas firms including Henry S. Miller/Grubb & Ellis Commercial Realtors and Woodbine Development Corp./Hunt Realty Services.

He also was executive assistant to Texas Gov. Preston Smith, director of public affairs for the University of Texas, president of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau and board member of the State Fair of Texas and Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Jane Petty, of Dallas, two children, two step-children and seven grandchildren. The Petty family will hold a private burial in his hometown of Texarkana. A public memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church in Dallas.

Memorial donations can be made to the Gladene and Oscar Petty Scholarship Fund at Williams Memorial United Methodist Church, 4000 Moores Lane, Texarkana, Texas 75503-2148, or the Dan Petty Memorial Fund at First United Methodist Church, 1928 Ross Ave., Dallas, Texas 75201-3238.