Every member of the Dedman family is committed to their roles as leaders and change-makers in the community. Nancy and the late Robert Dedman Sr. taught each of their loved ones to “be a giver, not a taker.” To a Dedman, there is nothing greater than the “joy of giving while living and seeing one’s gift in action.”

They live by the credo that “Integrity, good health, family, and friends are worth more than anything money can buy.” To that end, the Dedman family has made it their mission to build on Southwestern Medical Foundation’s successes, and they continue to plant the seeds of giving with each new generation. They have created a remarkable legacy of caring through their shared vision that has enriched the lives of so many people in North Texas and beyond.

Robert H. Dedman Jr., Rachael Dedman, Nancy Dedman, Bob Nail, and Patricia Dedman Nail

Robert Dedman Jr. has been a dedicated Trustee of Southwestern Medical Foundation since 2000, serving on several key committees, including the Personnel Committee. He currently serves on the Executive Committee and the Investment Committee, where he previously held a leadership position as Chair. He also serves on UT Southwestern’s President’s Advisory Board.

In 2008, the family established the Dedman Family Endowed Program for Scholars in Clinical Care to support translational research that speeds discoveries and gives greater opportunities to researchers and clinicians to advance medical science. This program aids in recruiting the most promising early-career physicians to the Medical Center and launches their careers under the mentorship of senior clinicians and
clinical scientists.

For investigators, it is a distinct honor to become a Dedman Scholar. Candidates are chosen because of their ability to see the world through a different lens. Where others see challenges, Dedman Scholars see infinite possibilities. Traditional funding sources do not readily support the initiation of high-risk, challenging research, and this financial contribution has filled a void for researchers whose work could open doors to significant discoveries.

The Dedman Family Endowed Program for Scholars in Clinical Care has funded 35 Dedman Scholars and their innovative research, which spans fields such as cardiovascular disease, type 1 diabetes, organ transplantation, cystic fibrosis, cancer, liver disease, and more. The work of the Dedman Scholars has led to greater understanding of science, paved the way toward additional grant funding sources, led to new patents and drugs, spurred new ideas for research, and resulted in numerous scientific papers featured in medical publications.

Jonathan Dietz, son of Patricia Dedman Nail, and his wife, Saryn, stepped up as members of The Cary Council to help engage and educate an emerging generation of rising community leaders in the Greater Dallas area. They have helped grow this vibrant group of young philanthropists who are dedicated to advancing early-stage research at UT Southwestern, in partnership with Southwestern Medical Foundation. In 2023, Saryn and Jonathan were chairs of The Cary Council’s An Evening with DocStars, an annual fundraiser and celebration of innovation in early-stage research.

Jonathan and Saryn Dietz

The family made a significant investment in the academic leadership of UT Southwestern in 2017 by establishing the Dedman Family Distinguished Chair in Neurological Disease. This permanently endowed chair is held by a distinguished faculty member in neurology and supports his or her research and academic pursuits.

Ray Nixon, James R. Huffines, David B. Miller, and Robert H. Dedman Jr.

Highly sought after by leading physicians and scientists, endowed academic positions enable UT Southwestern to recruit and retain exceptional faculty leaders who in turn advance the institution’s service and standing as one of the world’s leading academic medical centers. Endowed academic positions honor the achievements and ensure the legacy of distinguished faculty members in perpetuity.

The Dedmans also provided a generous gift to support the creation of the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, which opened in December 2014. Clements University Hospital has become a model of excellence for hospitals across the country and has fully integrated UT Southwestern’s research, clinical, and educational missions—elements that make an academic medical center unique among health care providers.

In 2020, UT Southwestern completed an expansion of the hospital, where a 12-story third tower serves as the clinical home for the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute. Clements University Hospital has expanded to more than 750 rooms, along with its capacity for emergency, cancer, and neurological care. The hospital’s emergency department grew by more than 50 percent, enabling UT Southwestern to better care for the community.


Read the Full 2024 Issue of Perspectives Magazine