Business, civic, and community leaders gathered at the Fairmont Hotel to honor the Goldman Sachs Vice Chairman and former President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
DALLAS, Nov. 4, 2026 — The World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth presented the 43rd annual H.
Neil Mallon Award to Robert S. Kaplan, Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs, on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026,
at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas. Nearly 800 business, civic, and community leaders attended the
ceremony.
The H. Neil Mallon Award, named for the Council’s founder, recognizes individuals who have excelled at
advancing North Texas’ role in the world. Funds raised through the event support the Council’s public
and education programming, international exchanges, and diplomatic services.
Kaplan addressed the importance of global discussion from the podium. “H. Neil Mallon founded the
World Affairs Council with the purpose to create a forum for discussion of national and global events,
with the theory that if we’ve got an informed citizenry, if we create a forum for discussing these topics,
democracy will work much better,” Kaplan said. “That was true in the 1950s, and I’d venture to say it’s
dramatically more true today.”
Kaplan was recognized for his four-decade career spanning finance, public service, education, and
philanthropy. A longtime leader at Goldman Sachs, where he rose to Vice Chairman, he went on to teach
at Harvard Business School and served as President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
from 2015 to 2021 before returning to Goldman Sachs as Vice Chairman in 2024. Equally notable is his
commitment to venture philanthropy. Since 2010, he has served as Co-Chair of the Draper Richards
Kaplan Foundation, which provides early-stage, unrestricted funding and hands-on support to high impact social enterprises around the world. He also chairs Project ALS and is Co-Founding Board Chair Emeritus of the TEAK Fellowship, which helps talented students from low-income families gain access to top schools and colleges.
“He had a vision for what Texas and the nation really need to do to maintain the Texas miracle and
provide opportunities for economic mobility for people to move up,” said Sam Susser, President and
CEO of Susser Bank. “The Draper Richards Kaplan foundation is so impactful to so many institutions and
has been for many, many years.”
“Rob Kaplan embodies the principles of our founder. Like H. Neil Mallon, Rob reminds us that leadership
is measured not simply by accomplishments on a balance sheet, but by the people we inspire and
empower,” said Jess Koloini, President and CEO of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth.
The evening concluded with a keynote conversation between Kaplan and Michael McKee, International
Economics and Policy Correspondent at Bloomberg Television and Radio. The discussion covered the
global economic outlook, trade, monetary policy, and North Texas’ role in the world economy.
The Council thanks Diamond Sponsor Goldman Sachs and all of the evening’s sponsors, as well as
Dinner Chairs Helen and Brendan McGuire, Joni and Timothy Powers, and Catherine and Sam Susser.
About the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Founded in 1951, the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to
engaging the North Texas community in dialogue on global issues. Through world-class programming, educational
initiatives, and diplomatic services, the Council connects North Texans with international perspectives and fosters
informed global citizenship. Learn more at dfwworld.org