John Scovell

Scovell joined Hunt Oil Company’s real estate division in 1972, and he founded Woodbine with Dallas businessman Ray L. Hunt in October 1973. As president & CEO, Scovell leads the organizational support and direction on Woodbine’s building committee for all projects. Over the years, he championed many commercial real estate projects in downtown Dallas, most notably the Hyatt Regency Dallas with its landmark Reunion Tower, which Woodbine has managed since it opened in 1978. Prior to joining Woodbine, Scovell was a certified public accountant with Arthur Andersen & Co., and he worked in the area of commercial auditing, handling a number of accounts with real estate companies and financial institutions.

Scovell played quarterback at Texas Tech University from 1965-67 and graduated No. 1 in his class at Texas Tech’s College of Business in 1968. A former member of the U.S. Army Finance Corps, Scovell received his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1970.

A native of Dallas, Scovell attended Hillcrest High School where he was the quarterback for the Panthers football team. John is the son of longtime Dallas ambassador and Cotton Bowl Classic team selection chairman, the late Field Scovell, for whom the Cotton Bowl Trophy is named. John himself served as chairman of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association from 1980-82, and he currently serves on its board of directors.

Scovell is a member of the Texas Tech University Foundation President’s Council, and he is a former member of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents and the school’s alumni association board of directors. He has served many organizations as a president, chairman, board member or trustee, including Children’s Medical Center, Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau Expansion Committee, DowntownDallas (the former Central Dallas Association), Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce, JPMorgan Chase & Co., The Real Estate Council of Dallas Advisory Board and the State Fair of Texas.

In 2010, Scovell received the 81st annual Linz Award, one of the highest accolades bestowed in Dallas to an individual or married couple for community or humanitarian service. He is a member of the Texas Tech Athletics Hall of Fame, and he is a recipient of the Texas Tech University Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Scovell was awarded Harmon-Rice-Davis Trophy (scholar/athlete) in 1968 and the 1986 Gardner Award (distinguished alumnus), given by the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity.