Don A. Sanders

Don A. Sanders is the Founder and Chairman of Sanders Morris Harris, the largest investment bank headquartered in the Southwest.

A native of Mexia, Texas, Don graduated from Mexia High School, received his BBA degree from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, and his MBA degree from the University of Texas in Austin.

Don joined one of the nation’s largest securities firms, E.F. Hutton & Co., in 1959. He later became Executive Vice President and a member of the company’s Board of Directors. In 1987, he resigned to form Sanders Morris Harris, which today is one of the nation’s leading investment firms. SMH manages over $12 billion and is a major underwriter of public and private offerings and represents over 45 NFL professional football players.

Don is a leader of a variety of civic, corporate and financial enterprises. He was an owner of the Houston Astros Baseball Club before founding the Round Rock Express with Nolan and Reid Ryan. With the Ryans, he is a principal owner of Ryan-Sanders Baseball which owns and operates the Triple-A Round Rock Express and the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks baseball clubs. 

An active community leader, Don served on the Houston Police Pension Board and the University Of Houston Board Of Regents. Don was also the Founder and served as Chairman of the Houston Police Foundation. He continues to be a board member.  He is also on the board of directors of the Nolan Ryan Foundation, Ryan Sanders Baseball Inc. and in 2001 was named Houston Interfaith Charities’ “Sportsman of the Year.”

In 2007, Don and his wife, Chris, provided a financial gift to The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown for the production of a life-size bronze statue that commemorates the accomplishments of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Recently Sam Houston State University named the BearKats baseball facility Don Sanders Stadium in recognition of his donation to establish an endowment fund to enhance the schools baseball program.