Forrest Preece, Jr.
Director
Forrest Preece, a fifth-generation Austin native, graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1968 with a BA in Plan II/English. He finished the course work on a Master's Degree in Advertising, also at UT Austin. During his student days, he played in the Longhorn Band and the University Symphony, wrote for the daily Texan, and was president of the advertising fraternity.
His career started with advertising agencies in Houston and Austin. In 1973, he was hired as Marketing Communications Manager for MRI Systems Corporation, one of Austin's first international software firms. While at MRI, he met Linda Ball and they married in 1976. In 1977, he started his advertising agency, Good Right Arm. During the next 28 years, he did advertising and public relations for many types of businesses ranging from local to international firms — high tech to retail to real estate. He retired in May, 2005.
One of his most significant client relationships began on an evening in March 1984, when a 19-year-old University of Texas student selling computers out of his condominium called him for some advertising help. That night, Forrest was the first person to give Michael Dell credit. Forrest handled all of the advertising, public relations, and trade show work for PCs Limited (now Dell Computer Corporation) until mid-1987.
Besides being active in his business, Forrest has been involved in a leadership role with many professional, health, and arts groups in Austin.
Forrest began his association as a donor and volunteer with Ballet Austin in 1993. Now in his second term on the board of directors, he has chaired the marketing committee, is a member of The Legacy Circle, does internal web communications for the board and staff, serves on the Capital Campaign and Development Committees, was an original member of the Ballet Austin Foundation board, and recruits the VIP Mother Gingers for The Nutcracker.
He is also on the Advisory Board for the Heritage Society of Austin.
He has served as a board member of The Austin Advertising Club, The Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival, was a board member and founder of Longhorn Associates (a support group for UT Women's Athletics), and has held leadership roles with other organizations.
Forrest and his wife, Linda Ball, a retired technology executive, endowed one of the first scholarships for Women's Athletics at The University of Texas. They also made the naming endowment for the Forrest Preece Recital Hall at the Mary Ann Heller Austin Lyric Opera Center and have made a similar endowment for Ballet Austin's Dance Education Center which will open in 2006.
They also made a significant donation to the capital fund for AIDS Services of Austin. Forrest and Linda have hosted many parties and benefits in their home for non-profit groups.
As an avocation, Forrest writes Westside Stories, a weekly "personalities" column for West Austin News.
He and his wife have one adopted daughter, a glamorous blonde-haired dog named Chalow.
