Dallas Symphony Orchestra? And question regarding flutes?

I was wanting to know how people think of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Is it considered a professional orchestra? With what other orchestras would you compare them to and why? Is it respected? Another question involves their flute players Jean Larson Garver (principal: BM & MM from University of Texas at Austin and studied at the Conservatoire in Nice, France, as a student of Jean Pierre Rampal. Professor of Flute at Southern Methodist University in Dallas) Deborah Baron (Associate Principal: BM & MM from Julliard. Preformed with the Springfield (Massachusetts) Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra before coming to Dallas) and Kara Kirkendoll Welch (BM University of Cincinnati & MM from Southern Methodist University. Kirkendoll is the recipient of many reputable awards in such competitions as the International Flute Talk Competition (Chicago, 1999), the Orchestral Masterclass Competition with Jeanne Baxtresser (Dallas, 1997) and the National Flute Association Masterclass Performers Competition (1996). She was a featured soloist at the 2001 National Flute Association Convention in Dallas, and has been recognized in Flute Talk magazine.) Would they be classified as really good teachers? FYI they are all teachers at SMU? Has anyone heard much about them? If you know about them, are they considered to be on the same level as some teachers New York for example?