Phil Green serves as chairman and chief executive officer of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. and Frost Bank. Green joined the Cullen/Frost organization in July 1980 and served in a number of managerial positions in the company’s financial division before being named chief financial officer in 1995, a position he held until 2015 when he was named president of Cullen/Frost. He became chairman and CEO in 2016.
During Green’s tenure at Frost, the company has become one of the nation’s 50 largest banks and has increased its common stock dividend for 26 consecutive years. At the same time, Frost has won numerous accolades for excellence and customer service, earning the most Greenwich Excellence Awards for service to business clients among banks nationwide for four consecutive years, and receiving the highest ranking in customer satisfaction in Texas in the J.D. Power U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study for 11 consecutive years. Frost has also ranked highly in the American Banker/Reputation Institute Survey of Bank Reputations and Forbes magazine’s list of America’s 100 Best Banks.
Green currently serves on the Federal Reserve Board’s Federal Advisory Council, serving the Fed’s 11th District. He also serves on the Board of Directors and Finance Committee of the Southwest Research Institute and on the University of Texas at Austin Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee, McCombs School of Business Advisory Council and the McCombs Scholars Program committee. As a member of the Board of Directors of The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, Green serves as Board Treasurer and as the Chairman of the Finance Committee. Green is also a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County. Green recently joined the University of Texas San Antonio Campaign Leadership Council and is a member of the Mid-Sized Bank Coalition where he is a former executive committee member.
Green graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1977, earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Prior to joining Frost, he spent three years in public accounting with Ernst & Ernst. Phil and his wife, Sandy, have been married for 44 years and have six grown children.
Charles Barrett is President and CEO of Barrett Holdings Inc., an asset holding company, an authorized dealer for automotive franchises, real estate holdings, and manager of proprietary equity investments.
Perhaps most recognized for his automotive dealership located in Boerne, Texas, Mr. Barrett is an authorized dealer for Jaguar and Land Rover. Mr. Barrett's strong commitment to his profession is evidenced by his former membership in the Premier Automotive Group Diversity Council for European Brands and the PAG Diversity Council Marketing Committee.
Since taking over the Jaguar dealership, Mr. Barrett has won the coveted "Pride of Jaguar" award Twelve times. The award is given to the top 12 Jaguar dealerships out of the 175 in the United States based on overall dealership quality. Mr. Barrett served on the Jaguar National Dealer Council and chaired its remarketing committee. In the year 2000, Mr. Barrett was one of only eight recipients of the "All-Star" Dealer Award from the American International Automotive Dealers Association in Washington, D.C., where he was recognized out of a 10,000 nationwide membership body. Mr. Barrett also received the Land Rover Pinnacle Club award as well as the “Giving Back-Corporate Citizenship” award from Ford Motor Company.
Mr. Barrett is extremely proud of his San Antonio heritage and remains committed to serving his community. He was previously Chairman of the Board for St. Mary’s University and has served on and chaired numerous committees for them. He served as President of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission, a festival that generates an economic impact of $380 million annually to San Antonio, as well as Chairman and President of the Fiesta Commission Charitable Corp. He has previously served as Treasurer, Secretary and chair of many committees for the Fiesta Commission. He is a former Regent for the non-profit group Rey Feo Consejo Educational Foundation and has served on its executive board.
Mr. Barrett’s former community involvement is an extensive list which includes serving on the University Of Texas Health Science Development Board of San Antonio and the President's Council, as well as on the Board of KLRN, a public broadcaster. Additionally, he served on the Pension Plan Board of Trustees for the University Health System. He is a former trustee for the Witte Museum where he was part of a select planning committee for future exhibits and areas of expansion within the facility. Additionally, he has served on the Board of Trustees for the Museo Alameda, Free Trade Alliance Board of Directors, Baptist Hospital System Development Board, Any Baby Can Board, and Mission Roads Ministry Board.
On August 24, 2001, Mr. Barrett was declared the 54th El Rey Feo (the People’s King). He received this honor having collected a record-breaking $310,000 for the LULAC Rey Feo Scholarship Committee, which provides scholarships to youths in the community regardless of their ethnicity.
Among Mr. Barrett’s achievements include being presented with a resolution by the Texas House of Representatives recognizing him as an outstanding Texan for his significant and lifelong contributions made to the city of San Antonio. In 2005, Mr. Barrett raised over a million dollars in support of the St. Mary’s University’s Barrett Memorial Bell Tower. He was profiled in Philanthropy in Texas magazine and was a recipient of the American Sunrise Award. In 2008, Mr. Barrett received the GM Inspire Award for Leadership presented to him by the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He was also named Executive of the Year in 2001 by the Sales & Marketing Executives of San Antonio.
Born in San Antonio, Mr. Barrett is fully bilingual, descending from both English and Spanish ancestors. His father and grandparents fled Mexico in 1914 during the Mexican Revolution. Mr. Barrett was featured in a PBS documentary in 2012 titled, “The Children of the Revolucion”, which details some of his family’s history.
A graduate of Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Mr. Barrett became a CPA after earning his BBA in Accounting at St. Mary's University, where he was honored with the Paul C. Goelz Business Leadership Award. In addition, he is also a member of Kappa Pi Sigma, an honorary business fraternity and in 2016 Mr. Barrett was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus of the University. He was also named as Trustee Emeritus for his exemplary service on the Board of Trustees. In 2018, Mr. Barrett, along with his wife, pledged $1,000,000 towards what will now be called, The Charles & Melissa Barrett Peer Ministry Program which aims to strengthen and enrich the faith of students living on campus. Most recently, Mr. Barrett was selected to receive the SAISD Foundation Inspire Award as an alumnus of SAISD. This award is given to select individuals who have been recognized for their contributions made within their community.
While pursuing a successful career in accounting which spanned over two decades, Mr. Barrett was a powerful influence in his industry as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), serving on numerous national committees. Those committees included Minority Recruitment and Equal Opportunity Committee, Minority Doctoral Fellows Committee, Small Business Development, AICPA Benevolent Fund-Trustee, AICPA Insurance Committee, Staff Pension Plan, Personal Lines Insurance, and Member Retirement Plan committees. To this day, his commitment to minority issues remains a top priority.
Service in the United States Coast Guard Reserve proved to have a significant impact on his business career. In the military, he learned about structure, discipline, the division of labor and the importance of teamwork. In 2000, he retired with the rank of Commander after 22 years of service and having served as Commanding Officer of three reserve units. Mr. Barrett's military training and his career in accounting have both contributed to his business success.
Mr. Barrett is married to Melissa Castillo Barrett and they have two sons, Douglas L. Barrett and Chase A. Mauldin and a daughter, Laura K. Barrett.
Ms. Janie Barrera is founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Liftfund. Created in 1994, the nonprofit agency provides small loans and management training to microenterprises of all kinds — from startups to long-established businesses — and operates in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. She has received recognition for her accomplishments, including the Small Business Administration Financial Services Advocate of the Year and the Minority Enterprise Development Consortium’s Corporate Advocate of the Year. San Antonio Business Journal listed Ms. Barrera as one of “Twenty Defining Players: People Who Have Helped Shape the City,” and also named her as one of 2013’s “Legacy Leaders.”
Ms. Barrera has served on many national, state and local boards, including the Federal Reserve Board’s National Consumer Advisory Council. President Barack Obama appointed Ms. Barrera to the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability and she also was named to the board of directors for the Federal Reserve of Dallas’ San Antonio Branch. Ms. Barrera began her career as Director of Telecommunications for the Diocese of Corpus Christi in 1977. There, she helped found the area’s first nonprofit radio stations, KLUX and KHOY, as well as two television production studios. After completing her MBA from the University of the Incarnate Word, the Corpus Christi native remained in San Antonio where, in 1989, she became Marketing Director for the U.S. Air Force Morale, Welfare and Recreation Division headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base.
Susan Naylor is the Founder and President of The Will Smith Charitable Foundation, which honors the legacy and generosity of her son, Will Naylor Smith, and supports projects in San Antonio, Hawaii, and Africa. Ms. Naylor’s philanthropy and that of The Will Smith Charitable Foundation can be found across San Antonio extending to organization such as the Witte Museum, The DoSeum, Respite Care, Boys and Girls Club and many, many more. Ms. Naylor most recently funded the naming of the Will Naylor Smith River Walk Plaza at The Tobin Center, the primary space for free education and outreach activities on the campus.
Ms. Naylor is a Texas resident and Maui enthusiast, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts and the Witte Museum. She also owns and has raced horses including Arlington-Washington winner Solitary Ranger, Cat SUP, and Vaporman as well as Breeders Cup participants Manny Wah, Andthewinneris, and Lifes An Audible.
Dr. Viroslav is Immediate Past Chair of the Board of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts and co-chaired the public phase of the Tobin Center’s capital campaign. She is a member of the boards of the San Antonio Zoo and the McNay Art Museum and is an emeritus trustee of the Mind Science Foundation. In 2018, she served on the City-County Symphony Transformation Task Force as the appointee of Judge Nelson Wolff. She is a past chair of the boards of Saint Mary’s Hall, the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, and The Winston School San Antonio. She is the recipient of several awards, including the Hope Award from the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, the UCSA Humanitarian Award, the Kipnes-Wilson/Friedland Award, the Israel Bonds Award, the Sugerman Young Leadership Award, and the Toubin Community Relations Council Award. She was also named a Distinguished Delta by Tri Delta sorority. She was the keynote speaker for the ThriveWell Cancer Foundation luncheon in April 2023.
Nationally, Dr. Viroslav is past president and emeritus trustee of the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research, an organization that she co-founded that is dedicated to finding treatments and an eventual cure for Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic disease that affects her daughter. She is a member of the Alumni Board of Southern Methodist University. She is a past member of the Board of Trustees of The Jewish Federations of North America and a former co-chair of JFNA’s National Young Leadership department. She is a past board member of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and co-chaired JCPA’s National Plenum in 2010.
Dr. Viroslav is a graduate of SMU and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. She completed her residency and fellowship training at Emory University, where she served as Chief Resident in Radiology. Dr. Viroslav’s husband, Sergio, is an orthopaedic surgeon with TSAOG Orthopaedics. They have three children.
Dr. Viroslav is a classically trained soprano and is a previous member of the San Antonio Mastersingers; she has performed in the American Sunrise Celebrity Song Slam, Ethics Follies, Ds on Keys, and Rosie’s Rodeo Roundup, all productions in San Antonio raising money for charity. She was featured in the photo exhibit “Musicians – Duets of Passion and Profession” in 2022.
Michael Amini has been actively involved in the oil and gas business for over forty years. He started as a geologist with Sage Energy Company in 1980 and currently serves as President and Managing Director at Sage. The company in engaged in exploration and development of oil and gas in the Permian Basin of West Texas and the Gulf Coast. Over the course of the last ten years, he has diversified into numerous real estate ventures primarily in the multi-family sector and several private equity ventures. Michael sits on the board of his family foundation along with his wife and children and has served many years on the boards of several other not-for-profits including The Alamo Area Council Boy Scouts of America and TMI Episcopal. He is an avid fly fisherman, an amateur pianist, and a poor but very enthusiastic golfer. Mostly, he enjoys spending time with his family.
April Ancira is the VP of Ancira Auto Group and oversees the operations of 11 New Franchised Auto stores.
She has San Antonio Roots, having attending high school at Saint Mary's Hall, received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Finance from Trinity University, and her Masters in Business from UTSA. She has worked in the car business since 1997 in every facet from being an operator and cashier to selling cars and trucks on the front line.
April has been married to her husband, Jason Thompson for 10 years whom she met at National Automotive Dealer Academy. April also serves on 11 charitable and work related boards, state and local, and picks one charity every year to put everything she has behind it when it comes to fundraising.
April and Jason have 2 children, Hope (5) and Gunnar (8) , and a dog Gracie. April has a pilot's license, has done standup comedy, and loves to race 140.6 mile triathlons called Ironmans.
Seymour Battle is Senior Vice President of Communications, Public Relations, and Engagement at Valero Energy. He joined Valero in 2005 and served as Vice President Accounting Systems reporting to Valero’s Chief Accounting Officer & Controller since 2013. His prior experience includes 10 years with Thomson Reuters in various roles within the Tax & Accounting Technology division with a focus in the energy industry.
Seymour is active as a volunteer and serves on numerous boards and committees including: San Antonio Food Bank, KLRN/PBS, United Way of San Antonio & Bexar County, the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of San Antonio, San Antonio Sports, and the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.
James Callaway retired from AT&T on 1/1/2011 after 42 years with AT&T and the SBC/Southwestern Bell Companies. Callaway retired as Senior Executive Vice President-Executive Operations with AT&T. Callaway previously served as Group President-Merger Integration for SBC and was responsible for leading the merger integration and planning efforts for the transition between the former SBC Corp and the former AT&T Corp beginning in 2005. Callaway served in the same role for the SBC merger with Bell South and Cingular. He previously served as Group President for SBC’s International Operations, Directory Operations and Sterling Commerce.
Within the San Antonio community, Callaway served as Chairman of a number of local organizations including the Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC), San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, the Free Trade Alliance, San Antonio Sports, Golf San Antonio (Valero Texas Open) and the Alamo Bowl. He has also served on the Boards of San Antonio Sports and Entertainment (Spurs), Frost Bank, Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and St. Mary’s University.
Rick Cavender is known to many as the voice and personality behind the Cavender Auto Family of dealerships. True, he works his day job as President of Cavender Audi and he has developed a solid reputation as a successful businessman and a caring community leader. In fact, he has been the recipient of the San Antonio Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” award and the Jaycee’s “Outstanding Young San Antonian". He served as president of the largest Rotary Club in the world and has led efforts to build playgrounds at local elementary schools, churches and public libraries. He was honored by his fellow Texas Auto dealers with the Texas Auto Association's "Key Dealer" honor in 2009. Let's just say he has a pretty good day job that keeps him plenty busy!
But when the lights are turned off in his showrooms, the stage lights come up on his stage. And he becomes an energized and talented band leader! For over twenty years, The Rick Cavender Band has livened up many events on the local, national and world scene. They have provided memorable entertainment for the largest conventions to ever visit the city. They have opened and performed with the hottest stars in the music scene such as George Strait, Alabama, Tanya Tucker, Alan Jackson, Willie Nelson, and Hall and Oates. In the summer of 2000, Rick was asked by the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau to entertain the Rotary International Convention in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He previewed San Antonio as the 2001 site with a rousing “Texas Medley” of songs that brought the crowd of 10,000 to its feet. Then in 2001, he returned to the stage at the Alamodome performing a Texas medley opening for Glen Campbell to 25,000 Rotarians in San Antonio.
High recognition and interest in Rick’s group is easy to understand: His music can entertain any audience. He delivers a great show with great sound, lighting and musicianship. He is an enthusiastic entertainer who can perform a variety of songs from Roy Orbison to George Strait, from Van Morrison to the Rolling Stones, from the Eagles to the Beatles, from Clint Black to Creedence. His selection covers over 200 songs and is completely unpredictable. In fact, it would not be unnatural for Rick to perform Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man” and follow it with an Orbison classic such as "In Dreams".
Dr. Cigarroa is a third generation physician. He attended Yale University and graduated from Southwestern Medical School in 1983. During his postgraduate training, he became Chief Resident in General Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and completed fellowships in Pediatric Surgery and Transplantation Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1995. During surgical training he spent two years in the laboratory under the guidance of Dr. Patricia Donahoe studying fetal growth factors and inhibitors including receiving a research fellowship by the American Society of Transplantation Surgery.
Upon completing his surgical training, Dr. Cigarroa joined the faculty of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) in 1995, where he served as director of pediatric surgery and transplantation. He established a multidisciplinary pediatric transplant program focused on kidney, liver and intestinal transplants with outstanding outcomes.
The University of Texas System Board of Regents selected Dr. Cigarroa as the third President of UTHSCSA in 2000, where he served until 2009, at which time he was selected to become the Chancellor of the University of Texas System. His leadership resulted in the UT Board of Regents authorizing the establishment of the Dell Medical School and the University of Texas Rio Grande and its Medical School. In January of 2015, Dr. Cigarroa completed his tenure as Chancellor and assumed the Directorship of the Pediatric Transplant Program at UTHSCSA. In January 2019, he became the Director of the Transplantation Center. Dr. Cigarroa has had significant impact in enhancing the overall mission of UTHSCSA and the UT System including in the field of philanthropy.
Dr. Cigarroa became a Clayton Research Scholar in 2016, and has a multiyear grant studying Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Hispanics from South Texas. He has published in peer review journals. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of the American Medical Association. He is the director of the Transplant Center’s Biorepository and fosters collaboration across various departments.
Dr. Cigarroa is the recipient of numerous awards and a member of important academic societies. He was awarded the Massachusetts General Hospital Trustee’s Medal in recognition of his contributions to the advancement of medicine and recipient of the International Recognition Award by the Denton Cooley, M.D. Cardiovascular Society including Universidad National Autonoma’s President’s Award in Medicine. In 2018, he was awarded the American Medical Association’s highest honor for medical education. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and Mexico’s National Academy of Medicine, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Science, and member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is past President of the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology. He is the current Chair of the Ford Foundation and a trustee of the Josiah Macy Foundation, which funds innovations in health professional education. He is the current President of the Philosophical Society of Texas.
Partner | Chief Executive Officer
Liz has been in the asset management business working with sophisticated families and institutions for over 25 years. Her extensive experience in the private bank sector, trust services, and institutional asset management provides the background and leadership to help Sendero® clients navigate investment and family issues. As Chief Executive Officer, Liz is responsible for implementing the strategic vision of the firm. She has been a partner of the firm since she joined in 2012 as Managing Director and was named CEO in 2017.
Liz is a vocal advocate for women and is passionate about helping them find their financial voice. By founding Sendero Women in 2018, Liz created a platform where women could freely talk about and understand their personal financial situations. This pioneering program provides tools and education designed to guide women and provide clarity in their financial future. Liz also co-founded an industry peer group of women CEOs from across the nation who come together to share best practices.
Liz is a TEDx speaker, a frequent speaker at industry conferences, and has appeared as a guest on various podcasts.
As CEO for Pape-Dawson Engineers, Samuel G. Dawson is responsible for the firm's management, allocation of resources, strategic planning and operations. He is also responsible for reviewing and coordinating major projects.
Sam is active as a volunteer and serves on numerous boards and committees including: Southwest Research Institute, Cullen Frost Bankers, Inc., the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, the San Antonio Mobility Coalition, the Witte Museum, the Rotary Club of San Antonio, and the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.
Sam is an active member and former President of the Texas Society for Professional Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, and Professional Engineers in Private Practice. He currently serves as Chairman of the Engineering Advisory Board at the University of Texas and is an active member of the Advisory Council for the University of Texas at San Antonio College of Engineering.
Heather de Rojas received her Bachelor of Arts from SMU. She is a member of Feik Enterprises and has specialized in the luxury residential real estate market since 2009. Prior to becoming a real estate agent, Heather worked for Southwest Airlines in the Dallas corporate marketing department before returning to San Antonio. She and her husband, Jeff de Rojas, operated a residential flooring business for many years where she led the marketing team.
Currently she serves on the board of the Feik Family Foundation, and is on the advisory board of Mission Heritage Partners. She is a past board member of Landa Gardens Conservancy and Texas Biomedical Forum. Heather has a passion for the San Antonio community and enjoys volunteering her time and talent to several non-profit organizations such as the McNay Museum, the Witte Museum, the DoSeum, and the San Antonio Public Library Foundation.
Evangelina “Vangie” Flores, is a native San Antonian. She is President of Flores Riverwalk Properties. She and her late husband, Roger, owned and operated Little Mitla Restaurant, La Paloma del Rio Restaurant on the Riverwalk, and later with her children, Paloma Riverwalk Restaurant at the same location. “Vangie” and the family operated their restaurants for over 35 years. Now retired from the restaurant business, she continues to manage her river walk property while devoting much of her time to serving on community boards. She is committed to building a strong future for her community. In particular, she supports the Arts, Preservation of Green Spaces, Historical Preservation, and Higher Education.
Evangelina is Chairman of the Board of Arboretum San Antonio which is scheduled to build a 186-acre Arboretum in South San Antonio. It will showcase heritage trees of the South Texas region as well as other adaptable non-invasive tree species. It will create educational spaces, children’s learning areas, meditative areas and an event and meetings center. She is a past Chair of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, past Chair of Texas A&M – San Antonio Foundation, Past President of FIESTA San Antonio, and past Chair of the San Antonio Parks Foundation. She is a former member of the World Affairs Council San Antonio and has served on the Las Misiones Advisory and Capital Campaign Committee and the River Expansion Oversight Committee, which developed the current River Walk footprint. In 1998, as Trustee , she chaired the opening of the Nelson Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art at the San Antonio Museum of Art.
Evangelina has been recognized for her accomplishments and contributions to her community. She was inducted into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame in 2011 in the Business category. She received the Department of the Army (Army North and Fort Sam Houston) Commander’s Award for Public Service in 2012. In 2013 she was inducted into the Order of the Cascaron for outstanding impact and volunteerism in FIESTA San Antonio. She received the Civic Award from the La Presa Foundation in 2011 and was recognized in Profiles in Philanthropy by Our Lady of the Lake University in 2007. Evangelina received the “Premio de Oro” for community service from Univision, KWEX TV in 2005.
Evangelina is an alumnus of Our Lady of the Lake High School and San Antonio College. She is an artist and loves to paint in her spare time. She and her life partner David love to travel and cherish time spent with family. Evangelina has two grown children, Roger O Flores, III and Mariela Flores Lopez (husband Orlando). She feels blessed for the many adventures in life, but especially those shared with family and her greatest pride, her eight beautiful grandchildren.
Ms. Franklin is Co-Founder of Franklin Companies, an industry leader in the development, construction, and management of multi-family and luxury senior living communities. She oversees many aspects of the operation of Franklin Park including brand, design, and first impressions management, as well as the company’s community outreach and philanthropic presence. Ms. Franklin’s outreach efforts frequently culminate in unique experiences for Franklin Park’s residents including on-site concerts and events as well as cultural outings.
In June 2014, Susan and her husband, Aubra, were awarded the prestigious Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year designation for Central Texas. This annual award recognizes entrepreneurs who have a proven track record of innovation that has resulted in exceptional success in their industries. Ms. Franklin’s leadership of Franklin Park was honored in December 2014 with a cover article for the statewide launch of Texas MD, NSIDE Medical Magazine. She was also selected as the NSIDE Texas Magazine Gala Honoree for 2014. Mrs. Franklin is a 2016 Creative Arts Inductee of the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame and was profiled in the January 2017 cover story of San Antonio Woman Magazine.
In addition to her responsibilities at Franklin Park, Ms. Franklin gives enthusiastically of her time and talents to support many non-profit organizations. Her desire to elevate both the appreciation and the accessibility of the fine arts in San Antonio inspires her passionate service to multiple cultural standard-bearers. Ms. Franklin serves the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Board of Directors as a member of both the Building and the Governance Committees. Her previous board service includes co-chairing the Founders’ Network and serving on the Annual Giving and Gala Committees.
In addition to her contributions to the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Board of Directors, Susan serves on the board of Musical Bridges Around the World and in 2020 served as Chair of the inaugural Gurwitz International Piano Competition. Her commitment to the fine arts extends beyond board service as she has graciously opened her home to host notable musicians such as Nobuyuki Tsjuii, the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medalist, Emmanuel Borok, world-renowned concert master of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Anya Grokhovski, Musical Bridges artistic director and concert pianist, and Lilya Zilberstein, acclaimed pianist. She is a Patron of the Charity Ball Association and a Golden Circle supporter of the Texas Biomedical Research Institute. Ms. Franklin formerly served as a Guild Member for the New York City Ballet.
As H-E-B's vice president of public, diversity and environmental affairs, Winell Herron regularly travels the state to engage with communities, customers, and 87,000 store partners, or employees. "I grew up on a 100-acre dairy farm outside of Austin as the youngest of eight siblings, so I believe in family first," says the fun-loving community advocate who inherited a strong work ethic from her father. She serves on the boards of March of Dimes, Houston Zoo, Houston Museum of African American Culture, the Ensemble Theatre and Community Artists' Collective.
In San Antonio, where H-E-B is headquartered, Ms. Herron is a board trustee for University of Incarnate Word and a board member here at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts and at Texas Lyceum. She and husband, Doug Herron, also lend their support to Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Houston Chapter of The Links Inc.
After a successful career in the airline technology industry, Vicki McLaughlin devotes her time to serving and supporting non-profit organizations dedicated to children in the state of Texas by improving access to the arts and education.
She is currently the Chairman of the Board of the Charity Ball Legacy Foundation and serves as a Trustee of the Auditory Learning Foundation. Her former leadership positions include Chairman of the Board of Sunshine Cottage, School for the Deaf and Chair of the University of Texas-Austin, College of Fine Arts Advisory Council. Vicki has also served as a Board Member of the Charity Ball Association of San Antonio and held the position of Vice President of Community Contributions. As a Trustee of the San Antonio Academy, she chaired the Annual Fund Drive for two years. Vicki is also a member of Texas Women for the Arts who support children’s arts organizations throughout the state of Texas.
Vicki, together with her late husband John McLaughlin, are founding supporters of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts where John served as a Trustee and Treasurer. Both Vicki and John have been devoted to improving the lives of children through their support of the arts and education in our community for over twenty five years.
Edward Steves is CEO of Steves & Sons, the San Antonio-based company which is the oldest building materials company in the U.S. under the same family’s continuous ownership and management. Dating back to the pioneer days of Texas, Steves & Sons has evolved from a frontier lumberyard to one of the largest interior door manufacturers in the United States. In 2014, Steves & Sons were named the Millwork Partner of the Year by Home Depot.
Thomas Thill is the Chief Executive Officer of Amerivet. Amerivet is a leading consolidator and operator of Veterinary Hospitals across the United States. Amerivet’s unique partnership model is unparalleled in the Veterinary space and allows Partner Owners to retain day-to-day operational control, continue to grow their practices and maximize their retirement proceeds while AmeriVet supports and streamlines their business processes. Amerivet has built a winning culture and was recognized as the 2020 Winner of the “San Antonio Business of the Year”, and 2019 and 2021 Winner of the “Best Places to Work in San Antonio”. Currently Amerivet is the majority owner and partner over 100 Veterinary Practices in 23 States.
Prior to Amerivet, Thomas served as the Chief Executive Officer of United Allergy Services. United Allergy Services is a leading healthcare service provider that delivers safe and effective allergy testing and customized treatment programs.
Tom’s career began with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and he spent a significant portion of his early career in sales and marketing with companies such as Eli Lilly and Stryker. After starting and selling a healthcare advertising company successfully, he moved to San Antonio in 2009 to join Kinetic Concepts (Acelity) where he ran a Marketing and Sales division. He moved to United Allergy Services in 2012, where his role expanded from VP of Strategic Sales and Marketing to Chief Operations Officer to CEO. He joined Amerivet in 2018 as Chief Executive Officer.
Tom holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from The University of Michigan. He is active in several organizations including YPO, Leadership SA, Vanderbilt University CORPS recruiting team, American Cancer Society, Rebecca’s Wish, MENSA, and is a board member of the World Affairs Council – San Antonio, San Antonio Zoo, Baron’s Committee of the American Cancer Society, President of YPO San Antonio and a previous member of the Mayor’s Business Council.
Tom lives in San Antonio with his wife Shelley and 2 sons. In his free time, Tom donates time to many charities including over 200 hours of community service in the last year. He also enjoys the outdoors, cheering for his favorite teams and is an avid fisherman.
J. Tullos Wells has long been an active member of the South Texas community, currently serving as the Managing Director of Kronkosky Charitable Foundation. Holding this title since 2014, Wells has collaborated with State, City and County leaders to enable Kronkosky Charitable Foundation to broaden its impact to the communities it serves. Prior to this leadership position, Wells practiced civil trial, corporate and sports law for more than 40 years. He has represented management in a full range of matters and headed a comprehensive sports and entertainment practice. Mr. Wells also represented a number of privately held midcap and publicly traded companies, served as outside general counsel to the San Antonio Spurs and Overstock.com and represented companies in government and internal investigations.
Wells earned the distinction as one of the Top 50 Central and West Texas Region Super Lawyers by Texas Super Lawyer for many years. He is also listed among The Best Lawyers in America. Wells has also served as Honorary Consul for Canada for 15 years, chaired the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, the Free Trade Alliance, the World Affairs Council and numerous other civic endeavors.
Mr. Wells lives in San Antonio and has one daughter, McKensie, who is a graduate student in clinical psychology at Pepperdine University.
For over two decades Tracy Wolff has been a community volunteer and fundraiser focusing primarily on children and family issues. As First Lady of Bexar County, Tracy recently joined her husband, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, in a new project – the creation of the first digital public library in the nation, BiblioTech. The mission of BiblioTech is to “provide all Bexar County residents with the opportunity to access technology for the purpose of enhancing education and literacy, promoting reading and equipping the citizens of Bexar County with the necessary tools to thrive as citizens of the 21st Century”. In 2004, as the founder and President of the Hidalgo Foundation of Bexar County, Tracy was charged with the mission of raising $6 million towards the restoration and renovation of the Bexar County Courthouse, the oldest and largest historic courthouse in continuous operation in Texas. Because of her personal commitment to children, Tracy included in the fundraising goal, the construction of two “child abuse courts and additional support areas” which were completed in January of 2005.
The Bexar County Children’s Courts are the first to be created in Texas, second in the U. S., and were named the model for the nation by the William & Mary Law School’s Courtroom 21 Project. Tracy is also co-founder and Advisor of “SMART START,” – a $3 million dollar San Antonio Area Foundation trust fund, launched in 1994 to improve the quality of childcare programs throughout the community. Smart Start awards grants to childcare programs and home care providers who seek to become nationally accredited. As first Lady of San Antonio, Tracy launched a SMART START multi-media educational campaign to provide early childcare information for families. Over the years, Tracy has chaired numerous fundraisers, raising thousands of dollars to support initiatives to improve the lives of mothers and children in our community.
J. Bruce Bugg, Jr. is Chairman and Trustee of The Tobin Endowment, a private charitable foundation, in San Antonio, Texas and Chairman and Co-Founder of the Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation, owner of the new $203 million Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio. Mr. Bugg currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, a Trustee of the Board of Trustees of the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, and Chairman of the Endowment Investment Committee and a member of the Board of Directors of The Santa Fe Opera in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is former Trustee of the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s Hall, a private school in San Antonio, Texas, former Chairman of the Board of Governors of Cancer Therapy & Research Center, and former Officer and Trustee of the Texas Research and Technology Foundation, a Trustee Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the McNay Art Museum.
Mr. Bugg is a member of the Texas Transportation Commission, which oversees statewide activities of the Texas Department of Transportation. He was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott on February 13, 2015 and confirmed by the Texas State Senate on March 17, 2015, for a six-year term.
Mr. Bugg is also Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwest Bancshares, Inc., a Texas bank holding company for The Bank of San Antonio, and Chairman of The Bank of San Antonio; and Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Texas Hill Country Bancshares, Inc., a Texas bank holding company for Texas Hill Country Bank. In addition, Mr. Bugg also serves as Chairman of San Antonio Capital & Trust Co., L.L.C. and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Argyle Investment Co., L.L.C., a private investment firm.
Mr. Bugg was appointed to serve as Chairman and President of the Texas Economic Development Corporation and a Senior Advisor to Governor Perry on the State of Texas’ economic development strategies and initiatives from 2012 to May, 2014. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Bugg was appointed to serve as the Governor’s appointee on the Board of Directors of Humanities Texas in Austin, Texas.
Mr. Bugg is a member of the State Bar of Texas and holds Juris Doctorate and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees from Southern Methodist University. He is married to Alethea Bugg and has two sons, Jim and Tom. Mr. Bugg is an Eagle Scout.
Phil Hardberger served two terms as Mayor of San Antonio. Shortly after taking office in 2005, his strong leadership ability was placed in the national spotlight as he led city efforts to help displaced residents of the Gulf Coast during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Hardberger, a former Chief Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals, a civil rights attorney, a Peace Corps volunteer, and a former Air Force bomber pilot, was re-elected in 2007 by an overwhelming 77 percent of the vote. At the end of his second term in 2009, he held an 86 percent approval rating from San Antonio residents. His legacy as mayor includes the expansion of the River Walk and the creation of Haven for Hope, a 37-acre campus serving the area’s homeless. He increased the city’s green space through the acquisition of a dairy farm of 320 acres and developed it into a prize-winning park. The park was later named after him. He also led San Antonio into the clean energy sector through the Mission Verde Sustainability plan, and he carried and implemented the city’s largest bond initiative of $550 Million for community-wide projects.
Hardberger is one of the three founders of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, along with J. Bruce Bugg and Judge Nelson Wolff.
Hardberger received a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University, a master’s degree from Columbia University and a law degree from Georgetown University.
Nelson William Wolff has represented Bexar County in various political offices since 1971, when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives. Thereafter, he was elected to the Texas Senate in 1973, the San Antonio City Council in 1987, and served as Mayor of San Antonio from 1991 to 1995. He served as Bexar County Judge from 2001 to 2022; having been appointed in 2001 and subsequently elected to five full terms. He is only the second person in more than a century to serve as both Mayor of San Antonio and Bexar County Judge.
During his time as County Judge, Wolff redefined county government and is known as the architect of modern Bexar County government. Over his service for 21 years and 9 months, he led the Commissioners Court to reorganize county government and establish a streamlined management system that enabled the county to be a major force in local government.
Many of his other accomplishments include: created new departments in Bexar County to take on new responsibilities; helped broker the deal that brought a Toyota manufacturing plant to the South Side; oversaw the expansion of the University Hospital system; led the restoration and development of the San Pedro Creek improvement project; together with his wife Tracy created the nation’s first all-digital public library system Bibliotech; instituted the concept of therapeutic justice with the creation of 14 specialty courts; and also successfully received voter-approval for a visitor tax-backed $415 million bond package for projects such as the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, Briscoe Western Art Museum, Alameda Theater, AT&T Center and Freeman Coliseum improvements, San Antonio River improvements, and the construction of 13 amateur sports facilities.
Wolff and his family built two large companies—Alamo Enterprises and Sun Harvest Stores— and sold them both to national companies. Wolff holds a bachelor of business administration from St. Mary's University and a doctorate of jurisprudence from St. Mary's University School of Law. Throughout his life, Wolff has excelled in both politics and business.
Starting in 2023, Wolff will be a distinguished service professor at St. Mary’s University and a non-faculty advisor at the University of Texas at San Antonio and will share his knowledge of government and politics to help prepare future civic leaders.
Together, Judge Wolff and his wife Tracy, President of the Hidalgo Foundation, have six children and eight grandchildren.
Ms. Elise Ring Boyan is Board Chair of Planned Parenthood South Texas, Immediate Past Chair of the Southwest School of Art and a current trustee of Saint Mary’s Hall. She also has served on the boards of the Harvard Club of San Antonio and the Alamo Heights Little League. In 2017, Elise was inducted into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame in the Volunteer category.
After working in New York as a litigator at Cravath, Swaine and Moore and in-house litigation counsel at Sony Music Entertainment Inc., Elise Ring Boyan “retired” from the practice of law to focus on her family — her husband, Craig, and their three young children.
William G. Moll served for three years as CEO of KLRN public television in San Antonio, concluding his career of more than 58 years in broadcasting. Mr. Moll’s wide-ranging experience includes positions as President of WNBC-TV in New York; President/CEO of the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) in New York; President/CEO of Clear Channel Television in San Antonio; President/CEO of WKRC-TV, in Cincinnati, Ohio; President/CEO of Harte-Hanks Broadcasting in San Antonio. He is Immediate Past Chairman of the USO World Board of Governors, Trustee of the University of Incarnate Word, Trustee of The Broadcasters’ Foundation of America, Trustee of the Masters Leadership Program in San Antonio, Member of the Civilian/Military Council of San Antonio, Trustee of the San Antonio Area Foundation, Trustee of the KIPP Aspire Academy, and is a member of the Texas Tech University School of Mass Communications National Advisory Board. Mr. Moll is the former Chairman of The Television Bureau of Advertising, Chairman and President of the Dan Beard Council of the Boy Scouts of America, former Chairman of the San Antonio Art Institute and has served on numerous other boards.
He holds a Master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor’s degree in English and Education from Southeast Missouri University in Cape Girardeau, MO.
In 1996, after 11 years as director of the Visual Arts Center in Richmond, Virginia, Paula Owen became president of Southwest School of Art, where she has overseen the expansion of donors, programs, enrollment, property and facilities, historic preservation, and strategic planning. She retired in June of 2022.
Owen received her MFA degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and MS degree in art education from Minnesota State University. She has served on many boards and panels, including the Pew Artist Fellowships and the National Endowment for the Arts, and has served as curator for numerous exhibitions.
Her passion for art and artists extends beyond her administrative work, generating many published essays and a book, “Objects and Meaning: New Perspectives on Art and Craft,” published by Scarecrow Press in 2003. Throughout her career she has also continued to pursue her studio work, with a recent solo show at Studio Comfort Texas.
She is married to Ben Owen and has three children and six grandchildren.
Col. Clarence R. (Reggie) Williams is a leadership professional with experience in profit and not-for-profit business areas. He is a top-notch planner, researcher and executive whose education, military, United Services Automobile Association (USAA) and non-profit experiences make him a valuable resource to any organization's aspirations for success. He has held key executive positions as President and CEO San Antonio Area Foundation, USAA Senior Vice President IT Operations and Colonel United States Air Force.
Taylor Eighmy is the 6th president of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).
In addition to serving as university president, Eighmy holds faculty appointments in the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the College of Sciences’ Department of Environmental Science and Ecology.
Eighmy is passionate about the critical role that research universities play in creating and applying knowledge to improve the world. He believes deeply in higher education as a great equalizer, especially when grounded in student success. Once more, he is a vigorous advocate for experiential learning— including undergraduate research—as foundational to such success.
Since arriving at UTSA, Eighmy has made great strides toward linking educational attainment to San Antonio's economic development. Under his leadership, UTSA is producing more graduates than ever before, driving job creation and the city's growing knowledge economy. He is nationally recognized for advancing top research universities through strategic government-university-industry collaborations, public-private partnerships and community engagement. These principles are at the heart of his conviction that UTSA is “the university of the future in the city of the future."
Prior to arriving at UTSA in September 2017, Eighmy served as the chief research officer at three top public flagship universities: the University of New Hampshire, Texas Tech University, and most recently, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. While at the University of Tennessee, Eighmy and colleagues at Oak Ridge National Laboratory directed efforts that resulted in the University of Tennessee’s selection to lead the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, a $259 million public-private partnership supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Eighmy currently serves on the boards of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU) Executive Committee, APLU Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, Greater: SATX Board Executive Committee, Texas International Education Consortium, Tech Bloc San Antonio, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio Medical Foundation, World Affairs Council of San Antonio, American Athletic Conference, and UP Partnership.
Eighmy is a member of the President's Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities, the Council of Public University Presidents and Chancellors, the Council on Competitiveness President's Council, the APLU Commission on International Initiatives, and the Council of the National Academies' Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable. He also serves as an Advisory Trustee of the Southwest Research Institute and as a member of the Advisory Council for the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County.
Education
Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering - University of New Hampshire M.S. in Civil Engineering - University of New Hampshire
B.S. in Biology - Tufts University
Distinctions
• Diplomate, American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists
Research Interests
Element speciation, environmental chemistry of leaching behavior, spectroscopic surface analysis, applied geochemistry, reactive barriers, reactive transport modeling, environmental microbiology, biofouling, biofilms, sustainability, carbon sequestration, carbon cycling, and recycled materials.
ORCID ID
Personal
President Eighmy and his wife Peggy Eighmy have one daughter, Hannah, a pediatric nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital, and are the proudest of grandparents to Maeve Elizabeth. They enjoy fly fishing, hiking, cooking and playing with their three dogs: Finbarr, Albus and Fiona.
Fernando Reyes is a businessman, entrepreneur, community leader and family oriented individual. Having graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington, receiving a Bachelors of Business Administration degree, he continued on to the University of Southern California where he received his Master’s degree in public administration. Reyes is President of Reyes Automotive Group II and Reyes AmTex Automotive, which are both Tier One suppliers for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas Inc., in San Antonio, Texas. Along with his two joint venture partners, Reyes leads the manufacturing of plastic parts and carpeting for the Toyota Tundra and Tacoma Trucks. His other businesses ventures, Reyes Development and Reyes Properties, involve land development and commercial real-estate acquisition.
He is a dedicated and energetic individual and is active in many civic organizations serving as the 2007 and 2008 Chairman of the Board for the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Senior Vice President of the San Antonio Fiesta Commission, Rey Feo LX and Treasurer for the Rey Feo Consejo Educational Foundation, Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s University, San Antonio Parks Foundation Board, Board Member of the Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation, Board Member on the World Affairs Council of San Antonio and Board Member of the San Antonio Texas Bio and Agro Defense Consortium Community Relations Advisory Council, and Director for the Bank of San Antonio.
Most recently he was elected as Fiesta Commission President, serving 2014 to 2015. He was appointed by then Governor George W. Bush to serve on the Texas Workers Compensation Insurance Fund Board; the Texas Skills Standard Board; Reyes served as a Commissioner on the Texas Lottery Commission having been appointed by Governor Rick Perry.
Corinna serves as President and Chief Administrative Officer of HOLT Group, a values-based, family- owned company serving the industrial world.
Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, HOLT Group includes companies such as HOLT CAT®, Texas First Rentals®, and HOLT Truck Centers®.
Corinna joined HOLT in 2011 as part of the Leadership Training Program. In 2012, after completing a comprehensive rotation throughout the company, she served in various Product Support management roles. In 2016, she was named Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, before transitioning to her current role within the company.
Corinna is an active leader in the San Antonio community, serving on the Board of Managers for Spurs Sports and Entertainment, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the San Antonio Art Museum Board of Directors, and the Christus Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital Foundation Board, along with the Boards for Girls Inc., the McNay, the Texas Biomedical Forum, and the Brackenridge Park Conservancy. Corinna is also involved in United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County.
Corinna is the great, great, granddaughter of Benjamin Holt, who introduced the first practical track type tractor in 1904, which he named the Caterpillar®. Corinna and her brother Peter Holt represent the fifth generation of the Holt family business and are proud to carry the distinguished Holt legacy of service and innovation into the 21st century.
Corinna earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She and her husband, J.B., live in San Antonio with their three children; Holt, Charlotte and John.
Ms. Sonya Medina Williams is the Founder of SMW Consulting and an accomplished public affairs strategist with expertise in value creation, brand management, and social impact leadership.
Medina Williams has served on the Board of Directors for Papa John’s International (NASDAQ: PZZA), the world’s third largest pizza maker, since 2015. She began her career in government where she spent seven years as a White House advisor, most notably serving as Deputy Assistant to President George W. Bush for Domestic Policy and Director of Projects to First Lady Laura Bush, the first White House staffer to serve in this dual role.
Medina Williams served as Director of the AT&T Global Foundation and later as Vice President of Community and External Affairs for Silver Eagle Distributors, at the time, the nation's largest distributor of Anheuser-Busch products.
Medina Williams is a change leader in advocating for opportunities for women and minorities to serve on boards and in high level positions within corporate and government institutions. She is the Founder of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Latina Leadership Institute and the Chief Strategist for The Nuff, a global campaign empowering women and girls to know that they are enough.
Medina Williams serves on the Advisory Council of the NASDAQ Next Gen Board Leaders, which highlights the value next gen leaders can bring to the boardroom. She serves on the Advisory Board for Teach for Uganda, a Teach for America effort in Africa and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Briscoe Western Art Museum and The Texas Tribune. Medina Williams has received numerous honors, awards and printed recognition based on her work and leadership worldwide.
Medina Williams is a graduate of Texas A&M University and received a Masters in Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.
Jack's distinguished career spans over five decades, showcasing a diverse array of roles across the sports and performing arts sectors. He began his journey in athletics as the Football Defensive Coordinator at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. His passion and leadership skills led him to Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, where he excelled as the Head Football Coach and Athletic Director. Jack's expertise in athletic facility management and operations flourished at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he served as the Associate Athletics Director. In this capacity, he oversaw athletic construction projects across 15 campus buildings, demonstrating his adeptness in enhancing athletic facilities.
Further expanding his impressive portfolio, Jack took on the role of Director of Operations at Rentschler Field, the esteemed home of the University of Connecticut Football team, located in East Hartford, Connecticut. His contributions to sports and athletics laid a solid foundation for his transition into the arts sector.
For the past decade, Jack has been an integral part of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, serving as the Vice President of Facilities and Operations. His responsibilities extended beyond the iconic center to include the Tobin Garage, the Laotian Building, and the Administration Building Stabilization Project. Jack's strategic vision and operational excellence have significantly contributed to the center's success and its esteemed reputation as a beacon of creativity and artistry.
Even after transitioning to a consulting role, Jack remains a steadfast supporter of the Tobin Center, embodying the spirit of dedication and commitment to excellence that has characterized his entire career.
On a personal level, Jack’s most significant accomplishment is his 50-year marriage to his wife, Ellen, and their family of four adult children and six grandchildren.
Michael J. Fresher serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. In this role, he oversees and is responsible for all facets of The Tobin Center’s operations and business plan.
Prior to coming to The Tobin Center, Fresher served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for the Horace Bushnell Memorial Hall Corporation (The Bushnell) in Hartford, Connecticut. In this role, he was responsible for all operational areas of The Bushnell including Finance, Facility Operations (including IT and Guest Services), Sales, Marketing, Human Resources and the Box Office. Additionally, Fresher was actively engaged in enterprise-wide strategic planning and new business development.
Fresher also served as General Manager of Bushnell Management Services – the venue management arm of The Bushnell. In this role, Fresher was responsible for oversight of operations at Rentschler Field Stadium as well as expansion into additional venue management agreements.
Before The Bushnell, Fresher was the Vice President Finance and Controller for Madison Square Garden’s Connecticut operation for 10 years where he directed oversight of all financial operations and was involved in all elements of operation and management of the Hartford Civic Center (arena), the Hartford Wolf Pack Hockey Team and Rentschler Field (football stadium).
Prior to his work with Madison Square Garden, Fresher was Finance Manager/Controller of the manufacturing division of General Datacomm in Naugatuck, CT, and Vice President of Finance and Administration with Connecticut Airgas in West Hartford, Conn.
Fresher was a finalist for the Hartford Business Journal’s CFO of The Year in 2010 and was recognized as a Top 50 Most Influential Business Leaders in Hartford by Hartford Magazine in 2012. In San Antonio, Fresher was recognized by San Antonio Magazine in 2013 as one the city’s most Important Innovators (the “IT” List).
Fresher graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BS in finance. A life-long Connecticut resident, Fresher now resides in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas with his family.
Jeffrey LaSante is an accomplished finance executive with over 25 years of experience in the event industry. Jeff has successfully led both performing arts centers and arenas. Prior to joining the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, Jeff served as head of finance for the Tsongas Arena, Richmond Coliseum, Dominion Energy Center, and The Altria Theater. Jeff graduated with a Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of New Hampshire.
Phil Green serves as chairman and chief executive officer of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. and Frost Bank. Green joined the Cullen/Frost organization in July 1980 and served in a number of managerial positions in the company’s financial division before being named chief financial officer in 1995, a position he held until 2015 when he was named president of Cullen/Frost. He became chairman and CEO in 2016.
During Green’s tenure at Frost, the company has become one of the nation’s 50 largest banks and has increased its common stock dividend for 26 consecutive years. At the same time, Frost has won numerous accolades for excellence and customer service, earning the most Greenwich Excellence Awards for service to business clients among banks nationwide for four consecutive years, and receiving the highest ranking in customer satisfaction in Texas in the J.D. Power U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study for 11 consecutive years. Frost has also ranked highly in the American Banker/Reputation Institute Survey of Bank Reputations and Forbes magazine’s list of America’s 100 Best Banks.
Green currently serves on the Federal Reserve Board’s Federal Advisory Council, serving the Fed’s 11th District. He also serves on the Board of Directors and Finance Committee of the Southwest Research Institute and on the University of Texas at Austin Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee, McCombs School of Business Advisory Council and the McCombs Scholars Program committee. As a member of the Board of Directors of The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, Green serves as Board Treasurer and as the Chairman of the Finance Committee. Green is also a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County. Green recently joined the University of Texas San Antonio Campaign Leadership Council and is a member of the Mid-Sized Bank Coalition where he is a former executive committee member.
Green graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1977, earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Prior to joining Frost, he spent three years in public accounting with Ernst & Ernst. Phil and his wife, Sandy, have been married for 44 years and have six grown children.
Dr. Viroslav is Immediate Past Chair of the Board of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts and co-chaired the public phase of the Tobin Center’s capital campaign. She is a member of the boards of the San Antonio Zoo and the McNay Art Museum and is an emeritus trustee of the Mind Science Foundation. In 2018, she served on the City-County Symphony Transformation Task Force as the appointee of Judge Nelson Wolff. She is a past chair of the boards of Saint Mary’s Hall, the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, and The Winston School San Antonio. She is the recipient of several awards, including the Hope Award from the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, the UCSA Humanitarian Award, the Kipnes-Wilson/Friedland Award, the Israel Bonds Award, the Sugerman Young Leadership Award, and the Toubin Community Relations Council Award. She was also named a Distinguished Delta by Tri Delta sorority. She was the keynote speaker for the ThriveWell Cancer Foundation luncheon in April 2023.
Nationally, Dr. Viroslav is past president and emeritus trustee of the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research, an organization that she co-founded that is dedicated to finding treatments and an eventual cure for Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic disease that affects her daughter. She is a member of the Alumni Board of Southern Methodist University. She is a past member of the Board of Trustees of The Jewish Federations of North America and a former co-chair of JFNA’s National Young Leadership department. She is a past board member of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and co-chaired JCPA’s National Plenum in 2010.
Dr. Viroslav is a graduate of SMU and The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. She completed her residency and fellowship training at Emory University, where she served as Chief Resident in Radiology. Dr. Viroslav’s husband, Sergio, is an orthopaedic surgeon with TSAOG Orthopaedics. They have three children.
Dr. Viroslav is a classically trained soprano and is a previous member of the San Antonio Mastersingers; she has performed in the American Sunrise Celebrity Song Slam, Ethics Follies, Ds on Keys, and Rosie’s Rodeo Roundup, all productions in San Antonio raising money for charity. She was featured in the photo exhibit “Musicians – Duets of Passion and Profession” in 2022.
Charles Barrett is President and CEO of Barrett Holdings Inc., an asset holding company, an authorized dealer for automotive franchises, real estate holdings, and manager of proprietary equity investments.
Perhaps most recognized for his automotive dealership located in Boerne, Texas, Mr. Barrett is an authorized dealer for Jaguar and Land Rover. Mr. Barrett's strong commitment to his profession is evidenced by his former membership in the Premier Automotive Group Diversity Council for European Brands and the PAG Diversity Council Marketing Committee.
Since taking over the Jaguar dealership, Mr. Barrett has won the coveted "Pride of Jaguar" award Twelve times. The award is given to the top 12 Jaguar dealerships out of the 175 in the United States based on overall dealership quality. Mr. Barrett served on the Jaguar National Dealer Council and chaired its remarketing committee. In the year 2000, Mr. Barrett was one of only eight recipients of the "All-Star" Dealer Award from the American International Automotive Dealers Association in Washington, D.C., where he was recognized out of a 10,000 nationwide membership body. Mr. Barrett also received the Land Rover Pinnacle Club award as well as the “Giving Back-Corporate Citizenship” award from Ford Motor Company.
Mr. Barrett is extremely proud of his San Antonio heritage and remains committed to serving his community. He was previously Chairman of the Board for St. Mary’s University and has served on and chaired numerous committees for them. He served as President of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission, a festival that generates an economic impact of $380 million annually to San Antonio, as well as Chairman and President of the Fiesta Commission Charitable Corp. He has previously served as Treasurer, Secretary and chair of many committees for the Fiesta Commission. He is a former Regent for the non-profit group Rey Feo Consejo Educational Foundation and has served on its executive board.
Mr. Barrett’s former community involvement is an extensive list which includes serving on the University Of Texas Health Science Development Board of San Antonio and the President's Council, as well as on the Board of KLRN, a public broadcaster. Additionally, he served on the Pension Plan Board of Trustees for the University Health System. He is a former trustee for the Witte Museum where he was part of a select planning committee for future exhibits and areas of expansion within the facility. Additionally, he has served on the Board of Trustees for the Museo Alameda, Free Trade Alliance Board of Directors, Baptist Hospital System Development Board, Any Baby Can Board, and Mission Roads Ministry Board.
On August 24, 2001, Mr. Barrett was declared the 54th El Rey Feo (the People’s King). He received this honor having collected a record-breaking $310,000 for the LULAC Rey Feo Scholarship Committee, which provides scholarships to youths in the community regardless of their ethnicity.
Among Mr. Barrett’s achievements include being presented with a resolution by the Texas House of Representatives recognizing him as an outstanding Texan for his significant and lifelong contributions made to the city of San Antonio. In 2005, Mr. Barrett raised over a million dollars in support of the St. Mary’s University’s Barrett Memorial Bell Tower. He was profiled in Philanthropy in Texas magazine and was a recipient of the American Sunrise Award. In 2008, Mr. Barrett received the GM Inspire Award for Leadership presented to him by the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He was also named Executive of the Year in 2001 by the Sales & Marketing Executives of San Antonio.
Born in San Antonio, Mr. Barrett is fully bilingual, descending from both English and Spanish ancestors. His father and grandparents fled Mexico in 1914 during the Mexican Revolution. Mr. Barrett was featured in a PBS documentary in 2012 titled, “The Children of the Revolucion”, which details some of his family’s history.
A graduate of Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Mr. Barrett became a CPA after earning his BBA in Accounting at St. Mary's University, where he was honored with the Paul C. Goelz Business Leadership Award. In addition, he is also a member of Kappa Pi Sigma, an honorary business fraternity and in 2016 Mr. Barrett was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus of the University. He was also named as Trustee Emeritus for his exemplary service on the Board of Trustees. In 2018, Mr. Barrett, along with his wife, pledged $1,000,000 towards what will now be called, The Charles & Melissa Barrett Peer Ministry Program which aims to strengthen and enrich the faith of students living on campus. Most recently, Mr. Barrett was selected to receive the SAISD Foundation Inspire Award as an alumnus of SAISD. This award is given to select individuals who have been recognized for their contributions made within their community.
While pursuing a successful career in accounting which spanned over two decades, Mr. Barrett was a powerful influence in his industry as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), serving on numerous national committees. Those committees included Minority Recruitment and Equal Opportunity Committee, Minority Doctoral Fellows Committee, Small Business Development, AICPA Benevolent Fund-Trustee, AICPA Insurance Committee, Staff Pension Plan, Personal Lines Insurance, and Member Retirement Plan committees. To this day, his commitment to minority issues remains a top priority.
Service in the United States Coast Guard Reserve proved to have a significant impact on his business career. In the military, he learned about structure, discipline, the division of labor and the importance of teamwork. In 2000, he retired with the rank of Commander after 22 years of service and having served as Commanding Officer of three reserve units. Mr. Barrett's military training and his career in accounting have both contributed to his business success.
Mr. Barrett is married to Melissa Castillo Barrett and they have two sons, Douglas L. Barrett and Chase A. Mauldin and a daughter, Laura K. Barrett.
April Ancira is the VP of Ancira Auto Group and oversees the operations of 11 New Franchised Auto stores.
She has San Antonio Roots, having attending high school at Saint Mary's Hall, received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Finance from Trinity University, and her Masters in Business from UTSA. She has worked in the car business since 1997 in every facet from being an operator and cashier to selling cars and trucks on the front line.
April has been married to her husband, Jason Thompson for 10 years whom she met at National Automotive Dealer Academy. April also serves on 11 charitable and work related boards, state and local, and picks one charity every year to put everything she has behind it when it comes to fundraising.
April and Jason have 2 children, Hope (5) and Gunnar (8) , and a dog Gracie. April has a pilot's license, has done standup comedy, and loves to race 140.6 mile triathlons called Ironmans.
Ms. Janie Barrera is founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Liftfund. Created in 1994, the nonprofit agency provides small loans and management training to microenterprises of all kinds — from startups to long-established businesses — and operates in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. She has received recognition for her accomplishments, including the Small Business Administration Financial Services Advocate of the Year and the Minority Enterprise Development Consortium’s Corporate Advocate of the Year. San Antonio Business Journal listed Ms. Barrera as one of “Twenty Defining Players: People Who Have Helped Shape the City,” and also named her as one of 2013’s “Legacy Leaders.”
Ms. Barrera has served on many national, state and local boards, including the Federal Reserve Board’s National Consumer Advisory Council. President Barack Obama appointed Ms. Barrera to the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability and she also was named to the board of directors for the Federal Reserve of Dallas’ San Antonio Branch. Ms. Barrera began her career as Director of Telecommunications for the Diocese of Corpus Christi in 1977. There, she helped found the area’s first nonprofit radio stations, KLUX and KHOY, as well as two television production studios. After completing her MBA from the University of the Incarnate Word, the Corpus Christi native remained in San Antonio where, in 1989, she became Marketing Director for the U.S. Air Force Morale, Welfare and Recreation Division headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base.
James Callaway retired from AT&T on 1/1/2011 after 42 years with AT&T and the SBC/Southwestern Bell Companies. Callaway retired as Senior Executive Vice President-Executive Operations with AT&T. Callaway previously served as Group President-Merger Integration for SBC and was responsible for leading the merger integration and planning efforts for the transition between the former SBC Corp and the former AT&T Corp beginning in 2005. Callaway served in the same role for the SBC merger with Bell South and Cingular. He previously served as Group President for SBC’s International Operations, Directory Operations and Sterling Commerce.
Within the San Antonio community, Callaway served as Chairman of a number of local organizations including the Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC), San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, the Free Trade Alliance, San Antonio Sports, Golf San Antonio (Valero Texas Open) and the Alamo Bowl. He has also served on the Boards of San Antonio Sports and Entertainment (Spurs), Frost Bank, Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and St. Mary’s University.
Heather de Rojas received her Bachelor of Arts from SMU. She is a member of Feik Enterprises and has specialized in the luxury residential real estate market since 2009. Prior to becoming a real estate agent, Heather worked for Southwest Airlines in the Dallas corporate marketing department before returning to San Antonio. She and her husband, Jeff de Rojas, operated a residential flooring business for many years where she led the marketing team.
Currently she serves on the board of the Feik Family Foundation, and is on the advisory board of Mission Heritage Partners. She is a past board member of Landa Gardens Conservancy and Texas Biomedical Forum. Heather has a passion for the San Antonio community and enjoys volunteering her time and talent to several non-profit organizations such as the McNay Museum, the Witte Museum, the DoSeum, and the San Antonio Public Library Foundation.
Seymour Battle is Senior Vice President of Communications, Public Relations, and Engagement at Valero Energy. He joined Valero in 2005 and served as Vice President Accounting Systems reporting to Valero’s Chief Accounting Officer & Controller since 2013. His prior experience includes 10 years with Thomson Reuters in various roles within the Tax & Accounting Technology division with a focus in the energy industry.
Seymour is active as a volunteer and serves on numerous boards and committees including: San Antonio Food Bank, KLRN/PBS, United Way of San Antonio & Bexar County, the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of San Antonio, San Antonio Sports, and the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.
After a successful career in the airline technology industry, Vicki McLaughlin devotes her time to serving and supporting non-profit organizations dedicated to children in the state of Texas by improving access to the arts and education.
She is currently the Chairman of the Board of the Charity Ball Legacy Foundation and serves as a Trustee of the Auditory Learning Foundation. Her former leadership positions include Chairman of the Board of Sunshine Cottage, School for the Deaf and Chair of the University of Texas-Austin, College of Fine Arts Advisory Council. Vicki has also served as a Board Member of the Charity Ball Association of San Antonio and held the position of Vice President of Community Contributions. As a Trustee of the San Antonio Academy, she chaired the Annual Fund Drive for two years. Vicki is also a member of Texas Women for the Arts who support children’s arts organizations throughout the state of Texas.
Vicki, together with her late husband John McLaughlin, are founding supporters of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts where John served as a Trustee and Treasurer. Both Vicki and John have been devoted to improving the lives of children through their support of the arts and education in our community for over twenty five years.