The Flavor of San Antonio: A Tricentennial Tribute

Celebrating 

300 

Years 

THE FLAVOR OF 

SAN ANTONIO 

A TRICENTENNIAL TRIBUTE 

Photography by Mark Langford 

Narrative by Jena Fuller 

A publication of the San Antonio Manufacturing Association and 

HPN Custom Media & Publishing

Thank you for your interest in this HPNbooks publication. For more information about other 

HPNbooks publications, or information about producing your own book with us, please visit www.hpnbooks.com.

THE FLAVOR OF 

SAN ANTONIO 

A TRICENTENNIAL TRIBUTE 

Photography by Mark Langford 

Narrative by Jena Fuller 

A publication of the San Antonio Manufacturing Association and 

HPN Custom Media & Publishing

❖ 

Flag bearers start off the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Their palomino horses wear extraordinary show saddles, bridles and reins of silver. 

First Edition 

Copyright © 2018 HPNbooks 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from 

the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to HPNbooks, 11535 Galm Road, Suite 101, San Antonio, Texas, 78254. Phone (800) 749-9790, www.hpnbooks.com. 

ISBN: 978-1-944891-60-2 

Library of Congress Card Catalog Number: 2018964216 

The Flavor of San Antonio: A Tricentennial Tribute 

photographer: 

writer: 

contributing writer for “Sharing the Heritage”: 

Mark Langford 

Jena Fuller 

Wynn Buck, Jenna Fuller, Joe Goodpasture 

HPNbooks 

chairman and chief executive officer: Jean-Claude Tenday 

publisher and chief creative officer: Bernard O’Connor 

president and chief revenue officer: Ron Lammert 

project managers: Tim Lippard, Louann Murphy, Joe Neely 

administration: Donna M. Mata, Melissa G. Quinn, Kristin T. Williamson 

book sales: Joe Neely 

production: Colin Hart, Evelyn Hart, Tim Lippard 

Craig Mitchell, Tony Quinn, Chris Sturdevant 

THE FLAVOR OF SAN ANTONIO: A TRICENTENNIAL TRIBUTE 

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Legacy Sponsors .......................................................................................4 

Chapter One - The Flavor of San Antonio’s Past........................................6 

Chapter Two - The Flavor of a Dynamic Economy ..................................16 

Chapter Three - The Flavor of Diverse Communities 

And Fascinating Places ..................................................24 

Chapter Four - The Flavor of a Unique Lifestyle .....................................34 

Chapter Five - The Flavor of People Living, Working 

And Playing Together.......................................................50 

Sharing the Heritage ...............................................................................62 

Sponsors.................................................................................................98 

About the Author....................................................................................99 

About the Photographer........................................................................100 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

3

Legacy 

Sponsors 

Through their generous support, these companies 

helped to make this project possible. 

Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc. 

1 Lone Star Pass 

San Antonio, Texas 78264 

800-331-4331 • Fax: 310-468-7814 

www.toyota.com 

Zurich International Properties, Inc. 


118 Broadway Suite 324 


210-225-5877 

www.zurichproperties.com 

Quest Advising 

141 Honeysuckle Lane 


210-880-5690 

www.questadvising.com 


4

❖ 

Texas Bluebonnets, the State flower, 

motivate residents to visit the countryside 

each spring to see massive fields of 

wildflowers.and early explorers. 


5

CHAPTER ONE 

T HE F LAVOR OF S AN A NTONIO’ S P AST 

❖ 

The river valley that would become San 

Antonio was an oasis for natives and 

early explorers. 

Traditions are themes that animate and give flavor to life, that shape our rituals and define us. 

These rich memories and collections of meaning often bring forth very specific and powerful feelings. 

We understand the history behind our traditions but remembrance also makes them something 

new, so when we sustain and reproduce experiences, thinking about our events and what 

they meant, we grow closer as a collective people. 

Traditions are something we owe to the future, because they are something we borrow from the 

past. San Antonio’s traditions range from the international, like being the shopping center of the 

Southwest during Semana Santa, to personal, like families camping in Brackenridge Park for Easter. 

Traditions extend beyond holidays and rituals, though. They shape our everyday ideas about the 

meaning of life, because traditions are stacks of history and memory, used by our people like a special 

kind of energy, to keep our ways alive. 


6

❖ 

Top, right: The Alamo, originally Mission San Antonio de Valero, whose ranch and pasture lands extended to what is now Randolph AFB to the north, and past King William on the south. 

Each mission was not only a church, but an economic and cultural community. The Alamo was originally the church of Mission Valero. 

San Antonio’s traditions begin with its river. This was true even before the Spanish christened the little town in 1718. Since the 1500s, 

European explorers knew a lush riverine valley in the interior signaled the end of the coastal plains and the treacherous Coahuilan desert. 

It was also known that indigenous groups gathered at the river “Yanaguána” during spring rains, for they venerated animals of the water. 

During these times, natives would feast, arrange marriages, plan hunting or war campaigns and celebrate with dances called Mitótes. It 

was these people, the Payáya, whom the Spanish encountered as they entered the deep lines of water oaks and cottonwoods around the 

river that spring of 1718. 

Most of the world’s great cities grew near water. But not because the water provided for daily activities or even for agriculture, as these 

activities alone will not support an incipient city. Instead, waterways like the San Antonio River nurture grand cities because they facilitate 

trade, including trade of ideas. Utilizing the resource in turn adds to the life of the river, connecting and supporting development. 

The river remained the center of life for the growing Villa of San Antonio de Bexar. With the construction of acéquias, or aqueducts, 

which connected the community with waterways, milling became an important, labor intensive, activity. San Antonio’s mission acéquias 

are now the oldest such constructions of continuous use in the United States. Water powered mills were even more important in the 

nineteenth century as new businessmen built their companies on the San Antonio river, seeing the rich opportunity made possible by this 

natural resource. 

CHAPTER ONE 

7

❖ 

Above: The compound of San Jose, the largest and “queen of the missions,” 

enclosed a mill, a farm and homes within its fortress walls. It was restored 

in the 1930s by the Works Project Administration (WPA). 

Right: The fine workmanship of the San José bell tower. The graceful mission 

buildings are the work of native stone masons who were trained by Spanish 

Catholic priests. 


8

❖ 

Above: Mission Concepción, founded in 1755, is the oldest unrestored church in the United States. It was originally covered in brightly colored geometric designs. Frescoes are still visible in 

many rooms. 

Bottom, left: The splendid interiors of the rugged old Mission churches are not to be missed. This is the church of Mission San José. 

Bottom, right: San Juan Capistrano’s stone church, granary and friary were completed in 1756. It was another self-sustaining community with a connected ranch. In 2012, a two-million 

dollar restoration project stabilized the church’s foundation. 

CHAPTER ONE 

9

The modern Riverwalk was born of necessity, 

as twentieth-century leaders met the 

imperative for flood control. After modern 

engineering structured its previously meandering 

course into a vital economic zone, the 

river became a site of community building, 

social engagement and extensive commerce. 

Modern San Antonio meets often at its river, 

for holiday parades, celebratory gatherings 

and cultural programs. 

Traditions must join with business to survive, 

and the Riverwalk’s vibrant scene of 

shops and inviting restaurants balances the 

backdrop of history at such noteworthy 

places as La Villíta and the Alamo. 

Nontraditional preservation efforts continue, 

with the river’s southern banks being restored 

into natural regenerative recreational lands 

for residents and visitors to enjoy. 

❖ 

Top: The river is an essential experience for San Antonio visitors and residents. 

Above: River cruises surround sightseers with atmosphere. 


10

❖ 

Above: Confetti is in the air during Fiesta celebrations on 

the River. 

Left: The city gathers at the river for its special events. 

The San Antonio Spurs have been celebrated with river 

parades for each of their five championship wins. Here, 

Tim Duncan takes his victory lap on the river. 

Below: Christmas lights and parades on the River draw 

huge crowds. 

CHAPTER ONE 

11

San Antonio’s preeminent cultural institutions parallel the river’s course, beginning 

with the McNay Museum of Art, just north of the river’s headwaters. Formerly 

a private estate, its Spanish Colonial mansion now offers a rich collection of paintings 

and sculpture on scenic grounds. Close by is the historic Witte Museum, on 

the borders of Brackenridge Park, and further south on Broadway is The DoSeum, 

the engaging, activity-based children’s museum. A few more blocks south, housed 

in the restored Lone Star Brewery building, the San Antonio Museum of Art has one 

of the most impressive collections of Mesoamerican art anywhere in the world. 

Reaching the heart of downtown, another point of interest is the Briscoe Western 

Art Museum, whose building was repurposed for cultural audiences not once but 

twice. It was first the original San Antonio Public Library, and then for many 

decades, the Hertzberg Circus Museum. 

On this path through town, one arrives at the Missions themselves: the Alamo 

(originally Mission San António de Valero), Concepción, San José, San Juan and 

Espada (Espada, not the Alamo, is the oldest mission in Texas, established elsewhere 

in 1691, but relocated to San Antonio in 1731 for safety). The San Antonio 

Missions Historic Park is now a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural 

(UNESCO) World Heritage Site, the only such designation in Texas. Each Mission 

rewards visitors with pleasure and a learning experience provided through public 

programs, world-class collections and preservation efforts. 

❖ 

Top: Christmas lights and parades on the River draw huge crowds. 

Above: San Antonio’s traditional Christmas tree in Alamo Plaza. 


12

❖ 

Above: “The Grotto” (2009) a sculpture 

by artist Carlos Cortez, integrates nature 

and art. 

Left: The River’s Museum Reach is an 

inviting place to stroll and meet, next to the 

San Antonio Museum of Art. 

CHAPTER ONE 

13


14

❖ 

Opposite: The scenic grounds of the 

McNay Art Museum, north of 

Downtown. 

Above: The Missing Man Monument at 

Joint Base San Antonio- Randolph Air 

Force Base reminds everyone of the 

ultimate sacrifice made by United 

States service personnel. 

Left: The Taj Mahal at Randolph AFB. 

This striking building was constructed 

in 1931 and is on the National Register 

of Historic Places. Randolph is 

considered “the showplace of the Air 

Force” because of the fine Spanish 

Colonial architecture in which all its 

structures, including hangars, were 

built. 

Right: Stinson Airport’s historic 

terminal building, built in 1935 by the 

WPA. Stinson is listed on the National 

Register of Historic Places and is the 

oldest continuously operating airport 

west of the Mississippi. 

CHAPTER ONE 

15

CHAPTER TWO 

T HE F LAVOR OF A D YNAMIC E CONOMY 

❖ 

San Antonio’s downtown is the nucleus 

of a tourist industry contributing 

billions annually. 

Nineteenth-century San Antonio was a ranching economy but wars and shifting boundaries 

took their toll. By 1865, Texas was economically devastated. Texans used the old Indian and 

Spanish trails (some of which are now our IH-35, US HWY 281 and IH 10) to drive stock north 

to the Chisholm Trail for market, but Texan cattle only fetched one-tenth of what northern cattle 

did. This all changed when regional cattlemen started their own stockyards in San Antonio. 

Once the railroad came to San Antonio in the late 1800s, local ranchers established the San 

Antonio Union Stockyards at the conjunction of train tracks southwest of downtown. San Antonio 


16

❖ 

Left: The history of Pioneer Flour Mills dates back to the first 

flour mill that was powered by the San Antonio River. The 

home of founder C.H Guenther is also on the property, open 

to the public as Guenther House, a restaurant, museum, 

and store. 

Below: Since 1960, North Star Mall has been a prime 

shopping destination. “The Giant Justins” by artist Bob 

“Daddy-O” Wade were added in 1980. 

prospered by supplying cattle and other 

livestock to the markets of the United States. 

For over a century, San Antonio was the market 

and shipping capital of the regional livestock 

industry, determining market values, 

spotting trends and otherwise commanding 

vast profits. 

The historic stockyards closed after its final 

auction in 2001, and livestock are now sold in 

a myriad of ways, including online. But San 

Antonio’s reputation for business acumen 

remained, transferred from agribusiness to a 

vast and diverse landscape of economic opportunity. 

San Antonio moved with the entrepreneurial 

momentum of the Industrial age, successfully 

transitioning from pre-modern agricultural 

industry to modern capitalism. 

CHAPTER TWO 

17

With the railroad also came the first tourists. They solidified San Antonio’s 

reputation in the modern consciousness as a booming frontier city, charming 

romantic destination, and site of great past dramas. Fine hotels such as the 

Menger housed legendary guests such as President Theodore Roosevelt and his 

famous “Rough Riders” in 1898. Now, modern tourism contributes over $13 

billion to the San Antonio economy annually, with over thirty million visitors 

every year. The hospitality service industry, professional sports, performing 

arts, administrative, and law enforcement jobs are all critical to the tourism 

economy. Its rich diversity of attractions and warm hospitality makes San 

Antonio a worldwide, must-see destination, according to National Geographic 

Traveler’s 2018 “Best of the World” list. 

❖ 

Right: This golf course was built in the shell of an exhausted quarry whose open-pit sides are clearly visible 

here. Resource reclamation like this maximizes commercial viability. 

Below: The Food Service industry is a major employment sector. San Antonio staple Bill Miller’s BBQ grew 

from one fried chicken restaurant to over 70 locations serving thousands. 


18

San Antonio is consistently visionary about optimizing resources to benefit the happiness of visitors, 

residents, and the profit margin. When old surface mineral deposits around town were mined 

and exhausted, these locations were turned into lively attractions: the San Antonio Zoo, Sunken 

Gardens, the Quarry Shopping Center and Golf Club, Morgan’s Wonderland and Six Flags theme 

parks were all originally limestone quarry sites, their sheer cliffs making inviting “natural” backdrops 

for new landscapes and redevelopment, revitalizing commercial growth and adding quality of 

life attractions. This kind of resilient industry puts San Antonio at great advantage over long term 

business cycles. 

Manufacturing is the backbone of all business, bringing new technologies and consumer goods 

to the market, and driving all other economic sectors forward. Every major manufacturing sector 

is represented in San Antonio’s economy. Healthy growth in this field is actuated by training skilled 

labor through workforce development, repatriation of overseas labor and pro-trade and infrastructure 

efforts. Over 75% of all research and development comes from this sector, more than any 

other. Contributing to transportation infrastructure and policy, health and safety issues, and lean 

clean energy, manufacturers are pro-growth advocates. This high performance ethic makes twentyfirst 

century Texas the number one export state with no sign of declining. 

❖ 

One-fifth of the San Antonio tourist industry 

is conventions and meetings. Fine resorts 

offer world-class luxury to these and 

other travelers. 

CHAPTER TWO 

19

❖ 

Right: The railroad brought economic 

prosperity to Texas in the 19th century and 

spurred urban growth. Twenty-first century 

freight rail still ships goods more efficiently 

than other modes of transportation. 

Below: San Antonio’s Bioscience and 

Healthcare sector make it a national leader 

in medicine and research. . 

No other enterprise is as synonymous with Texas as the oil 

business, and San Antonio energy producers are always 

upbeat about their industry. South of town, the vast Eagle 

Ford Shale is the world’s largest and most active oil and gas 

development, and a steady source of increase and exploration 

of reserves. Texans consistently enjoy lower fuel costs thanks 

to proximity to oil and gas infrastructure and production. 

The Health Care and Bio-Science sector of San Antonio has 

an annual impact of over $37 billion with over $8 billion 

paid in salaries and wages higher than any other field in the 

city. This is nearly 60% of total economic impact and a sixth 

of the city’s total workforce, above all other fields. With each 

decade, thousands more jobs are added in these and other 

related industries such as civilian and military medicine, 

outpatient, ambulatory care, social services, pharmaceuticals 

and manufacturing. 


20

San Antonio’s military sector adds billions to the city economy each year, from Joint Base San 

Antonio, military contractors and military retirees. Joint Base San Antonio administrates the largest 

and most diverse group of installations in the United States Department of Defense, with more students 

in training, the largest hospital, and more active runways than any other military location. 

Homeland defense, healthcare, cyber readiness and combat support are just some of their national 

and international missions. San Antonio’s traditional support of the military has created an economic 

powerhouse of cutting edge technologies and first rate talent from which all benefit. 

The military is also responsible for large-scale modernization projects, with updates to key facilities 

and cutting edge upgrades critical for the Defense Information Systems Agency's Global 

Information Grid. San Antonio is home to the largest concentration of Cybersecurity installations 

in the United States outside of Washington, D.C., and is a national leader in cyber readiness and 

defense. Multiple private sector companies, Federal agencies and Military and Government entities 

make San Antonio the second-largest American data concentration center. 

❖ 

Above: A young man with entrepreneurial 

spirit works his weekend job. 

Below: A thriving educational scene ensures 

that the future workforce will be well 

trained. University students bring fresh 

ideas and perspectives into the career world. 

CHAPTER TWO 

21

❖ 

Small businesses are crucial to competitive 

enterprise and a diverse economy. 

The economic impact of such leadership is supported with the Cyber Innovation Technology 

and Research Consortium of local Universities and colleges, in which over 160,000 students train 

in information technology (IT) and cyber security, for the leadership of tomorrow. The IT sector is 

a rapidly growing and diverse part of the San Antonio economy, contributing advanced manufacturing, 

wholesale and retail, webhosting, repair and software publishing jobs. Services are 80% of 

this growing industry’s impact, with no sign of slowing on the horizon. 


22

One of the city’s most stable sectors, the Financial Services Industry is comprised of all banking, 

credit, investment and insurance agencies and administrators. Over 60,500 are employed in provision 

of financial services to diverse clientele here. San Antonio’s institutions provide clients with 

traditional security and stability along with leading online facilities and financial tools. 

New Energy is a growing economic generator and San Antonio again is an acknowledged and 

visionary leader in the renewable economy. City Public Service (CPS) is the largest city-owned gas 

and electric company in the United States. It has created a solar manufacturing and clean energy 

technology hub within San Antonio, of over $1 billion in economic impact annually and several 

million more in education and capital investment. This homegrown solar power is supported by 

workforce training programs. 

Long term economic benefits come from quality colleges and universities. An educated workforce, 

new products, research and development, skilled professionals and an improvement in the 

quality of life are multiplied in the presence of good schools. Every school’s general expenses, capital 

and payroll generate millions, and schools stimulate related industries such as hospitality and 

housing. All industries are influenced by quality research and teaching, and science and engineering 

appear to dominate prospects for future growth. A strong nucleus of educational institutions 

offers San Antonio great potential for expanding its output in the next decades. 

❖ 

When Americans start, build and 

maintain a small business, the whole 

community benefits. 

CHAPTER TWO 

23

CHAPTER THREE 

T HE F LAVOR OF D IVERSE C OMMUNITIES 

AND F ASCINATING P LACES 

❖ 

Market Square’s “El Mercado” is the largest 

Mexican market in the United States, built 

by the WPA in the 1930s on the grounds of 

an historic plaza gifted to colonial settlers 

by the King of Spain in the 1700s. Shopping 

and fine dining make every day a fiesta 

here. 

The greater San Antonio area extends over 500 square miles, spanning eight counties and 

regions, with over 1.4 million residents. It boasts a diverse range of civic, military, cultural and residential 

communities. These are the framework of the city. 

Downtown is compact and people-friendly, with everything accessible via a hike or stroll along 

the river. Mixed-use residential and commercial spaces blend with trendy clubs and established 

restaurants. Just a few minutes away from downtown, though, and one can be in a number of 

vibrant areas: 

The traditional Hispanic west side began with the village of Laredíto, west of San Pedro Creek. 

In the 1800s, Laredíto grew around the old Spanish Camino Reál or King’s Highway. An important 

survivor of the historic Mexican neighborhood west of downtown is the restored home of Texas 

statesman José Antonio Navarro, open to the public as casa Navarro State Historic Site. The west 

side also has the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center which promotes and preserves traditional and 

contemporary Latino arts and culture with a variety of programming and entertainment. 


24

❖ 

Left: San Fernando Cathedral, on Main 

Plaza, is the mother church of San Antonio 

with an active community. It is one of the 

oldest cathedrals in the United States, 

dating to 1738, and is on the National 

Register of Historic Places. 

Schools represent communities’ individual, social and academic interests and San Antonio has 

a longstanding commitment to the imperative of education. The oldest Catholic university in 

Texas, St. Mary’s University, and the first San Antonio institution of higher education to ever receive 

regional accreditation, Our Lady of the Lake University, are both west side institutions. Each campus 

possesses fine examples of historic architecture. The west side is also served by Palo Alto 

Community College. 

Bottom, left: The Spanish Governor’s 

Palace, a National Historic Landmark, is 

the last example of an aristocratic residence 

from San Antonio’s Spanish Colonial era, 

and the only building remaining of the 

original Presidio de San Antonio de Bexar. It 

is one of the oldest residential buildings in 

Texas. 

Below: La Villita was one of San Antonio’s 

first neighborhoods. Now, its Historic Arts 

Village invites visitors to stroll and enjoy 

charming galleries, restaurants and shops. 

CHAPTER THREE 

25

❖ 

The historic architecture of St. Mary’s University, a nationally recognized institution. 


26

East of downtown, sports fans flock to the Alamodome and the AT&T Center, home of the San 

Antonio Spurs. Lovers of the traditional American West meet each year at the nearby Freeman 

Coliseum for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Another significant east side institution is 

The Carver Cultural Community Center, a gathering place for performing arts and cultural 

exchange. Built in 1918 as an African-American community center and then repurposed for entertainment, 

it was an important venue during the civil rights era for African American entertainers 

such as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Louis Armstrong. Today it is a vital site 

for nationally-acclaimed performances and educational programming in the arts. The east side is 

also home to the United States’ only federally designated historically Black College and Hispanicserving 

institution, St. Philip’s College. 

❖ 

The AT&T Center on San Antonio’s East 

side is a magnet for Spurs fans and 

audiences of all kinds of entertainment. 

CHAPTER THREE 

27

❖ 

Right: The historic Hays Street Bridge on the 

East side is an ideal place to enjoy the scenery 

of downtown San Antonio. 

Below: The San Antonio Botanical Gardens 

offers spectacular viewing of plants and birds. 

They also offer classes for all ages, concerts, 

speakers, and other entertaining and 

informative programming. 

Bottom, right: Since 1899, Brackenridge Park 

has been a destination for fun and relaxation. 


28

❖ 

Left: Brackenridge Park includes the world’s 

largest miniature railroad. 

Below: The Japanese Tea Gardens, also 

called Sunken Gardens, were built in an 

old cement quarry. This spectacular 

destination is on the National Register of 

Historic Places. Visitors marvel at its 60- 

foot waterfall. 

CHAPTER THREE 

29

❖ 

Above: Residents of The Pearl enjoy Saturday 

morning yoga for all ages. 

Left: In the summer, kids cool off at The Pearl’s 

courtyard fountains. 


30

North of downtown, suburban and urban lifestyles and communities combine with wide 

swathes of green space for a balance of work and play. Here is the oldest public two-year college 

in Texas, San Antonio College, and a few streets away one finds the Tobin Center for the 

Performing Arts. The City of San Antonio donated the former Municipal Auditorium and adjacent 

Fire Department Headquarters building, a gift valued at over $41 million, to build this state of the 

art performing arts complex. Legendary performers in all genres are regular attractions at this 

venue. The Pearl is nearby, named one of America’s Top Five Great Neighborhoods by the American 

Planning Association. It is another vital mixed-use area with a strong sense of character, featuring 

the beautifully renovated former Pearl Brewery. The Culinary Institute of America, an eclectic 

farmer’s market, night clubs, chic apartments, restaurants and shops are part of this pedestrianfriendly 

place. A short distance away is San Pedro Springs Park, the second-oldest park in the 

United States. Brackenridge Park is also close by for more outdoor recreation. Two more historic 

universities are in this part of town: Trinity University, designed by architect O’Neill Ford, and the 

University of the Incarnate Word, on whose campus are the headwaters of the San Antonio River. 

Fort Sam Houston, the Home of Army Medicine is also in this area. Since 1845, Fort Sam has been 

an integral part of San Antonio. It is home of the United States Army’s premier medical training 

center, Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC). Going further uptown, one finds North Star Mall, 

Phil Hardberger Park, and more creative, cutting edge restaurants, recreational features and shops 

alongside major corporate facilities in the north central corridor. 

❖ 

The Fine Arts Building at the University of 

the Incarnate Word. Founded in 1881, the 

University campus also contains the 

headwaters of the San Antonio River. 

CHAPTER THREE 

31

❖ 

Fort Sam Houston’s clock tower, located in 

its historic Quadrangle. Open to the public, 

the Quadrangle dates to 1876 when it was 

an Army supply depot. 

San Antonio is also home to an impressive list of locally and nationally designated Historic 

Districts and neighborhoods: Monticello Park, East French Place, Woodlawn Lake, Keystone Park, 

Fulton Avenue, Olmos Park Terrace, Monte Vista, River Road, Government Hill, Cattleman Square, 

Ursuline, Auditorium Circle, Old Lone Star Brewery, Healy-Murphy, Dignowity Hill, St. Paul 

Square, Main and Military Plaza, Alamo Plaza, Arsenal, HemisFair, Lavaca, Nathan, Mission, Knob 

Hill, Brooks School of Aerospace Medicine, and Leon Springs all represent the stewardship of fine 

architecture and historic preservation for which the city is known. 


32

❖ 

Left: San Antonio’s ranges and maneuver 

areas for training have long been the first 

stop for recruits in the Armed Forces. 

Below: America’s finest men and women 

serve in its armed forces. This young 

Private stands guard at Ft. Sam’s 

Quadrangle. 

. 

Development in previously rural areas fueled major 

changes in the northwest part of town. Part of the largest 

army post in the country, the Leon Springs Military 

Reservation has been an armed forces active duty training 

ground since 1906. At that time, it was near the old stagecoach 

line and the surrounding land featured vast corrals of 

horses, mules and cattle belonging to the military. In 1975, 

the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) began construction 

nearby with a couple of buildings in what were 

still the hinterlands northwest of San Antonio. Loop 1604 

was just an unlit, two lane farm-to-market road. Now Loop 

1604 is a four lane freeway spanning a city circumference of 

95 miles, and UTSA is a robust campus surrounded by 

extensive commercial and residential developments 

The metropolitan boom around Loop 1604 puts previously 

remote places like Randolph and Lackland Air Force 

Bases and satellite communities such as Helotes, Universal 

City and China Grove along the same road as planned 

exurbs like the Dominion. Extensive growth along the Loop 

means more areas acquire the advantages of being in the 

San Antonio city limits. Then, geographic inclusion 

becomes destiny. 

CHAPTER THREE 

33

CHAPTER FOUR 

T HE F LAVOR OF A U NIQUE L IFESTYLE 

❖ 

The Fiesta River Parade goes back to 1941 

and draws thousands annually. 

From downtown’s big celebrations and cultural activities to the natural and peaceful scenic 

destinations of the surrounding hill country, there is always something to discover and enjoy in 

San Antonio. The city provides great opportunities with many attractions and happenings accessible 

to all. 

Nothing is more synonymous with San Antonio lifestyle than its annual Fiesta celebration. Each 

spring, the parades and parties cover downtown with color, music and excitement. The Battle of 

Flowers Parade, Fiesta Flambeau Parade (the largest American illuminated, night parade), Night in 

Old San Antonio, and the Texas Cavaliers River Parade are the most well-known activities, but 

Fiesta preparations go on year-round. From building floats, to concerts, scholarship programs, 

luncheons, fashion shows, street fairs, and associated parties and ceremonies for service personnel, 

children, pets, cultural groups and seniors, San Antonio is always organizing Fiesta activities for its 

residents and guests. Food is also a major theme in Fiesta partying: Oyster Bake and A Taste of 

New Orleans are major draws, but every event provides spectators with delicious offerings from 

the flavors of San Antonio. 


34

❖ 

Right: Little Fiesta princesses ride their float during the Battle 

of Flowers Parade. 

Below: The standard-bearer of the San Antonio Association de 

Charros rides proudly in a Fiesta parade, continuing the 

Mexican Cowboy tradition. 

Bottom, right: This Fiesta princess kicks up her heels for the 

traditional reveal of comfy shoes underneath her elaborately 

jeweled gown. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

35

The San Antonio Spurs are one of the most winning teams in NBA 

history, having brought home the NBA National Championship five 

times. A Spurs game is a guaranteed good time, but the Spurs championship 

ethic goes beyond sports: many retired players have stayed 

in San Antonio and contribute to its community, including David 

Robinson, who works with the Carver Academy, and George Gervin, 

who established the George Gervin Youth Center. The Spurs embody 

not just the entertainment aspect of sports, but the positive impact 

of sports on the community and the individual. San Antonio is proud 

to be the home of these champions. 

❖ 

Top, left: Cascarones for sale provide adults 

and kids with plenty of fun throughout 

Fiesta. Like many Mexican customs, 

Casacarones are popular for other 

celebrations year round too. 

Top, right: Tasty food is a major attraction 

at Fiesta. This lady shows off a delicious 

fajita platter. 

Right: Crowds pack La Villita for Night in 

Old San Antonio (NIOSA) to enjoy music, 

food and drinks. 


36

❖ 

The vibrant colors of Fiesta are put on 

view in the many products for sale. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

37

The pleasure of the great outdoors is the right 

of every American, just as it was the privilege of 

our forefathers. There is something in the San 

Antonio sports and recreation scene for everyone, 

from college and high school football, to the San 

Antonio Missions baseball, professional soccer, to 

individual or team sports one can join in at any of 

the many neighborhood sports complexes around 

town. Affordable public golf courses and driving 

ranges as well as private greens abound in all 

areas of the city, on some of its finest acreage. 

Camping and boating are popular all year, only a 

short drive 

away from 

any part of San Antonio. Major lakes and rivers surround San 

Antonio, so fishermen can find plenty of hot spots for a good 

day’s angling. Community fishing lakes in town are also kept 

stocked for urban dwellers who want to go fishing. Or take a 

day trip to the coast and one can take on the Gulf of Mexico 

for a big catch. Hunting is tradition in Texas, part of responsive 

wildlife management, and game and birds are plentiful 

on public and private hunting grounds. Many Texans still ride 

horses, and there are many stables, equestrian centers and 

saddle clubs around San Antonio with plenty of room to ‘ride 

the range.’ There is even underground fun, as spelunkers can 

explore the vast system of caves under and around the city 

that are open to the public. Or to take it easy, just enjoy relaxing 

hikes along the many green trails through town, where 

there is still country hush in the heart of the city. 

❖ 

Top:Mariachi perform at NIOSA. Many 

area high schools train students in 

Mariachi, the traditional Mexican music. 

Mariachi music is very much part of the 

character of San Antonio. 

Middle: Fiesta clowns made up for revelry. 

Bottom: Interweaving Mexican and 

American customs means new expressions 

of culture. After Halloween, San Antonio 

also celebrates Dia de los Muertos, or Day 

of the Dead, the old Mexican holiday 

honoring the departed and celebrating life. 

The breathtaking Dia de los Muertos 

makeup and costuming of these beauties 

demonstrates great artistry and attention to 

detail. 


38

San Antonio has long been famous in song. 

Music and performance are part of the city’s character. 

The city’s Symphony, Opera Company and 

its Chamber Choir and Orchestras are filled with 

masterful musicians, and celebrate classical and 

modern composers. Jazz lovers flock to Travis 

Park each year for the city’s Jazz’SAlive festival, 

which draws internationally famous players. 

There are also clubs and venues for every kind of 

live music, from rock to rap and R&B and from 

Tejano to techno. San Antonio also has a vibrant 

theater community. Its historic theaters such as 

the Majestic and Charlene McCombs now house 

national acts so locals can enjoy Broadway at 

home. But talented residents also shine in local 

productions at the Harlequin Theater, the 

Woodlawn, Josephine, the Sheldon Vexler 

Theater, and others. Hometown entertainers have 

plenty of opportunity to show their acting chops 

in original shows and classic plays, to the delight 

of their audiences. 

❖ 

Above: The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts is San 

Antonio’s newest venue for cultural audiences. 

Right: The interior of the beautiful Majestic Theater, which 

opened in 1929. The Majestic is listed on the National 

Register of Historic Places. For many years it was the largest 

theater in Texas and the second-largest in the USA. It was 

also the first theater in Texas to be totally air-conditioned. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

39

❖ 

Above: John T. Floore’s Country Store, 

usually just called Floore’s, has hosted Texas 

and American music legends over 60 years. 

Music, dancing, great BBQ and drinks 

guarantee fun every time at Floore’s. 

Right: This cowboy and his lady are doing 

the Texas two-step. 


40

❖ 

Above: Crowds camp in Travis Park for good seats 

during the city’s annual three-day jazz festival, 

Jazz’SAlive. 

Left: A percussionist at his kit, onstage during 

Jazz’SAlive. 

. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

41

A real Texas tradition, the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo is one of the largest and most prestigious events of its kind anywhere. 

Over two million visitors come to the Rodeo every year, and the Rodeo in turn has given over $186 million in scholarships and endowments 

to students in agriculture and Western arts. The Stock Show and Rodeo is a pillar of wholesome family entertainment and solid 

supporter of the agriculture industry in Texas. Visitors enjoy big name entertainers, beautiful, well-tended animals and breathtaking competitions 

that capture the spirit of Texas. 

❖ 

Above: The Rodeo consistently 

breaks attendance records. It is one 

of the largest and most prestigious 

events in town. Its profits support 

scholarships for area students. 

Left: Western culture is the center of 

Rodeo life. Here, the chuck wagon 

cook rakes coals on top of his Dutch 

oven to demonstrate baking on the 

trail. 

Right: Bucking broncos test the skill 

and agility of their riders, who 

compete for championships during 

rodeo time. 


42

❖ 

Left: A beautiful princess of the Charreada court rides her white horse around the ring. Charreada is the national 

sport of Mexico but also has history in south Texas. San Antonio’s Charro Association dates back to the 1940s, and 

is committed to preserving authentic customs and family-friendly equestrian skills. 

Bottom, left: This roper is competing in a Charreada, or Mexican rodeo. Though it is a separate rodeo tradition, like 

its North American counterpart, Charreadas also involve parades and competitions, sponsor scholarships, and 

preserve a traditional culture of working cowboys. 

Below: Little ones at the Rodeo can participate in Mutton Busting, Hide Riding, and Pulling the Ribbon off the 

Calf’s Tail. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

43

❖ 

Riding stables, trail rides and horse rentals are all available, even for city dwellers. 


44

❖ 

Left: The many area lakes around San 

Antonio make it easy to get away from it all 

on your own boat. This couple and their dog 

are enjoying an early morning sail on 

Canyon Lake. 

Below: Creation of green trails throughout 

town means residents can enjoy the peace 

and beauty of nature in one of America’s 

largest cities.. 

Cost of living in San Antonio is lower than the national average because its deep in the heart of 

southern Texas location means proximity to the region’s fine harvests. Rich in natural resources, 

Texas is the second-greatest food producing state in the US. It has more farms and ranches than 

any other state, including the most woman- and minority-owned farms and ranches in America, 

and Texas agriculturalists respond strongly to market incentives, including for sustainability practices 

and organic products. San Antonio is surrounded 

by livestock and poultry producers as 

well as dairies, honey, herb, fish, and nut farms so 

the best of these commodities come to San 

Antonio stores. The short distance to the Rio 

Grande Valley means San Antonio gets first pick 

of the state’s fine produce and the freshest catch 

of more than a billion pounds of seafood that 

comes from the Gulf of Mexico annually. 

Consumers find a wide variety of high quality 

food year-round, with prices far more reasonable 

than national averages. This local and regional 

food sourcing enhances the social as well as physical 

health of everyone involved and adds many 

ancillary benefits to quality of life not possible 

elsewhere. San Antonio’s resultant rich culinary 

heritage is acknowledged by its UNESCO designation 

as a Creative City of Gastronomy. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

45

❖ 

Above: A vast network of caves exists below the San Antonio region: many are open to the public. They are 

particularly popular in summer because of the cooler temperatures underground. 

Right: The San Antonio Missions baseball team has many standout players. The action is fast at every game. 

. 


46

Families can be assured any child can get a good education in the independent school districts 

operating in San Antonio. Expansion of college into high schools means young people can prepare 

well for their chosen fields, whether science and engineering, the arts, business or academia. 

School districts here consistently get good grades from the US Department of Education. 

❖ 

Above: UTSA’s cheerleaders and marching 

band support their team and keep the 

crowds fired up. 

Left: UTSA Roadrunners gain yardage for 

the win during a home game at the 

Alamodome. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

47

❖ 

Above: South Texas enjoys multiple growing 

seasons thanks to its climate. Here, locally 

grown cold weather vegetables are sold at a 

local farmer’s market. 

Retirees too love San Antonio 

thanks to the mild winters, affordable 

housing and low taxes. 

Independent living communities 

also offer lively social calendars to 

active seniors. Many San Antonio 

families have multi-generational 

histories in the city, and anticipate 

that their children will create their 

futures here as well. 

Right: Texas crops are worth billions 

annually and provide the entire United 

States with the finest produce and 

commodities. Corn is a vital crop with many 

uses, sold here at a San Antonio farmer’s 

market. In the old days, it was grown 

around Helotes, whose name derives from 

the Spanish elóte, meaning “corn.” 


48

❖ 

Above: The spectacular variety of resources in South Texas results in fine cuisine. 

Below: San Antonio is recognized by UNESCO as a Creative City of Gastronomy, in acknowledgment of its superior culinary traditions of authenticity with continual innovation. 

CHAPTER FOUR 

49


50

CHAPTER FIVE 

T HE F LAVOR OF P EOPLE L IVING, WORKING AND P LAYING T OGETHER 

❖ 

Opposite page: The 750-foot tall Tower of the Americas is a focal point of downtown San Antonio. Built for HemisFair, the 1968 World’s Fair, its restaurant and observation deck give 

visitors a 360-degree panoramic vista of the San Antonio area. 

Above: San Antonio’s MLK march is the largest in the nation, bringing citizens together every year in record breaking numbers. Deserving students are also awarded scholarships honoring 

the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Every January, San Antonians gather for the city’s Martin Luther King, Jr. march. Since 1987 the 

march and its purpose have drawn more participants, eventually making San Antonio’s the largest 

MLK march in the United States: in recent years, up to 300,000 citizens marched in honor of the 

civil rights hero and for justice, peace and equality. As powerful as any political revolution, this 

peaceful gathering is a diverse mix of cultures and ethnic backgrounds abounding in civic pride. 

It is also an example of the cooperative nature of San Antonio’s people, who work, live and play 

together in a richly multicultural city. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

51

Each June, the Institute of Texan Cultures hosts the Texas Folklife 

Festival, the biggest multi-cultural party in Texas. Folklife displays 

the rich diversity of food, art and performances belonging to the 

many varied ethnic groups that comprise Texas. It celebrates and 

welcomes the cultures that make Texas home: Mexican, German, 

Chinese, Polish, Lebanese, Vietnamese, Bangladeshis, Bulgarians, 

Indonesians, Jamaicans and more. It takes more than ceremonies and 

festivals to build unity, however. 

❖ 

Above: The multicultural background of San Antonio is celebrated each year at the 

Texas Folklife Festival. Traditional dress and dance is part of the fun. 

Top, right: The Folklife Festival keeps ethnic music, food, performances and other 

customs alive in a setting of cultural entertainment and appreciation. 


52

❖ 

An expert on Texas heritage at the 

Stock Show and Rodeo. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

53

❖ 

Right: A band of Mariachi on their way to 

perform in their splendid costumes gets the 

attention of a scooter-riding tourist. 

Below: A fife and drum corps keeps history 

alive at the King William Fair Parade. 


54

❖ 

Keeping cool on a summer day. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

55

❖ 

A dancer with the Ballet Folklorico, a 

performing arts school and dance company 

which performs at many events. 

It is probably San Antonio’s background as a frontier outpost that influenced the city’s acceptance 

and welcome of new cultural groups. This was critical in the past, when success in the 

Borderlands required cooperation in a place that could be inhospitable: this is the origin of “community”, 

or com-unity, which first meant people in league together for mutual defense. Over time, 

the social and economic contributions of various groups filled important roles in life, and were 

respected for their positive impact. Texas is known as the place where one comes to control one’s 

destiny because communities like this, built on mutual traditional work ethic toward a common 

good, cannot be contrived or imposed. They grow naturally to enviable success. 


56

❖ 

Above: On the rides at the Helotes 

Cornyval, one of the many community 

festivals around town. 

Left: This little girl is having fun on the 

sculptures at the San Antonio Zoo in 

Brackenridge Park. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

57

❖ 

A horse-drawn carriage takes tourists 

sightseeing in the historic King William 

neighborhood. 

Successful, diverse communities like San Antonio develop through cooperative ethics and commitments 

to civic pride. Places like El Mercado and San Fernando Cathedral give San Antonio a 

deep cultural background on which modern citizens build our new, diverse city, based on graceful 

historic architecture and the warm ambiance of its history. But a sense of unity also requires modern 

leaders with the vision to provide citizens with features that build commonality, like the many 

community centers, natural areas, specialty attractions and amenities that serve the city’s residents. 

This kind of infrastructure means here, individuals and groups create new histories for themselves 

and contribute new ideas. Advancement in these areas ultimately means success for all. 


58

The place one lives is a character in one’s story, along with the people living there. Differences 

between people can create friction. It is the response to this energy that defines a community: in 

the right circumstances sparks fly, creativity becomes a team sport, and people can contribute enormously, 

substantially, to their hometown and America. Understanding that new ideas around the 

table can capture the imagination, people can unify. It is this understanding of the importance of 

common ground that made it possible for San Antonio to reach its 300th Anniversary with global 

acknowledgement of its excellence, and for the people of San Antonio to go forward together, in 

pursuit of the American dream. 

❖ 

Downtown residents enjoy partying on 

another beautiful San Antonio day, with the 

Tower of the Americas in the background. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

59

❖ 

Residents waiting for their River taxi. 


60

❖ 

This River barge is painted in honor of San 

Antonio’s 300th Anniversary. The landmark 

event celebrates the people and culture of 

this fine city. 

CHAPTER FIVE 

61


62

SAN ANTONIO 

PARTNERS 

Profiles of businesses, organizations and families 

that have contributed to the development and 

economic base of San Antonio 

Blue Skies of Texas ........................................................64 

Alzheimer’s Care and Research Center Foundation ..............65 

Stock Yards Commercial Properties Companies....................66 

ITEX............................................................................68 

Steves and Sons .............................................................70 

Contractors Corner, LLC .................................................72 

Jefferson Bank...............................................................74 

Elegant Furs, LLC..........................................................76 

Mission Park.................................................................78 

Phyllis Trolinger, Realtor ................................................80 

First Baptist Church of San Antonio..................................81 

Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc............................82 

Learning Foundations .....................................................83 

Alamo Iron Works ..........................................................84 

HOLT CAT ® .................................................................85 

Bolner’s Fiesta Products ..................................................86 

Frost Bank....................................................................87 

Cox Manufacturing Company, Inc. ....................................88 

San Antonio Tourism Council ...........................................89 

Rosario’s Mexican Café y Cantina ....................................90 

Twang Partners, Ltd.......................................................91 

Mark Langford Photography, Inc.......................................92 

Britton’s Bicycle Shop .....................................................93 

R.J.S. High School Sports ................................................94 

Sound Master Tint & Alarm ............................................95 

Masquerade DJ ..............................................................96 

Lammert, Inc. ...............................................................97 

❖ 

A spectacular view of San Antonio and its horizons. The second most populous city in Texas and the southern 

United States, it bears a rich colonial heritage, many attractions, and ambitions for a strong future. 

SAN ANTONIO PARTNERS 

63

BLUE SKIES OF 

TEXAS 

❖ 

Above: Blue Skies of Texas–West Campus 

entrance. Formerly the Air Force Villages, 

this exceptional community has been a 

staple in the heart of San Antonio for over 

fifty years. Today, our dedicated and caring 

teams of professionals remain committed to 

enriching the physical and mental wellbeing 

of every resident. The Air Force 

Village tradition continues at Blue Skies 

of Texas. 

Below: A day in the life of Blue Skies. With 

its numerous services and in-house 

amenities such as outdoor walking trails, 

fitness centers, libraries, chapels, indoor 

pools and tennis courts. Residents can also 

enjoy a day on the town to the local 

farmers’ market with our scheduled 

transportation. Blue Skies of Texas is truly 

retirement living at its best. 

Residents of Blue Skies of Texas enjoy a 

warm, friendly community with many amenities. 

Founded as the Air Force Villages, Blue 

Skies of Texas is an independent living community 

offering apartments, lofts, cottages 

and homes, as well as assisted living, skilled 

nursing and Alzheimer’s care. Blue Skies of 

Texas pride themselves in improving seniors’ 

lives by providing quality retirement living 

with an emphasis on individual well-being. 

The original Air Force Village (AFV) was 

created when USAF General Curtis LeMay 

and his wife, Helen, realized the need to provide 

a safe haven for military widows. At the 

time, there were no laws compensating military 

widows in retirement. Unlike their civilian 

counterparts, few military families had 

permanent homes or a place to go when they 

were suddenly confronted with the death of a 

spouse. Military widows, regardless of their 

husband’s rank, were often left penniless. 

Many dreamed of a safe haven for Air Force 

widows. Fundraisers were organized by 

Officer’s Wives’ Clubs (OWC) on every Air 

Force installation around the world with a $1 

million-dollar goal. Decades of continued 

efforts by many individuals, including the 

Executive Board of the OWC of Bolling AFB at 

Washington, D.C., brought the Village into creation. 

Many of those OWC members eventually 

moved to Air Force Village and all agreed, it 

was Helen LeMay who gave the idea wings. 

The Air Force Village East was founded in 

1970, built on land donated by local San 

Antonio developer, Ray Ellison. Soon after, 

the Air Force Village West was founded in 

1987. In 2013, residency opened to non-military 

retired professionals and the two campuses 

became Blue Skies of Texas. 

Stories from the first residents demonstrate 

the typical military family make-do spirit. 

Stories like the wife of the first AFV Director 

managing the front desk. Parties were on a 

shoestring budget with one resident 

describing prescription bottles filled with 

wildflowers used for centerpieces, not 

because hostesses had to, but because it was 

fun and made the parties personal. Much of 

the early décor comes from personal treasures 

donated by residents. Articles from the World 

War II era through subsequent wars are still 

exhibited in the halls today. 

Blue Skies of Texas is a nonprofit 

continuing care retirement community 

(CCRC) accredited by the Commission on 

Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities 

(CARF), offering residents a continuum of 

care, so a person can spend the rest of their 

life in a CCRC moving between levels of care 

as needed. Its welcoming spirit and emphasis 

on care make it a great place to call home. 

For more information; please visit 

www.blueskiesoftexas.org. 


64

ALZHEIMER’S 

CARE AND 

RESEARCH 

CENTER 

FOUNDATION 

The Alzheimer’s Care and Research Center 

Foundation, dba Freedom House, is an 

Alzheimer’s Certified Assisted Living facility providing 

care and services to people with 

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. 

In addition to care for those with the disease, 

Freedom House provides education and support 

to families with seminars and active support 

groups in partnership with entities such as the 

Alzheimer’s Association. Freedom House has 

been recognized on a national platform with 

several awards including a Best Practice Design. 

As a result of growing concerns surrounding 

Alzheimer’s disease in the 1990s, Air 

Force Village, now Blue Skies of Texas, were 

pioneers in recognizing the needs of people 

diagnosed with dementia were far different 

from care found in a typical nursing home. 

The concept became a four pronged 

approach: Care, Education, Support, and 

Research. Education and Support for families 

along with Research into the cause were just 

as important as the Care provided. 

Fundraising began in 1994 and, by 1998, 

Freedom House opened its doors with the 

completion of the first phase, providing a 

home to twenty-seven individuals with various 

forms of dementia. The second and third 

phases were completed and operational in 

2003 and 2010, completing the vision. 

One of the most memorable stories from 

Freedom House includes a resident whose 

background was in accounting. His disease 

was advanced and communication was very 

limited. We found that he loved numbers and 

measurements, so the staff set up a desk with 

papers, pens and an adding machine. 

Although he loved spending his day there, in 

the evening he would still ask to “go home.” 

This is typical with residents, and staff will utilize 

redirection techniques to reduce this form 

of anxiety. This resident enjoyed a night out at 

dinner with his daughter, and she was ecstatic 

to report upon their return how he was ready 

to come “home” …to Freedom House. 

Engaging the residents in meaningful activities 

is one of the keys to success at Freedom 

House. There are regular day trips to restaurants, 

parks and movie theaters. In-house 

activities are entertaining, as well, which 

include inter-generational activities with the 

children from our onsite child care. Freedom 

House is one of the few facilities that understand 

the importance of stimulating daily activities. 

Residents can spend time with children 

all while enjoying the laughter of little ones. 

Freedom House also has a Joint 

Commissioned Hospice program providing 

additional comfort and resources to residents 

and their families. Understanding Alzheimer’s 

and many other forms of dementia are progressive 

and terminal, Freedom House is 

committed to focusing on special needs while 

celebrating life. 

For more information, please visit 

www.blueskiesoftexas.org/memory-care. 

❖ 

Above: Millions have been raised in support 

of Freedom House since its inception. We 

continue to participate in innovative 

research while developing effective methods 

of care for our residents. Our goal is to 

continue to support research into the Cause, 

Care and one-day Cure of Alzheimer’s 

disease and other related dementia. 

Below: Freedom House is located at 12455 

Freedom Way, San Antonio, Texas 78245 

on the campus of Blue Skies of Texas–West. 

Serving nearly 500 residents in our 21-year 

history, Freedom House has been a home for 

those with Alzheimer’s disease and other 

forms of dementia. Our best practice design 

award recognizes the ability to reduce 

sundowning and other challenging 

symptoms associated with various forms 

of dementia, through unique state-ofthe-art 

features. . 


65

STOCK YARDS 

COMMERCIAL 

PROPERTIES 

COMPANY 

❖ 

Above: In this scenic view from 1903, the 

alley in the foreground is going from the 

stock yards directly to a packing house next 

door. To the far right is the first Exchange 

Building under construction. It was four 

stories, surrounded by wide verandas for 

shade, and included many amenities for 

livestock traders, including a hotel on the top 

floor. The railroad crossing can be seen in 

the background near the Exchange Building. 

Below: This 1940s photo shows cattle buyers 

discussing prices on the catwalk. The pens 

full of cattle indicate a busy day of cattle 

sales lay ahead. At this time, cattle were 

sold by private treaty. Later on, cattle were 

sold by auction in a tent, until 1960 when 

the Auction Arena was constructed, which 

had air conditioning and heat, telephones 

for buyers to talk to their clients, and a 

snack bar. In the background is downtown 

San Antonio and the modern Stock Yards 

Exchange Building. 

Nothing evoked the glory of the Old West 

like the cattle drive to the stock yards, the 

beginning and end of the long trail. Union 

Stock Yards San Antonio was the supporter and 

hub of the south Texas agriculture industry’s 

economic growth. It provided critical infrastructure 

for ranchers marketing their herds 

and contributed millions to city, state and 

national economies. It is also the story of five 

generations of one family who continue to dedicate 

their lives to its operation known as Stock 

Yards Commercial Properties Company, “built 

on a strong foundation for a lasting future.” 

When the railroad came to San Antonio 

around 1880, local ranchers purchased land 

near the intersection of the tracks, at what is 

now 1716 South San Marcos Street. Pens and 

ramps were installed to load livestock onto rail 

cars so ranchers, buyers and sellers could ship 

their animals to northern markets. In 1889, 

Dr. Amos Graves, Sr., chief surgeon for the 

Southern Pacific Railroad and a doctor at Santa 

Rosa Hospital, became the principal owner of 

the stock yards. He changed the name to 

Union Stock Yards San Antonio and expanded 

facilities to accommodate the increase in the 

number of cattle brought to San Antonio, 

which became the important first market for 

cattle driven in from the range. 

Early twentieth century cattle receipts grew 

so much that many subsidiary industries grew 

around the Stock Yards: traders opened as new 

commission companies, a bar and café fed 

ranchers and cowboys, and a hotel provided 

lodging. Under the leadership of Dr. Graves’ 

grandson-in-law, Carlton Hagelstein, Sr., president 

from 1938-1966, Union Stock Yards 

witnessed rapid change in the evolution of 

livestock trading. Meat packing companies 

built plants nearby. Federal and State market 

agencies opened offices on the Stock Yards 

properties. The Union Stock Yards even hosted 


66

its own regional Livestock Exposition that 

later became the San Antonio Stock Show and 

Rodeo. By this time, the Stock Yards was doing 

multimillion-dollar business annually serving 

South Texas. In 1938, Hagelstein decided it 

was time for an up-to-date office building for 

the business that operated on the property. 

The new Livestock Exchange building was 

fireproof pre-cut concrete and had streamlined, 

modern details. It is still the main office 

of Stock Yards Commercial Properties today. 

Meanwhile the business continued to grow. 

Facilities were constantly improving and diversifying. 

The old system of buying cattle by private 

treaty was waning. Auction sales had 

taken their place. In 1960, to stay competitive, 

the Stock Yards erected an auction building 

marking another milestone in the way livestock 

was sold. Besides pens and water for livestock, 

Western wear stores, feed and supply stores, 

livestock commission companies, trucking and 

vehicle services, credit associations and even a 

barber shop were on or around the Stock Yards 

property by the late twentieth century. 

By then, the fourth generation of the family 

was overseeing operations, as well as relationships 

with clients who were also multigenerational. 

The reputation of the Union Stock 

Yards was such that dignitaries including 

Texas Governors John Connally and Dolph 

Briscoe sold their cattle there. Remarking on 

these relationships, Dr. Graves’ great-grandson, 

G. Carlton Hagelstein, Jr., president from 

1966-1993, said the success of Union Stock 

Yards was always due to the people who care 

for their customers and work for them. 

San Antonio also continued to grow, and 

where once cowboys had come to the city, now 

the city had come to the cowboys. The Union 

Stock Yards was originally built on country 

land, but by 2001, it was prime real estate near 

downtown San Antonio. The changing urban 

landscape was the impetus for the repurposing 

of the historic Union Stock Yards from livestock 

and agricultural support into what is now Stock 

Yards Commercial Properties Company. Under 

the leadership of Hagelstein’s son–in-law, Mark 

A. Judson, president from 1993-2017, the convenient 

location and commitment to personal 

service transformed the cattle pens into thriving 

commercial real estate property. 

The same first rate facilities and long term 

attention to customer service associated with 

the historic Stock Yards were adapted for contemporary 

urban reuse, with the same family 

approach to management. Stock Yards 

Commercial Properties Company now offers 

commercial lease space on 30 acres with over 

700,000 square feet of office, office/warehouse 

and yard space. Tenants can benefit from the 

area’s designation as a HUB zone, which 

increases the competitive edge for qualified 

companies, and facilitates economic development 

and new opportunities. Stock Yards 

Commercial Properties are ideal for business 

because of the prime location close to downtown. 

Its tenants operate a wide variety of over 

120 businesses, employing hundreds of people. 

While the business has changed from 

being a livestock market to a commercial 

warehouse hub, the goals and ideals of the 

family remain the same. Those are to be good 

stewards to the land and a commitment to 

provide the best service to clients as possible. 

With a great sense of its history as well as the 

proven vision to move easily into new ventures, 

Stock Yards Commercial Properties 

Company is still the San Antonio destination 

for Texans seeking economic leadership. 

For more information, please visit them on 

the Internet at www.unionstockyardsa.com. 

❖ 

Above: Originally, cattle were brought into 

the Union Stock Yards on the hoof, in cattle 

drives. Then, cattle were shipped on trains. 

The railroad stopped being used to move 

cattle in the early 1970s, and then cattle 

trucks were used. The Union Stock Yards 

front docks under the steer are where cattle 

were received from cattle trucks. Now the 

road alongside the docks leads to acres of 

warehouses leased by Union Stock Yards 

Commercial Properties. Plumbing, 

construction, electrical, landscape and 

transportation companies all make the 

Yards their home, and many small 

businesses as well. 

Below: Stock Yards Commercial Properties is 

located just off Interstate 35 south, which 

made easy access for livestock sales. As the 

city became larger, it became harder to get 

cattle to sale and the yards made the 

transition to commercial property. The 

Union Stock Yards Steer and its distinctive 

Exchange Building remain San Antonio 

business landmarks. 


67

ITEX 

Bartering—the mutual exchange of goods 

or services—actually heralded the beginning 

of commerce, thousands of years ago. Say, for 

example, a surplus of apples could be traded 

for a stone axe. A very effective transaction for 

both parties and still an efficient means of 

exchange. Today, bartering choices are much 

more sophisticated, and provide greater 

choices for cashless transactions, but the 

ancient principle still applies. Bartering 

through ITEX helps stay competitive in a 

tough economy. 

ITEX’s goal is to help members develop a 

more successful business utilizing ITEX as a 

business tool. A most valuable tool, indeed: 

barter dollars free up cash dollars to help run 

a business. Bartering also creates new business 

relationships and brings in new customers 

through participation in the businessto-business 

marketplace. As a nationwide bartering 

community, ITEX Corp. provides an 

unparalleled networking opportunity with its 

20,000 members. It also supplies a proven 

way to grow a small business, as members 

“sell” their services, products, excess capacity 

or inventory to each other. 

ITEX in San Antonio was founded in 1995 

and is part of an established network of small 

businesses trading for what they need. The 

modern barter system does not involve direct 

trade matches, but instead uses ITEX barter 

dollars. The auto repair shop owner, for 

example, whose bartered services are selected 

by the owner of a furniture store or an orthodontist 

does not end up with a room full of 

sofas or a voucher for dental braces and 

retainers. His repair work is translated into 

ITEX dollars, which he can apply to get whatever 

his business needs or what his family 

wants from any other ITEX member. 

ITEX is, in fact, the largest cashless 

transaction network in the United States. Its 

member businesses range from A to Z: accommodations, 

advertising, computer services, 

education, industrial, printing, retail stores, 

and veterinary services. ITEX handles all the 

record keeping for transactions—the ITEX 

dollars earned by selling goods or services— 

so members do not have to track details. The 

ITEX website lets members access their 

accounts anytime, anywhere. 

When the San Antonio ITEX franchise 

came under new ownership in 2005, transactions 

for local members rapidly increased to 

$2.3 million. New owner, Barron Perales— 

motivated by the art of the deal—adopted 

bartering as a way of life, and developed customer 

service and customer retention programs 

for ITEX in San Antonio. Following a 

business plan that places greater importance 

on quality rather than volume, he prefers that 

ITEX in San Antonio under-promise and overdeliver. 

For his efforts, Perales—the youngest 

broker in the ITEX system—was named 

“Rookie of the Year” for 2006. That same year, 

ITEX in San Antonio handled over $3 million 

in trades—a record for the franchise. In 2007, 

Perales was nationally recognized by the U.S. 

Department of Commerce, Minority Business 


68

Development Agency as an “Emerging 

Minority Business Leader,” where he met 

President Bush at the White House. In 2010, 

Perales was awarded ITEX “Broker of the 

Year,” and in 2017 received the coveted 

“Broker’s Choice” award. It is not surprising, 

then, that ITEX San Antonio has had the distinction 

of being awarded the ITEX “Circle of 

Excellence” for eight consecutive years, beginning 

in 2010. 

The growth in ITEX trading, both in Texas 

and nationally, is possible only because ITEX 

helps its members grow their own businesses. 

The success of ITEX directly reflects the success 

of its bartering members, who have 

become more competitive through cashless 

transactions. Trade directors at ITEX in San 

Antonio assist members in locating items that 

they want for their business, from plumbing 

services to advertising. Trade Directors 

become part of the members’ salesforce—promoting 

their products and services to new 

members, online and offline. Customer support 

includes assisting members to find the 

best place to spend the barter dollars they 

have earned. 

Most business owners agree that sales are 

the toughest part of running a company. Even 

with a great product, connecting with new 

customers is time-consuming and expensive. 

ITEX provides the opportunity to sell to people 

who want to do business with a fellow 

ITEX member. 

The ITEX Membership Trading Community 

is narrowly focused on small business owners. 

New members who may have joined to move 

excess product soon realize the power of the 

distribution system that has been opened to 

them. They discover that bartering creates 

ongoing value. Others who have joined for the 

marketplace access discover the friendly community 

of bartering and fellowship. 

ITEX’s networking and bartering reach far 

beyond the San Antonio region to build a 

broader customer base and options for transactions. 

The ITEX website lists an incredible 

range of potential exchanges and a directory 

of all the businesses ready to barter their 

goods for another’s services. 

As a concerned corporate citizen, ITEX in 

San Antonio participates in bettering the community, 

particularly through informing and 

motivating tomorrow’s young entrepreneurs 

and leaders. 

A nationwide community of small 

business has discovered the benefits of trading 

for what they need, rather than spending 

cash. Before there was money, there was 

barter. Now there is ITEX in San Antonio and 

a better marketplace. 


69

STEVES AND 

SONS 

San Antonio was still a 

small, Mexican-style adobe 

village in 1866 when 

Edward Steves decided to 

open a lumber business. 

More than 150 years later, 

Steves and Sons has 

become one of the world’s 

leading manufacturers of 

all types of doors and is 

still a family business. 

Edward Steves and his 

sons—Edward, Jr., Albert, 

and Earnest—wanted the company to thrive 

not only for them but for future generations. 

Those wishes came true, and the firm is now 

operated by the fifth and sixth generations of 

the Steves family who remain dedicated to the 

founder’s principles of quality and service. 

Edward’s visionary approach to the business 

created one of the company’s key 

philosophies: supply what is needed today, 

stay ahead, and be ready to supply what is 

needed for tomorrow. 

By the late 1800s, San Antonio had grown 

to become the hub of the lumber business in 

the southwestern United States and northern 

Mexico and Steves and Sons reputation for 

hard work and dedication to quality led 

it to become a leader in this expansion. By 

1879, Steves stocked an average of three 

million board feet of lumber and supplied the 

rapidly growing needs for lumber throughout 

western Texas, northern Mexico and 

the frontier. 

Frame buildings and homes became more 

common in the 1890s and Steves supplied not 

only wood, but doors, window and stair components. 

To keep distribution costs low and 

make products more affordable, Steves established 

a millwork plant in 1904. By 1912, the 

millwork plant was so successful that the 

business was renamed Steves Sash & Door 

Company. By 1916, the company was the 

largest millwork operation in the southwest. 

With the onset of World War I, Steves 

turned its attention to the war effort, shifting 

production to aircraft propellers for the newly 

established Army Air Corps. For this effort, 

the company was awarded the Distinguished 

Service Award by the War Department. 

Operations were again converted to support 

the war effort during World War II. This 

time, Steves manufactured joinery for Liberty 

ships. For these efforts, the company received 

the 5-Star ‘M’ award for excellence, the highest 

honor awarded by the Maritime 

Commission. At the end of the war, Albert 

Steves, Jr., returned the company profits to 

the government in appreciation for the safe 

return of his three sons who served in the war. 

In the building boom that followed World 

War II, Steves Sash and Door began focusing 

on building and distributing quality products 

for homes and manufacturing millwork of all 

kinds with an emphasis on doors. The leadership 

of Steves recognized the need for beauty, 

art, and color as the country evolved from a 

land of pioneers to a land with a growing culture 

of its own. New lines and styles of doors 

were manufactured and between 1950 and 


70

1970, the company produced more than one 

million doors to serve a variety of home 

styles, needs, and décor. 

In order to expand into new markets while 

continuing to deliver unmatched quality and 

value, Steves opened two additional plants— 

Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1971 and Richmond, 

Virginia, in 1983. 

In 1955, the business passed to the fourth 

generation when Marshall Terrell Steves, Sr. 

became president and CEO. Like his father, 

Marshall was a visionary who saw the company’s 

future in mass merchandising. He was a 

leader in the development of the ‘commodity 

hollow core door,’ which replaced the traditional 

‘stile and rail’ door that had been the 

industry standard for 200 years. This new 

door and Steves manufacturing techniques 

soon revolutionized the industry. 

Marshall’s vision and innovation extended 

well beyond convention in the traditional 

world of millwork. By the mid-1970s, Steves 

plants were producing more than one million 

doors per year. 

In 1985, the company was renamed Steves 

and Sons in homage to its 1866 original name. 

Marshall, Sr., semi-retired that year and turned 

operation of the business over to his sons. Before 

his death in 2000, Marshall, Sr.’s, commodity 

door innovation had grown to supply wood, 

steel, and fiberglass doors coast-to-coast and 

internationally with annual productive capacity 

of more than six million doors per year. 

In 1987 the Crest exterior door company 

was established. Due to an increased demand 

for more door products, the Tennessee plant 

moved into a new 205,000-square-foot facility 

in 2005. In 2011, Steves moved into new 

markets with prefinishing capabilities in a 

new premium wood and fiberglass plant near 

San Antonio. The Virginia plant moved into a 

new 210,000-square-foot facility in 2014 to 

meet increased demand. 

Since 1866, the Steves family has 

always been involved in the company. Today, 

six generations later, the company continues 

its commitment to quality, craftsmanship and 

style. The fifth generation was represented by 

Marshall Steves, Jr., Edward Steves, and Sam 

Steves II. The sixth generation, represented 

by Marshall Steves III, Paul Allen, Gloria 

Steves Dilly, and Sam Steves III, has now 

assumed leadership of the company. The family 

company was founded on the principles of 

conservative growth and environmental 

responsibility and that hallmark rings 

true in every item Steves and Sons 

manufactures. From incorporating recycled 

materials, to making products that can conceivably 

last as long as the application, the 

Steves family is proud to build on the tradition 

of environmental respect and responsibility. 

As an American family success story, 

Steves and Sons will continue to offer 

quality and service at a fair price for generations 

to come. 


71

CONTRACTORS 

CORNER, LLC 

Contractors Corner, LLC dba CON- 

CORUSA is a genuine San Antonio business 

success story. Founded less than a decade ago 

by Eduardo “Eddie” Garcia, the company started 

out as a single commercial janitorial job at 

one retail location. Within a year, the company 

had established locations in five states. Today, 

CONCORUSA provides its services across an 

extensive area spanning fourteen states. 

With a motto of “making a world of difference,” 

CONCORUSA offers its customers a wide 

range of services in the areas of facility maintenance, 

commercial janitorial, landscaping and 

water mitigation and damage restoration. 

The story of CONCORUSA really starts 

with the vision and determination of its 

founder. In the words of Mr. Garcia—a minority, 

service-disabled veteran—“I made the 

decision, with my wife, to take a leap of faith 

and form my own company.” His goal of providing 

the “absolute best customer service in 

the industry” has shaped both its growth and 

its principles since the inception. 

CONCORUSA has established an outstanding 

reputation—in a relatively short period of 

time—for quick professional response, quality 

work and safe deliverables. Key to this has 

been its industry expertise, organizational culture, 

and the ability to provide multiple services 

to its customers. The company has always 

sought to build enduring relationships with its 

customers, by strict adherence to its core values—honesty, 

respect, integrity, collaboration, 

and excellence. “We strive for teamwork and 

mutual accountability,” says Mr. Garcia. 

Central to its success—and its wellearned 

reputation for professionalism—is 

CONCORUSA’s singular ability to bring 

together all the diverse elements and 

resources of multidiscipline contracts. Its 

management organization can provide successful 

daily field supervision of in-house 

teams and subcontractors. Work is always 

completed in accordance with contracts or 

work order specifications, quality control programs, 

safety plans, inspection requirements, 

and compliance—to warranty all work performed. 

All this culminates in a single coordinated 

effort, leading to the best solution and 

most cost-effective result. 

CONCORUSA provides a wide range of 

facility maintenance and repair services. The 

company offers the strongest national and 

local presence for comprehensive maintenance 

services. They help to eliminate multiple 

service contractors by self-performing 

services, and this higher-quality service level 

helps increase cost efficiency. This unique 

approach results in a “support system,” which 

provides the most efficient level of safety and 

planning—all leading to the optimum tenant 

environment. Facilities are restored by utilizing 

the most cost-effective solutions, while 

maintaining the integrity of the facility. 

CONCORUSA’s maintenance services include, 

but are not limited to, the following: ceiling 

tile installation; VCT flooring installation or 

replacement; tape and float; exterior/interior 

painting; carpet removal, replacement or 

cleaning; pressure washing; tile flooring 

cleaned, removed or replaced; wood flooring 

cleaned, buffed, removed or replaced; restroom 

fixture repaired or replaced; restroom 

sanitation; and window cleaning. 


72

Of course, commercial janitorial service 

amounts to much more than just dusting, 

sweeping, and mopping and CONCORUSA’s 

many satisfied customers benefit from its total 

commitment to every aspect of the job. 

Awareness of environmental concerns, new 

technologies and new products, as well as utilization 

of the right equipment, are all hallmarks 

of the company’s professionalism. By 

having one point of contact, along with roundthe-clock 

availability, they are able to respond 

quickly to emergencies or changing situations. 

They work closely with clients to identify their 

particular needs and the appropriate products 

for them—customizing each job accordingly. 

Carrying a wide variety of high quality and 

affordable cleaning/janitorial products, they 

are able to ensure that clients are ready for all 

daily operations, as well. Among the janitorial 

services provided are floor stripping, waxing 

and buffing, carpet cleaning; window cleaning; 

pressure washing; and much more. 

For CONCORUSA, it is all about the customer, 

and this principle is foremost in mind 

when it comes to their approach to landscaping. 

When a potential client steps onto your 

property, they form an immediate perception 

about the surroundings. And as the old saying 

goes, “you only get one chance to make a 

good first impression.” If your grounds are 

untidy or not thriving, your image can suffer. 

CONCORUSA knows that a sculpted, immaculate 

landscape can impress your visitors, and 

increase your business. They can enhance 

your landscape, and care for it over the long 

term—all with an eye to the environment and 

your budget. 

CONCORUSA has always valued the idea 

of coordination and total service in responding 

to the needs of its customers. It has listened 

to them, and that has been one of the 

major reasons for its continuing success and 

growth over the years. This is why they also 

offer professional, high quality services in the 

area of construction clean-up, commercial 

chain link fencing, and parking lot striping 

and maintenance—as well as the core services 

discussed in detail above. 

With the approach of its tenth anniversary, 

CONCORUSA is poised to build on its success, 

as it points to an even brighter future. In the 

words of its founder, Mr. Garcia, “we continue 

to evolve and expand our services, always 

keeping our customers’ needs in mind.” 

For more information, please visit them 

at www.concorusa.com. 


73

JEFFERSON 

BANK 

❖ 

Above: Opening Day celebration in 1946, in 

front of the same vault that was moved on 

banana peels to its current location at 2900 

Fredericksburg Road. 

Below: AJ Lewis’ son, AJ Lewis, Jr., opens 

Jefferson Bank’s first savings account on 

opening day in 1946 alongside President 

Tom Murrah. 

Jefferson Bank was founded in 1946, just 

after World War II, near Jefferson High 

School. A group of local businessmen recognized 

the need for a bank in this fast-growing, 

popular area of San Antonio. The group had 

funds but lacked banking experience, so they 

hired well-regarded lawyer A.J. Lewis, who 

worked for the Texas Department of Banking, 

while attending law school at the University 

of Texas at Austin. Lewis became the first 

Chairman of the Board and Tom Murrah, an 

experienced Federal Deposit Insurance 

Corporation (FDIC) examiner, was hired as 

the first president and CEO to lead the bank. 

When the founding group decided to sell 

the bank in 1951, Lewis and wife, Grace, gathered 

all their assets, purchased a majority 

interest, and brought in a few local businessmen 

to serve on the Board of Directors and 

own bank shares. Jefferson Bank remains a 

family-owned company to this day. Three generations 

of the Lewis family have led the bank 

as Chairman and there have been only four 

bank CEOs: Tom Murrah, Byron LeFlore, 

Richard Petitt, and Danny Butler. This stability 

and vision has led to steady and impressive 

growth. Starting with an initial investment of 

$125,000 in 1946, the bank’s current asset 

base is about $1.75 billion. 

Jefferson Bank’s beginnings were humble. 

The original Jefferson State Bank was located 

at 1904 Fredericksburg Road, next to a bowling 

alley in a retail center by the Woodlawn 

Drugstore. A little known secret was the vibrations 

from the bowling alley kept triggering 

the bank alarm in the evenings, so the vault 

had to be locked without setting the alarm. 

In 1963, the bank moved to its current 

location at 2900 Fredericksburg Road. The 

giant vault door installed in the new bank was 

so heavy, they had to slide it on banana peels 

across the floor into its current location. 

Today, Jefferson Bank operates multiple banking 

centers, serving the San Antonio area and 

surrounding counties. The bank offers a full 

line of financial services including personal 

banking, business banking, trust and wealth 

management, family office management, mineral 

management, mortgage services and 

insurance, combining twenty-first century 


74

technology with its established personal 

approach to financial services. 

No matter how large Jefferson Bank has 

grown, its success would be impossible without 

the dedicated family of Jefferson Bank employees. 

A.J. Lewis, Jr., once observed “When people 

ask me about the secret to our success, I tell 

them it’s simple. Our people are our greatest 

asset.” Over twenty percent of Jefferson Bank’s 

employees have been in its service fifteen years 

or more. This is a direct reflection of the bank’s 

philosophy, summed up by Chairman of the 

Board Steve Lewis: “A bank’s inventory is dollars. 

It’s a commodity. What difference does it 

make if you borrow money from Bank One or 

Bank Two? The difference is the service, the attitude, 

the feeling you get when you walk into 

the place. Do they know your name? Do they 

love what they do? Do they truly care about 

your business? At Jefferson Bank, I can honestly 

say the answer is yes.” 

Jefferson Bank’s philosophy is centered on 

conservative banking principles and strong 

family values. The Bank’s definition of family 

extends to not only employees, but customers 

and communities as well. Families take care 

of one another. The people of Jefferson Bank 

are tellers, mortgage experts, personal banking 

specialists, lenders, trust and estate advisors 

and more. But they are also scout leaders, 

little league coaches, counselors for single 

parents, advocates for children in need and 

volunteers for community causes. These personal 

ethics and high professional standards 

of community service are the basis of Jefferson 

Bank’s Community Crew—employees working 

together to make a difference. 

Jefferson Bank commemorated its seventieth 

anniversary in 2016, which employees 

honored with an extraordinary year of community 

service. In an effort called “Twelve Months 

of Giving,” employees selected a charitable 

organization each month and supported those 

groups, giving time, talent and/or treasure. To 

culminate the year, in lieu of a holiday party, 

employees chose one goal: perform random 

acts of kindness. Just before Christmas, fiveperson 

employee teams traveled through San 

Antonio, Boerne and New Braunfels, distributing 

$70,000 in cash to needy citizens. Jefferson 

Bank employees describe this event as one of 

the most meaningful experiences they have 

ever had and will cherish the encounters they 

had with others for the rest of their lives. 

Jefferson Bank’s Community Crew partners 

with nonprofits, and enthusiastically participates 

in San Antonio’s growth as a vibrant, caring 

city. The civic commitments of the bank and 

its employees reflect in ongoing donations of 

time, effort, education and funding to worthy 

causes, made possible by Jefferson Bank’s steady 

financial performance and its employees’ personal 

dedication to community support. 

Jefferson Bank employees are strongly motivated 

to put Jefferson Bank’s Mission Statement 

in motion: “Earning long term relationships 

everyday through integrity, responsiveness and 

commitment. This is personal to us.” 


at www.jeffersonbank.com. 

❖ 

Above: Jefferson Bank’s Community Crew 

visiting with Girls Inc.,-San Antonio leading 

and empowering girls to be ‘Strong Smart 

& Bold.’ 

Below: Jefferson Bank’s Community Crew 

volunteering time at the Food Bank. 


75

ELEGANT FURS, 

LLC 

The story of Elegant Furs 

begins, like so many captivating 

success stories, with that of a 

young person with talent, passion 

and drive. It starts back in 

the 1960s, in Laredo, Texas, 

where Gerardo Zavala— 

enthralled by furs since childhood—had 

already begun to 

work after school in his uncle’s 

fur sewing plant, attaching pockets 

in garments. As a teenager, 

young Zavala had advanced to 

cutting furs. Then, at fourteen, he experienced 

a life-changing event, when he convinced 

his mother to let him go to Alaska to 

pursue his dream of perfecting his craft. 

Zavala spent seventeen years there, working 

and refining his skills, in the fur industry—first 

in a relative’s Anchorage Fur Factory, 

and then with renowned furrier David Green. 

His talent did not go unrecognized, for 

during this time, he soon made a name for 

himself designing and custom-making luxurious 

furs. Willie Nelson’s buffalo coat and 

Larry Hagman’s timber wolf coat were two of 

his notable creations from that time. 

A pivotal year in Zavala’s career was 1985. 

He relocated to San Antonio to work as the 

protégé’ of Michael Mouratidis, who was 

internationally acclaimed for couture design. 

Mouratidis’ salon provided Zavala with the 

opportunity to develop his craftsmanship and 

artistic vision to the highest levels. After the 

death of Mouratidis, and the closing of his 

business, Zavala felt the time was right to 

bring his own dream to fruition. As a result, 

Elegant Furs, LLC, at 8305 Broadway, became 

a reality, in 2005. 

A short four years later, Zavala bought the 

Ram Building at 4434 Blanco Road, and 

Elegant Furs relocated to its current location. 

Today, well over a decade after its founding, 

the business, which originated so many 

years ago in a young man’s imagination, continues 

to thrive. 

While designing exquisite fur garments for 

a discerning clientele, Zavala takes into 

account the local climate, as well as individual 

preferences. Light-weight, short-haired fur 

designs create numerous occasions for wearing 

them, according to Zavala. Mink—that 

venerable and enduring fur—retains its appeal, 

as advanced techniques of shearing, dyeing, 

and laser cutting create new possibilities of 

design. 


76

Another example of Elegant Furs’ artistic 

expertise is in its unmatched skill in transforming 

outdated fur coats (while still beautiful) 

into stunning contemporary garments. 

Customers are often shocked to find that their 

out-of-fashion coats can be restyled into oneof-a-kind 

garments, whether fur vests, 

reversible strollers, or jackets. 

Continuing its commitment to the ultimate 

customer service, Elegant Furs offers the 

largest climate-controlled, fireproof cold storage 

vault in San Antonio, in addition to expert 

cleaning, repair and care for all fur, leather 

and suede garments. Among its full range of 

services, Elegant Furs also offers repairs, 

reconditioning, alterations, glazing, conditioning, 

appraisals and much more. 

So the story comes full circle. What began 

as a young boy’s dream was transformed over 

the years by hard work, initiative and vision 

into an enduring and successful company– 

Elegant Furs. 

For more information, you are invited to 

visit in person, or to check the company website 

at www.elegantfurs.net. 

“Our mission is to transport our customers 

back to a time when elegance meant handcrafted, 

and service meant doing whatever it 

takes to achieve full customer satisfaction,” 

says Owner Furrier Gerardo Zavala. 


77

MISSION PARK 

A unique wedding gift more than a century 

ago evolved over time into Mission Park, the 

nation’s very first funeral home, cemetery and 

crematory combination. 

The romantic—but also very practical— 

story began in 1890 when Will Harry 

Chambers, a well regarded San Antonio business 

man, architect, and builder, presented 

his bride with an astonishing wedding gift 

that included acres of undeveloped land near 

Mission Espada on the banks of the San 

Antonio River. Will and his bride, Clara 

Mahone Chambers, had fallen in love with the 

scenic property and a grove of Texas pecan 

trees along the San Antonio River and the 

Acequia became their favorite place to picnic. 

The land included an abundant amount of 

water rights from the original Espada Dam, 

built by the King of Spain and the Franciscan 

Monks in 1736. Because of the abundance of 

water, the property was developed into 

Mission Burial Park, the first perpetual care 

cemetery established in the State of Texas. 

Ten years after establishment of the cemetery, 

Will and Clara Chambers discovered that the 

historic Espada Dam was badly in need of repair. 

They lovingly restored it, keeping it exactly the 

way it was originally built. The dam is still considered 

an architectural wonder because of its 

unique design. Thanks to Will and Clara’s devotion 

to the land, the Espada Dam continues as 

the oldest continually operating irrigation and 

aqueduct system in the nation. 

In the 1920s, management of Mission Park 

was assumed by Will and Clara’s daughter, 

Margaret Chambers Tips. In the late 1930s, 

her three sons—Will Chambers Tips, 

Frederick Julius Tips and Craig Adams Tips— 


78

assisted Margaret in expanding the Tips 

Family Management Mission Park and offering 

the first funeral home, cemetery and crematory 

combination in the country. 

Over the years, Mission Park has 

preserved historic sites adjacent to the 1800s 

stagecoach stop in what has become known as 

Lockehill Cemetery. 

They also developed Mission Park Funeral 

Chapels and Cemeteries–Dominion to create 

a scenic cemetery in a beautiful location on 

the north side of San Antonio next to the Leon 

Creek. This unique cemetery, known as 

Mission Park Retama Cemetery, honors veterans, 

their spouses and families. 

Today, Mission Park has twelve funeral 

homes in San Antonio to better serve all 

quadrants of the city. Now in its second century 

and sixth generation of service, Mission 

Park is still a family business that cherishes 

the rich history of San Antonio. Robert Dixon 

Tips and his wife, Kristin Howsley Tips, and 

their children; Margaret Elizabeth Deborah 

‘Peggy’ Tips and Robert Tips—direct descendants 

of Will and Clara—own and operate 

twenty-three Mission Park operations with 

the same family tradition that has served the 

city well. 

This tradition of service continues with a 

partnership with the Old Spanish Missions to 

help restore and preserve the Missions at San 

Jose, Espada, Concepcion and San Juan. 

These historic missions are Unesco World 

Heritage Sites and their preservation will help 

insure the future. 

A family tradition since 1907, Mission 

Park continues its mission to care. 


79

PHYLLIS 

TROLINGER, 

REALTOR 

❖ 

Phyllis and her dog, Annie, enjoying a 

beautiful South Texas day. 

PROFILE WRITTEN BY ALISSA REINHARD. 

“It’s never work when you love 

what you do” states residential 

Realtor, Phyllis Trolinger. 

Phyllis’ career path took a turn in 

1994, when, after working for attorneys 

for twenty years, she felt a longing 

for a change. She was in a steady, 

secure line of work with good benefits 

and dependable pay but was longing 

to make a difference. Ready to embark 

on a new adventure, she picked residential 

Real Estate. 

“I had worked for commercial real 

estate attorneys for five years,” 

explained Phyllis. “So, I knew a lot 

about contracts and certainly the 

negotiation process. I also knew that I 

loved to help people so I thought that 

residential real estate would be a way 

to use my skills to help people.” 

In 1994, she took that leap of faith 

and began taking classes to become a 

real estate agent. Just one year later, she began 

her new career. Now, twenty-three years later, 

Phyllis is one of the most successful and 

tenured agents in San Antonio. She has deep 

roots in the northwest area of San Antonio and 

a love and understanding of the community. 

Phyllis has been actively listing and selling 

homes throughout San Antonio since 1995 

but prefers to work the northwest area where 

she has lived since 1985. 

“Like many Realtors in the business, Yes, I 

love helping people. But, in order to be a great 

Realtor, it takes much more than that. It takes 

knowledge of the market, an understanding of 

how to best assess a client’s need, and how to 

make the transaction work on their behalf. It 

also takes a lot of skill to be able to negotiate 

in the best interest of the client, and at the end 

of the day, help them achieve their goals in a 

timely manner and to their financial benefit.” 

Among Phyllis’ long list of earned accreditations 

and impressive achievements, she 

is a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), a 

Certified Negotiation Specialist (CNS), and 

a Seller Residential Specialist (SRS), which 

distinguish her as a highly experienced residential 

Realtor committed to staying abreast 

with the industry and the market in these 

ever-changing times. 

“I continuously take as many real estate 

related classes as I can in order to earn these 

designations which in the end propel my 

business forward while benefitting my 

clients.” Phyllis considers herself blessed to 

have been working all these years in a business 

she loves. She values her relationships 

with her clients and considers them her 

friends and family. She even has a wall in her 

office filled with thank you cards, notes, and 

testimonials from her clients. She can quote 

statistics of home sales and market averages 

but says “it’s the individual client that makes 

the difference and without the human touch, 

none of the statistics matter to her.” 

“I love when a deal culminates, and we are 

at closing and I can see that I really did make 

a difference and helped someone achieve their 

goals” explained Phyllis. “Sometimes it’s the 

sellers who can move on to their new chapter 

in life with peace of mind. Or, maybe the buyers 

just bought their first home—the place 

that they will start their family and grow 

memories for years to come. It’s just so 

rewarding for me to know I was a part of their 

lives and helped in one of their biggest financial 

decisions. I take the responsibility I have 

very seriously and know that I’ll always give 

my best to help my clients—they deserve it!” 


80

On January 20, 1861, thirteen Christians 

gathered in a room above a downtown San 

Antonio drugstore to organize a church. The 

city had 8,000 inhabitants and numerous 

churches, but theirs was the first Baptist 

church. Reverend John Thurmond, a young 

itinerant preacher who traveled on horseback, 

became the first pastor. Four months after 

First Baptist was founded, the Civil War broke 

out, federal troops were escorted out of town, 

and the church’s first years were difficult. 

First Baptist became independent in 1880 

and some twenty years later, the church 

moved to its current location beside the San 

Antonio River, just north of downtown. The 

present sanctuary was built in 1925. The 

church bought several surrounding lots and 

has added four buildings over the years. 

Construction will be completed in 2019 on 

Fourth Street Crossing, a 9,000-square-foot 

space on the first level of the Tobin Center for 

the Performing Arts parking garage. 

First Baptist has a long history of innovative 

service. It has helped establish eleven churches 

throughout the area and for twenty years, the 

church’s community ministries building has 

offered shelter, food, clothing, showers, haircuts, 

and Bible studies to homeless people. A 

disaster relief team, dubbed the Texas Chainsaw 

Ministry, travels throughout the south clearing 

trees and repairing after storm damage. Heart 2 

Heart Ministries offer group therapy, including 

Divorce Care, Grief Share, restoration after 

abuse, and help for those with addictions. First 

Baptist has ministries in Lamar and Briscoe 

Elementary Schools, providing tutors, mentors, 

and weekend supplemental snacks. Even the 

pastoral succession process has been 

innovative. In 2016, the current 

senior pastor, Don Guthrie, 

announced his intention to 

retire in two years. God led the 

church to Dr. Chris Johnson, 

who will serve alongside Don for 

sixteen months before becoming 

senior pastor. 

Families, children, youth, 

college, single adults, senior 

adult, and young married are all 

a part of a caring, joyful congregation. 

There are three morning 

worship services in English (two traditional and 

one contemporary), another in Spanish, and 

four others for international congregations from 

East Asia. The 11 a.m. traditional service is 

broadcast live on KSAT-12 television, with a 

viewership of about 30,000. It is also live 

streamed throughout the world. First Baptist is 

well-known for the musical excellence of its 

orchestra, keyboardists, and 100-voice choir. 

Music is an important outreach to the community, 

and the annual “Christmas at First” concerts 

are free and extremely well-attended. In 

addition, the church offers numerous weekday 

Bible studies, prayer opportunities, fellowships, 

and youth activities. 

The church has survived two floods, a polio 

quarantine, catastrophic wars, a thirteen-inch 

snowfall, and several splits, the first in 1887 

and the last in 1987. Throughout the turbulence 

without and within, lay members have 

stood in the gap with generous donations, hard 

work, and much prayer. Although the congregation 

has considered relocating to the North 

Side on occasion, the pastors and people of 

First Baptist Church believe the church has 

been placed downtown to bring glory to God. 

The central access for all the city’s sectors, burgeoning 

downtown residential growth, and a 

sense of God’s purpose have persuaded church 

leaders to remain in its historic location. 

Mission Statement: We are followers of our 

Lord Jesus Christ, and our mission is to lead 

others to a joyful life in Him. 

Vision Statement: To the glory of God, our 

Creator, we will introduce all people to eternal 

and abundant life through faith in Jesus Christ. 

We will worship God, pray, and minister His 

grace to others. 

FIRST BAPTIST 

CHURCH OF 

SAN ANTONIO 

❖ 

Above: FBCSA, 2018. located at 515 

McCullough Avenue. 

Below: FBCSA, 1872, located at the corner 

of Travis and Jefferson Streets. 


81

TOYOTA MOTOR 

MANUFACTURING, 

TEXAS, INC. 

❖ 

Right: The Toyota Texas campus at 1 Lone 

Star Pass is located on the oldest ranch in 

Texas, granted in 1794 to Juan Ignacio de 

Casanova. This deeply historic location was 

ideal for the first pickup manufacturing 

plant in the state, which drives more pickup 

trucks than any other. The joint efforts of 

San Antonio, Bexar County and Toyota 

resulted in the purchase of over 2,670 acres 

on the South side of San Antonio: TMMTX 

then donated 678 acres back to the city to 

create greenspace along the Medina River 

and Leon Creek. 

Below: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, 

Inc., broke ground in 2003 at its south San 

Antonio location. The plant lined-off the 

first Tundra in 2006. In 2010, TMMTX 

added Tacoma to the mix. Shortly after, in 

2013, TMMTX’s team members celebrated 

the line-off of their one millionth truck—a 

special edition 2017 Toyota Tundra 1794, 

which now sits in the plant’s lobby for guests 

to view before attending a tour. Their next 

milestone —the two millionth truck—was 

reached in 2017. 

. 

Toyota’s automotive quality is world 

renowned. In San Antonio, Toyota Motor 

Manufacturing Texas, Inc., (TMMTX) is 

known for excellence in production and giving 

back to the community. 

Cutting edge technologies, hard work and 

determination makes Toyota Texas a leader in 

automobile manufacturing. TMMTX hosts 

over 7,000 employees: 3,200 from Toyota and 

another 4,000 for on-site suppliers. Two shifts 

at TMMTX build the Tundra and Tacoma, 

exceeding goals and building Toyota’s largest 

vehicle on the fastest line. Team members 

turn out a new truck every sixty seconds. 

Plant capacity is 208,000 trucks per year but 

hard working Team Texas has produced well 

over that number by working overtime for 

many years to help meet customer demand. 

TMMTX created and follows the Backyard 

Strategy, engaging the community directly in 

education initiatives supporting advanced 

manufacturing. The Backyard Strategy allows 

TMMTX to make a targeted difference in education 

from Pre-K to college, by making STEM 

fields available in and out of the classroom. 

High schoolers with paid internships learn the 

jobs the plant relies on to successfully build a 

new truck every minute. The community college’s 

Advanced Manufacturing Technician 

program gives students real-world work experience, 

a degree and the potential of a high 

paying job after school. “Working scholarship” 

students attend class and work at TMMTX 

with tuition and living expenses paid. These 

students will eventually work as high-demand 

skilled maintenance technicians. 

Partnering with area public schools, nonprofits 

and workforce organizations effects 

change that simultaneously grows community 

and ensures a pipeline of the best Team 

Members to work at TMMTX. Focusing on 

workforce needs maximizes opportunities for 

students to become employed, productive 

members of their communities. Focusing on 

workforce also ensures that nearby residents 

are ready to enter high demand, high-tech, 

high paying fields, including at TMMTX. 

TMMTX is committed to environmental stewardship. 

Solar panels on campus help power the 

Visitors Center and Family Medical Clinic. Only 

recycled water is used (1.2M gallons per day) in 

manufacturing and is returned cleaner than 

when received. Condensation capture from 

chillers and change to LED lights further reduces 

impact on San Antonio’s utilities. Toyota Texas is 

also committed to the environment beyond the 

plant, working closely with neighbors to be a 

wise steward of the surrounding lands. 

With its North American Headquarters in 

Plano, TMMTX is well connected and deeply 

invested in its San Antonio home. Its award 

winning commitment to high performance production 

means excellent products, economic 

impact and community relationships. These in 

turn award everyone with continuous improvement 

in value, safety and quality of life. 

For more information, please visit them on 

the Internet at www.toyota.com. 


82

LEARNING 

FOUNDATIONS 

Learning Foundations is a San Antonio 

based cognitive training center. Learning 

Foundations assesses and strengthens foundational 

cognitive skills, enabling students of all 

ages to become comfortable, independent 

learners with the tools to be successful in all 

areas of their lives. Students are challenged 

and empowered in new engaging ways in a 

nurturing, safe environment. 

The initial concept was developed by Fran 

Tarkenton, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback, 

who organized a team of reading specialists to 

help a struggling family member. Based on 

their findings, Learning Foundations was 

born. In 1969, Patricia Pate, Ph.D. opened an 

extension of Learning Foundations in San 

Antonio. Starting in the 1990s, an independently 

owned and operated Learning 

Foundations was purchased by the Ames 

Group who began integrating new neuroscience-based 

programs, designed to strengthen 

learning by improving cognitive processing 

skills. As the years went by, Learning 

Foundations continued updating programs in 

response to newly available research. In 2012, 

new partners joined the venture with the goal 

of opening more centers that could reach as 

many struggling students as possible. 

Professional development is ongoing for 

directors and trainers, who have access to the 

latest advancements in cognitive training, 

including dyslexia intervention. Degreed professionals 

work one-on-one with students over 

a period of months. Those who attend may be 

students who are not getting the educational 

help that they need, students for whom tutoring 

has not been a solution, students who 

want to improve their processing skills to 

make learning easier, or adults who have 

struggled with attention and learning challenges 

and are ready to make a positive change 

in their lives. Distance learning with an online 

trainer is available for some programs. 

Learning Foundations’ research-based, 

clinically driven programs deliver real results 

for students and their families. Students experience 

a boost in their confidence as they 

begin to enjoy school and the learning 

process, some for the first time in their lives. 

The sharing of victories is encouraged on the 

WOW Moments bulletin board, and families 

celebrate each improvement and milestone 

along the way. Students from the early years 

now bring their children to Learning 

Foundations. Most gratifying are the visits 

from former students, which often result in 

joyful tears and the sharing of stories of successful 

graduations, careers, and fulfilling 

lives. Learning Foundations is proud to have 

been a part of the rich history of San Antonio 

for almost fifty years. Learning Foundations’ 

continuing mission is to strive to empower 

students and families through their unique 

approach to overcoming learning challenges. 


www.learningfoundations.com on the Internet. 

❖ 

Above: CEO and Directors surrounded by 

Learning Foundations Team. 

Below: Learning Foundations works 

one-on-one with students to boost reading, 

attention, memory, language, and 

processing skills. 

. 


83

ALAMO IRON 

WORKS 

❖ 

Top: Alamo Iron Works employees in 1900. 

Middle: AIW Fabrication Department. 

Bottom: AIW San Antonio Steel Service 

Center. 

Started as a small blacksmith 

shop on the banks of the San 

Antonio River in 1875 by Prussian 

immigrants, Alamo Iron Works 

operations have spanned three centuries. 

Over that time, Alamo Iron 

Works (AIW) has grown into one of 

the most unique and diverse hybrid 

distribution companies in the city. 

From its inception, AIW has contributed 

to the development and 

modernization of San Antonio and 

South Texas. The company was 

influential in the construction of 

many buildings and landmarks such as the 

Olmos Dam, the Menger Hotel, Milam 

Building, two Alamo National Bank buildings, 

Maverick Building, Municipal Auditorium, 

Ursuline Academy, and many others that reflect 

the creativity, innovation, skills, and craftsmanship 

of Alamo Iron Works and its dedicated 

employees. To this day, manhole covers that 

were cast by AIW foundries in 1885 can still be 

found on many downtown San Antonio streets. 

Alamo’s influence also extends far beyond 

the city of San Antonio, carving a legacy of 

beauty and function into such projects as the 

San Jacinto Monument, the Corpus Christi 

Sea Wall, the Enron building and Reliant 

Center in Houston, and the Amistad and 

Falcon dams on the Rio Grande River. 

Although AIW proudly cherishes its rich 

past, its history of accomplishments, and its 

cultural and business diversity, the company 

recognizes that it is now operating in a global 

marketplace, and must constantly refresh its 

model to adapt to the ever-changing needs of 

today’s business environment. 

AIW’s customer base extends to over 6,000 

end-users covering three quarters of the state 

of Texas. A large offering of industrial/MRO 

supplies, steel and rebar products and full fabrication 

services are filled from three locations 

in San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley. 

From fabricating 30-foot steel skids for the 

energy field to using complex EDI protocols to 

ship indirect materials for a national Fortune 50 

company to over 2,000 locations across the 

country, AIW continually looks for ways to provide 

value beyond just selling products. The new 

AIW thrives in today’s changing and challenging 

business environment by providing customers 

targeted value-added services on a 

timely and economical basis. 

Alamo Iron Works has always been 

guided by its core values—Integrity, 

Fairness, Respect, Caring, Diversity, 

and Commitment to Service, Teamwork 

and Excellence. A strict adherence to 

these values and an unwavering attention 

to customer service will keep 

Alamo Iron Works, a viable company 

well into the next century. 


84

The Holt family business tradition goes 

back to the mid-1880s in California when 

Benjamin Holt produced his first horse-drawn 

“Link-Belt Combined Harvester,” starting a 

tradition of invention and innovation that has 

endured for generations. 

In 1904, Holt put his inventive mind to 

work again, using self-laying tracks instead of 

wheels on the first successful track-type tractor, 

which he named the “Caterpillar ® .” In 

1925, Holt Manufacturing Company merged 

with one of its longtime competitors to form 

Caterpillar Tractor Co. 

In 1933, one of Holt’s sons, William K. 

“Bill” Holt, established the William K. Holt 

Machinery Company in San Antonio as the 

authorized Caterpillar ® dealership for the 

sixty southern counties of Texas. In the 

1950s, Bill brought two of his nephews into 

the dealership—B.D. Holt and Holt Atherton. 

In 1961, B.D. purchased the assets of the 

twenty southern counties of the William K. 

Holt territory and established B.D. Holt Co. as 

a Caterpillar dealer with headquarters in 

Corpus Christi. His years of leadership resulted 

in successful diversification and further growth. 

Peter M. Holt, B.D. Holt’s son, joined the 

B.D. Holt Co. in 1983, later becoming Chief 

Executive Officer. In 1987, B.D. Holt Co. 

moved its headquarters to San Antonio and 

became Holt Company of Texas. 

As the company expanded, Peter saw the 

need to develop a long-term vision and growth 

process to reinforce the Holt tradition of quality 

products and service to customers, recognizing 

the importance of involving employees 

in the progress and goals of the company. The 

result was the creation of the Holt Companies 

Mission Statement and Core 

Business Values, which serve as 

the centerpiece of a quality 

oriented, values-based management 

process called Values- 

Based Leadership . 

Since the inception of Values- 

Based Leadership, the Holt 

Companies have experienced 

significant growth in sales and 

profits. This has been accompanied 

by a spirit of shared 

responsibility, enhanced collaboration 

and a commitment to maintain the 

tradition of quality products, service for customers 

and a dynamic business environment. 

In 2011, Peter’s children, Peter John and 

Corinna joined the company, representing the 

fifth generation of the Holt family dedicated 

to distinguished service and innovation. In 

2017, Peter John and Corinna purchased 100 

percent interest in HOLT CAT ® , beginning the 

next chapter in the Holt family legacy. 

The Holt name has been associated with 

heavy equipment and Caterpillar for over 100 

years. Today, as one of the largest Cat ® dealerships 

in the world, HOLT CAT ® sells, rents 

and services Caterpillar machines, engines, 

generator sets and trucks in a 118-county 

Texas territory. 

HOLT CAT ® has come to be synonymous 

with quality, integrity and commitment to 

customer service and the HOLT team is committed 

to providing rock solid stability with 

superior products and services from “The Red 

River to the Rio Grande .” 

HOLT CAT ® 

❖ 

Above: Peter J. Holt, CEO and General 

Manager of HOLT CAT ® , and Corinna Holt 

Richter, President and Chief Administrative 

Officer of HOLT CAT ® . 

Below: The 1904 Holt Caterpillar prototype 

steam tractor. 


85

BOLNER’S 

FIESTA 

PRODUCTS 

❖ 

Right: Clifton Bolner founded Bolner’s 

Fiesta Products in 1955 near downtown 

San Antonio. This 1961 photo shows 

him standing in front of the company’s 

original building holding two of his 

original products. 

Below: Three generations of the Bolner 

family in the Bolner’s Fiesta Products 

warehouse. Front row, left to right: 

Technical Marketing Director Elizabeth 

Bolner Curtis; Founder Clifton Bolner 

and Plant Engineer Jeff Bolner. Back row, 

left to right: President Tim Bolner; 

Production Engineer Greg Bolner; Vice 

President-Distribution Chris Bolner; 

and Vice President of Sales and Marketing 

Mike Bolner. 

For over sixty years, Bolner’s Fiesta 

Products’ seasonings have been staples for 

South Texans preparing delicious, fragrant 

dishes for their friends and families. Bolner’s 

Fiesta Products provides the highest quality 

spices and seasonings to discerning consumers 

across the country, but San Antonio is 

the heart of this family-run business. 

In 1955, Clifton Bolner recognized a need 

for regional spices and seasonings to prepare 

the traditional South Texas recipes and began 

manufacturing and marketing spices for the 

San Antonio area. At first, four employees 

hand-processed and packed spices for dishes 

like menudo, tacos, fajitas and chili. Clif then 

personally delivered the finished products to 

customers in his van. Soon, Fiesta Brand 

spices were in demand from the Rio Grande 

Valley to Austin. From there, the company’s 

success continued, and now Bolner’s Fiesta 

Products retail in thirty-eight states. The best 

of Clif’s original formulas make up the core of 

the Fiesta flavor portfolio today. 

Fiesta’s key to success is the family’s multigenerational 

commitment to only buying the 

highest quality spices from around the world 

and blending them to provide an authentic 

flavor and good value. Keeping all production 

in San Antonio throughout the years enabled 

the Bolner family to keep their products consistent, 

allowing them to monitor every aspect 

of production from purchase of bulk raw 

materials to final shipment of retail goods. 

Maintaining flavor consistency over many 

decades is a challenge, but dedication to quality 

is an important Bolner principle, and their 

successful results are internationally recognized. 

Since 2010, Bolner’s Fiesta Products 

has held a Safe Quality Foods Level 2 

Certification, requiring exhaustive recordkeeping, 

regulatory compliance, training and 

inspections covering all aspects of production, 

to ensure the highest level of food quality and 

safety. At the time Bolners was originally certified, 

only about six percent of all food companies 

worldwide were able to achieve this 

recognition of superior quality and food safety. 

The family’s love of and dedication to their 

hometown also motivates their numerous community 

contributions. Providing scholarships 

at local colleges and universities, and supporting 

cultural institutions such as the Tobin 

Center for the Performing Arts, Witte Museum 

and San Antonio Symphony as well as other 

nonprofit organizations like Seaton Home and 

St. PJ’s, are only some of the Bolners’ hometown 

commitments. For these exceptional contributions 

and high level of integrity throughout 

the years, Bolner’s Fiesta Products was 

awarded the Texas Treasure Business Award by 

the Texas State Historical Commission. 

Bolner’s Fiesta Products embodies the 

Bolner family’s deep personal and professional 

commitments to elevating San Antonio’s flavor 

profile and its quality of life. 


at www.fiestaspices.com. 


86

FROST BANK 

The company that today is known as 

Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc., the parent company 

of Frost Bank, traces its roots to a small, familyowned 

mercantile business that was established 

in downtown San Antonio. The company’s 

founder, Thomas Claiborne Frost, also stored 

goods for local farmers and ranchers, and eventually 

began lending money to support them 

until seasonal market prices improved. The first 

documents from these transactions are dated 

1868, and represent the very beginnings of 

Frost Bank. Throughout 2018, Frost will celebrate 

its 150th anniversary. 

Only by adopting and continuing the values 

espoused by the company founder back in 

the 1860s could a financial services company 

like Frost have survived for as long as 150 

years. Frost was a trusted businessman who 

recognized that the values of integrity, caring 

and excellence, and focusing on building 

long-term relationships with customers, 

ensured that his business would succeed at 

the same time theirs did. 

Those same values of integrity, caring and 

excellence carried on even as Frost Bank 

transitioned through generational leadership 

changes and lasted through wars and the 

Great Depression. When Frost Bank expanded 

into Texas cities outside San Antonio, it 

held on to those values and introduced them 

to its new customers. In the 1980s, when a 

collapse in energy and real estate caused the 

rest of the ten largest Texas banks to fold or be 

sold to outsiders, Frost survived. Cullen/Frost 

became a publicly traded company in the 

1970s, and its first CEO not named Frost 

took over in the 1990s, yet Frost Bank 

remained a place where success is measured 

by building long-term relationships based on 

top-quality service, high ethical standards and 

safe, sound assets. 

Those values endure even as the banking 

industry is evolving at a rapid rate. The company 

that started by making loans to ranchers, 

today, leads the way in consumer and commercial 

banking through its website and 

mobile app. A customer service telephone line 

answered by a live Texan 24/7 means customers 

can open accounts and apply for loans 

when and where it is most convenient for 

them—although we have never forgotten that 

customers sometimes prefer to talk to bankers 

face-to-face at our modern, welcoming financial 

centers in our San Antonio, Dallas, 

Tarrant County, Austin, Corpus Christi, 

Houston, Rio Grande Valley and Permian 

Basin regions. 

In 2017, construction began on Frost’s new 

headquarters in downtown San Antonio. The 

twenty-three-story building will stand as a 

glittering symbol of the company’s bright 

future, while retaining a strong link to the 

company’s roots. After all, the new tower will 

stand only two blocks from where. Frost first 

began serving customers. As Frost builds on 

150 years of success by innovating and updating, 

we will never lose sight of the values that 

made us strong. 

❖ 

Frost Bank’s headquarters is located at 

100 West Houston Street, San Antonio, 

Texas 78205. 


87

COX 

MANUFACTURING 

COMPANY, INC. 

❖ 

Above: Bill Cox’s team produces over a 

million precision parts every week, running 

twenty-four hours a day—five days a 

week—and is still growing rapidly after 

being recognized as an INC 5000 fast 

growing private company for the last four 

consecutive years. 

Below: Brad, Jose, and T.J. proudly show off 

some of the Swiss CNC work. With a global 

shortage of Swiss CNC machine tool 

specialists, Cox Manufacturing has put a 

high priority on developing highly skilled 

technicians that can fully exploit today’s 

advanced technologies.. 

For nearly seven decades, Cox 

Manufacturing Company, Inc., has been 

producing millions of custom machined 

precision components for products in the 

automotive, electronics, aerospace, energy, 

and medical industries. Domestic manufacturers 

as well as companies beyond 

North America have come to rely upon 

Cox production services in San Antonio to 

deliver specific requirements for high volume 

precision machined components. 

This success commenced with simple 

beginnings—one dream and one Swiss 

machine. Today, Cox Manufacturing is a 

leading company in the machining services 

industry and is equipped with a full 

complement of Swiss CNCs, CNC Turning 

Centers, CNC Machining Centers, screw 

machines and other advanced machine tools, 

all orchestrated together through the company’s 

three core values: Teamwork, Continuous 

Improvement and Perseverance. 

Commitment to quality and service is a 

long-standing Cox practice established by 

founder William Cox, Sr., and strengthened 

and expanded by the founder’s son and current 

President, Bill Cox. After Cox, Sr., suffered 

a fatal heart attack, Bill’s mother, Lillian 

Cox, began grooming her twelve-year-old son 

to run the business. After years of mentoring, 

Bill, then twenty-four, assumed the role of 

president and was already deeply involved in 

marketing, financial management, process 

engineering and staff development. 

Forty years later, Cox Manufacturing’s success 

continues to lie in their culture of commitment. 

This culture includes enlisting the 

full support of all employees to continuously 

improve processes, enhance quality and fulfill 

customer requirements with defect-free products 

and services on time, every time. 

Additionally, Cox staffers enjoy a refreshingly 

unique environment as the company’s Vision 

statement is lived out. Cox has been recognized 

with numerous awards, distinguishing the 

company for its unique culture. There is an 

emphasis on wellness education, healthy 

lifestyles, personal financial wellness and spiritual 

development, including availability of 

workplace Chaplains, employee Bible studies 

and company sponsored marriage retreats. 

Staff professional development is also a 

priority at Cox with significant resources 

committed to developing individual talents. 

One key aspect is a three-year Apprenticeship 

Program that can result in both a Department 

of Labor Journeyman diploma and a debt-free 

Associates Degree. 

Cox Manufacturing is history, family, valued 

employees, commitment and core values. 

These ideas culminate in the Cox Vision: “To 

provide premier, small part production 

machining services to customers while providing 

a high quality of life for employees and 

being a positive influence for Christ.” 


88

The San Antonio Tourism Council promotes 

and supports the development of the 

visitor industry while preserving and enhancing 

the special character of the city and surrounding 

area. It unites hotels, attractions, 

catering companies, destination management 

companies, museums, car rental agencies, airlines, 

restaurants, transportation companies, 

tour operators, meeting planners, vendors 

and suppliers to the industry and other enterprises 

that rely on tourists directly or indirectly 

for all or part of their business. The San 

Antonio Tourism Council gives one voice to 

the many tourism professionals through the 

city, facilitating connections and representing 

the industry’s interests. 

Founded in 1995, the San Antonio 

Tourism Council helps with various issues 

and programs to develop the tourism 

industry in the San Antonio area. Its Board of 

Directors represent all segments of industry 

and bring their expertise to supporting 

growth, educating citizens, informing officials 

on the importance of tourism, lobbying and 

protecting the tourism industry. 

Every two years the Council, along with 

Trinity University, produces an Economic 

Impact Study on tourism and what it brings to 

the quality of life for San Antonio. Tourism 

careers are the heart of San Antonio’s economic 

growth, uniting the community, circulating 

resources through the city and maintaining 

the city’s identity and economic health. The 

industry continues to grow very strong with 

over 130,796 employees and an overall annual 

economic impact of $13.6 billion. The 

tourism industry plays a major role as a 

source of revenues for the city, county, other 

agencies and school districts. In 2015, it 

brought over $375 million to these governmental 

agencies. Most importantly, the 

tourism industry brings over $14 million to 

community giving every year in the form of 

in-kind, cash donations and volunteer time. 

San Antonio Tourism Council members 

represent the top destinations in San Antonio 

and enjoy the professional edge through networking 

events, access up-to-date information 

on economic growth, safety and security, marketing 

and promotional opportunities, presentations 

and access to business leads. The 

Council supports educational programs, 

research for planning and forecasting business, 

and expands opportunities for small business. 

The San Antonio Tourism Council advocates, 

educates, supports and facilitates 

tourism in San Antonio, because tourism creates 

better understanding, encourages communication 

and opens doors. 


www.sanantoniotourism.com. 

Profile Donated by Laurie Rush 

Photography. 

SAN ANTONIO 

TOURISM 

COUNCIL 

❖ 

President and CEO Marco Barros has led 

the San Antonio Tourism Council since July 

1997, joining the team after working in 

many facets of the tourism industry. His 

national and international experience 

brought him to San Antonio in 1987 for the 

opening of Rivercenter Mall where he was 

Assistant General Manager in charge of the 

Grand Opening and Marketing. Under his 

leadership the Council has successfully 

lobbied for major city expansion projects, 

city, state and federal legislation, including 

working on the successful nomination of the 

World Heritage (UNESCO) San Antonio 

Missions and additional San Antonio 

International Airport visitor improvements 

and routes. 

The Tourism Council is led by Executive 

Committee and Chair Caryn Hasslocher; 

Vice Chair Davis Phillips; Treasurer George 

Mery; and Past Chairman Tim Morrow. 


89

ROSARIO’S 

MEXICAN CAFÉ 

Y CANTINA 

❖ 

Above: Lisa Wong was born and raised in 

San Antonio and is a graduate of Thomas 

Jefferson High School. A well-known and 

respected business leader, Lisa has served on 

the board of directors for many worthwhile 

organizations, including the YWCA West 

Side Branch, Southtown Urban Main Street 

Program, The Children’s Shelter, the San 

Antonio Express-News Community 

Advisory Board and the San Antonio River 

Walk Expansion Committee. She is a 

member of the San Antonio Chapter of Les 

Dames d’Escoffier and an Alumna of Girl 

Scouts of Southwest Texas. Her 

philanthropic contributions locally are 

numerous, including a $25,000 donation for 

Katrina relief efforts in 2005. 

Below: Since opening its doors in 1992, 

Rosario’s has maintained its reputation as a 

favorite meeting place for neighborhood 

residents, the local arts crowd, tourists, 

politicians, celebrities and other luminaries. 

Rosario’s also showcases the finest Latino 

art collections and features a lively music 

and dance scene on the weekends and 

during the area’s First Friday monthly art 

walk. In 2003, Lisa opened a Rosario’s 

location at the San Antonio International 

Airport in Terminal II and in 2014 a second 

street location—Rosario’s Mexican 

Restaurant y Lounge—on the city’s 

north side. 

In a city inundated with Mexican eateries, 

Rosario’s Mexican Café y Cantina is a standout 

and mainstay. Since opening its doors, Rosario’s 

has been popular for its award-winning cuisine, 

fun atmosphere and vibrant setting in the 

Historic Southtown/King William District. While 

other businesses have come and gone in the colorful 

downtown village of eclectic cafés and galleries, 

Rosario’s has remained an anchor tenant, 

and expanded. It consistently ranks as the best. 

Rosario’s menu features traditional favorites 

such as hard-to-resist salsa, famous fish tacos, 

shrimp nachos, ceviche, and mouth-watering 

margaritas. Critics consistently vote Rosario’s 

“Best Mexican Restaurant” in San Antonio, 

“Best Neighborhood Restaurant/Downtown- 

Southtown,” and Critics’ Choice for “Best 

Restaurant to Take Out-of-Town Guests.” Over 

the years, the Rosario’s brand has received rave 

reviews among national and local media, including 

the New York Times, Washington Post, 

Southern Living, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Hispanic 

Magazine, Texas Monthly, San Antonio Magazine 

and the San Antonio Express-News. 

Rosario’s is owned and operated by local 

entrepreneur Lisa Wong, a seasoned restaurateur 

with thirty-seven years of experience under her 

apron and no stranger to risk. At age eighteen, 

she started her first restaurant with $7,000 of her 

college money: Lisa’s Mexican Restaurant on the 

west side opened to instant acclaim and lines 

around the block. In 1992, Lisa acquired 

Rosario’s from bankruptcy court and reestablished 

it in the Historic Southtown/King William 

District. In 1999 she moved Rosario’s two blocks 

north to accommodate her growing business. 

The large, inviting space has Rosario’s legendary 

atmosphere and delicious menu, combining traditional 

south-of-the-border dishes with authentic 

house specialties, all prepared with a contemporary 

twist. In 2010, Lisa introduced Rosario’s 

and R Sala Bebida Botana Bar at the San Antonio 

International Airport, where thousands annually 

get their first “tastes of San Antonio” and leave 

five-star reviews. Her third Rosario’s location 

opened in 2014, at 9715 San Pedro. Rosario’s 

Mexican Restaurant y Lounge is spacious and 

completely captures the original spirit. 

Lisa’s business savvy and complete understanding 

of food and great culinary tradition 

are inherited from her blended Chinese and 

Mexican heritage. She is the creator of many 

successful San Antonio restaurants including 

Rey Willy’s Hamburgers y Más, ChinaLatina, 

and Ácenar. 

Success has not slowed Lisa down. She 

keeps busy with her restaurants and newest 

venture: Go Rio Cruises, a ten year, $100 million 

city contract to operate the barges and 

concessions on the historic San Antonio River 

Walk. She is the first Latina in city history 

awarded the prestigious contract. 

Fresh, excellent food, hard work and 

vision are the winning recipe for Lisa and her 

restaurants, San Antonio icons of success. 

For more information, please visit Rosario’s 

at 910 South Alamo or on the Internet at 

www.rosariossa.com. 


90

Twang Partners, Ltd., is a company with 

extremely good taste. Literally. 

That good taste is the very foundation on 

which it was founded more than a quarter of 

a century ago, and it is the fuel that keeps it 

growing today. 

Twang, a manufacturer of flavored salts and 

sugars, is the brainchild of Roger T. Treviño, 

Sr., While on a business trip in Mexico City, 

Mexico, Treviño came across a street vendor selling 

packaged citrus salt, the taste of which 

reminded him of flavors he enjoyed while 

growing up in San Antonio—salty sour pickles, 

lemons with a dash of salt and fruit sprinkled 

with chili and lime. 

Both delighted and inspired, he returned 

home to immediately begin research and development 

for a high-quality citrus flavored salt for 

snacks and beverages. Over the next few years, 

he collaborated with companies across the 

country to develop the perfect formula, design 

eye-catching packaging and manufacture the 

final product, which was debuted to the public 

in 1986, the year the company was officially 

founded. As there was no Twang facility as of 

yet, the first installment of 350,000 packets was 

delivered via huge barrels directly to the Treviño 

family home where eager family members gathered 

in the garage to pack and ship its first 

orders to Cash & Carrys, wholesalers and convenience 

stores located throughout San Antonio 

and Texas. Approximately ten years later, 

Anheuser-Busch and Twang joined forces to create 

a co-branded product that introduced Twang 

Beer Salt to a mainstream American audience 

and launched the company into a yet another 

period of significant growth that continues. 

Today, the privately-held company is still 

family-owned and operated, but operations 

have long outgrown the family garage. In fact, it 

has also outgrown its original downtown offices 

and has been located in a spacious headquarters 

and manufacturing complex located on W. T. 

Montgomery Road in southwest San Antonio 

since 2007. It presently employs a growing family 

of staffers, including the founder’s children—Roger 

Jr. Patrick, Elysia and Jacob 

Treviño—who happily work alongside their 

father to develop, market and sell the company’s 

ever-growing menu of brands, which 

includes Twang Beer Salt, Twangerz Snack 

Toppings, Café Zuca Sugar Toppings, and 

Twang-A-Rita rimmer blends. Twang products 

can now be found on the shelves of grocery, 

convenience, liquor and specialty stores nationwide. 

Additionally, Twang Partners, Ltd., has 

partnered with some of the world’s top food and 

beverage companies such as Dr. Pepper- 

Snapple Group, Margaritaville Foods, 

Starbucks, Sauza, Midori, Grand Marnier, 

Bacardi and Crown Imports to create an array of 

innovative and successful custom blends. In the 

future, the company plans to further expand its 

geographic reach and utilize its Latino heritage 

and flavor-forward acumen to continue creating 

and producing new and innovative products. 

For more information, visit www.twang.com. 

TWANG PARTNERS, LTD. 

◆ 

Top: Twang produces a wide array of 

products with the highest-quality ingredients 

to enhance the taste, appearance and 

enjoyment of food and beverages. 

Above: Twang products are made in 

San Antonio, Texas by the Treviño family. 


91

MARK LANGFORD 

PHOTOGRAPHY, 

INC. 

❖ 

Above: A photograph of real cowboys for 

an advertisement piece for a south 

Texas Ranch. 

Below: This skyline view of San Antonio 

was photographed using one of Mark 

Langford’s drones. 

As San Antonio celebrates its 300th 

year as a city, Mark Langford Photography, 

Inc., celebrates its thirty-fourth year creating 

images for businesses, ad agencies, magazines, 

and books. 

It has been an exciting career for Mark, 

who looks at his profession as a series of field 

trips. Through the years, Mark has traveled 

throughout the great State of Texas as well as 

nationally, shooting subjects as diverse as 

food, CEOS, oil rigs, pipes, fashion models, 

nursing homes, hospitals, sewage treatment 

plants, buildings, pump trucks, professional 

athletes, presidents, homes, computers, groceries, 

welders, wind farms, onion farmers 

and a list that could keep going and going and 

going. His job: to make every subject look as 

visually stunning as possible. 

It all started in 1972, when Mark’s 

mom brought home a 35mm SLR camera 

as a Christmas present to herself. Within 

moments, Mark “borrowed” the camera and 

his life-long love of photography began. By 

the time Mark was a senior at John Marshall 

High School, in 1976, he was not only 

writing and photographing for his school 

newspaper, The Rampage, he was also working 

part time for the Citizen News, a west 

side neighborhood newspaper. Mark spent 

almost every weekend of his senior year 

photographing sporting events for four 

high schools and shooting feature photos of 

neighborhood newsmakers. 

After high school, Mark attended UTSA 

and continued working for the newspaper, 

before transferring to Brooks Photography 

Institute in Santa Barbara, California. During 

this time, Mark interned for a local commercial 

photographer and quickly discovered that 

doing photography for advertising and businesses 

was more to his liking. 

Mark graduated from Brooks with a BA 

degree in 1980 and soon began working for 

Zintgraff Photographers, a long time commercial 

photography studio in San Antonio. In 

1984, Mark opened his first studio and business, 

called “Infinite Images,” in Leon Valley. 

Soon after moving to a new downtown studio 

location in the early 1990s, Mark changed 

his business name to “Mark Langford 

Photography, Inc.” and shot his first San 

Antonio book project called, San Antonio, 

Portrait of the Fiesta City, with writers Gerald 

Lair and Suzanna Nawrocki. Fiesta City lead 

to five more books on San Antonio. It also 

provided Mark a new opportunity to sell his 

work as stock photography. Mark scanned his 

book images and developed one of the earliest 

local websites that allowed people to purchase 

photographs online. 

Mark has successfully transitioned from 

shooting assignments on film to the current 

standard of shooting work digitally, using 

high quality state-of-the-art cameras. Besides 

also offering video services, Mark recently 

passed the FAA drone pilot license program 

and now offers his clients drone imagery. 

You can check out Mark’s commercial 

work, stock photography, video projects 

and drone flights on his website at 

marklangfordphotography.com. 


92

Bicycle enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels 

have learned there is no better place to 

shop than Britton’s Bicycle Shop. For cycling 

experience and expertise, product variety, 

and helpful, friendly service, Britton’s is the 

place for bikers to visit. 

Founded twenty-eight years ago by Jimmy 

Britton, the shop now offers the widest selection 

of bikes and accessories available 

anywhere in the area. Customers may 

choose from a huge inventory of bikes 

suited for any need. Serious bikers will 

find triathlon, road, MTB, touring and 

gravel/grass bikes. More casual bikers 

may select from a wide selection of 

urban and kids bikes, tricycles, and 

even electric bikes. 

Regular bike maintenance services 

offered by Britton’s include regular 

maintenance, drive train tuning and 

alignment, repair services, wheel tuning, 

and thorough cleaning and polishing. 

Customers may choose from 

among four service levels for regular 

maintenance. The most popular— 

Silver Service—provides unlimited 

adjustments for one year and VIP top-of-the 

stack placement for a very modest price. 

In addition to Jimmy, the highly qualified 

and certified staff includes Lisa, Shawn, 

Cameron, Gabby, and Rick. The staff at 

Britton’s knows bikes inside and out and 

understands the needs and requirements of 

serious bikers as well as the occasional rider. 

The slogan for Britton’s Bicycle Shop is 

“We Ride the Way You Do” and Jimmy and 

his staff are strong advocates for the needs 

and requirements of serious bikers. 

Britton’s strongly promotes a number of 

ride routes ranging from seven to eighty miles 

in San Antonio and the Boerne area. Details 

and maps may be found on Britton’s website. 

The shop is also a proud sponsor of the 

Hill Country Sports Association and its many 

events where skilled competitors come 

together to challenge their abilities and dedication 

to their training. 

Britton’s also sponsors Tri-Force, a team 

of dedicated athletes who train with a purpose, 

actively competing and sharing 

a common bond of pursuing a healthy, multisport 

lifestyle. Britton’s supports members of 

all ages by providing camaraderie, the 

resources to achieve their goals, group 

training sessions, educational seminars and 

social activities. 

Britton’s Bicycle Shop is located at 434 North 

Loop 1604 West, Suite 1109, in San Antonio 

and on the Internet at www.brittonbikes.com. 

BRITTON’S 

BICYCLE SHOP 

❖ 

High speed...low drag- Jimmy B. 


93

R.J.S. HIGH 

❖ 

Bobby Stautzenberger. 

SCHOOL 

SPORTS 

High school sports are huge in Texas and 

in the San Antonio market; fans depend on 

the Texas Sports Radio Network (TSRN) for 

coverage of their favorite team. 

R.J.S. High School Sports, the official 

TSRN affiliate for San Antonio, was founded 

in 1996 by Bobby Stautzenberger, who earned 

a degree in broadcast journalism from the 

University of North Texas in December 1994. 

Bobby moved back home to San Antonio early 

in 1995 and worked in retail while trying to 

figure out a career path. On the side, Bobby 

became a member of Gary DeLaune’s radio 

crew, broadcasting high school sports during 

the 1995 season. He was approached by 

Bubba Redding, the late owner of KBUC 

Radio, about producing his own broadcasts 

for the 1996 season. “He explained how the 

sales end of the business worked and encouraged 

me to give it a try,” Bobby explains. “I 

bought air time from him in 1996 and produced 

play-by-play broadcasts of the Judson 

Rocket football games.” 

Bobby was an elementary school teacher 

from 1996 until 1999 while building the business 

on the side. “This worked well, because I 

had summers off to sell advertising for the 

football season, and Friday nights off to 

broadcast the games,” he recalls. Alamo 

Heights Football, plus “Game of the Week” 

were added in 1997 and R.J.S. High School 

Sports grew from sixteen broadcasts in 1996 

to sixty in 1997. “We started contracting with 

multiple radio stations and soon were broadcasting 

between 80 to 100 high school football 

games each season,” Bobby says. “I had a 

vision for taking the games statewide so I 

could sell to bigger advertisers on a statewide 

level. I started contacting other producers and 

met Lynn Michaels of Houston. Lynn had dabbled 

in audio streaming in 1998 and wanted 

to go full-blown for the 1999 season. He 

asked me to start streaming my games with 

him and that’s when things really took off.” 

Lynn encouraged Bobby to add high 

school basketball and baseball to the mix, so 

he quit his teaching job and took the 

plunge as a full-time broadcast producer. In 

twenty-two years, the Network has produced 

more than 4,600 broadcasts, including thirtynine 

State Championship broadcasts. Growth 

has been particularly strong the last four 

seasons, with 331 broadcasts during the 

2017-2018 season. 

Bobby credits Redding for teaching him 

how the business side of broadcasting works 

and Lynn for introducing him to audio 

streaming. “I also owe a lot to Bob McCoy, 

who is now deceased,” says Bobby. “He was 

the owner of Gillman Honda/Mitsubishi and 

was the first to make a financial investment, 

through a major sponsorship, which allowed 

me to expand way beyond Judson and Alamo 

Heights football.” 


94

From its humble beginnings in a Poteet, 

Texas, flea market stall in 1993, Sound 

Master has grown to become San Antonio’s 

number one provider of top quality mobile 

electronics. Fueled by its vision of providing 

the best customer service and top-of-the-line 

products and services, this family owned and 

operated company has steadily expanded 

over the years from its original core business 

of car audio and window tinting. 

Outgrowing the flea market booth, Sound 

Master opened its first shop in 2006. Along 

the way, it has added a wide array of products 

and services—now offering wheels and tires, 

truck accessories, spray bed liners, marine 

audio, auto alarms, and much more—all 

from its current location on Bandera and 

Mainland, which opened in 2015. The current 

storefront (near the Mainland Sports 

Complex) is well equipped to 

serve its customers, featuring five 

car garages. 

With a dedicated and knowledgeable 

staff and over twenty 

years of experience, Sound 

Master has earned a welldeserved 

reputation for topflight 

customer service and satisfaction. 

Sound Master offers the top 

brand names in the business. In 

car audio and speakers their 

selection includes such names as 

Kicker, Memphis, Pioneer, JVC, 

Polk and more. 

Sound Master’s technicians 

have 3M authorization, offering custom 

enclosures and fiberglass expertise, along 

with 3M automotive window films. 

In recent years, Sound Master has also 

become a leader in providing the San Antonio 

area with the top names in wheels and tires, 

offering such brands as Niche, Strada, 

Mayhem, Asanti, and Nitto. 

They are also in the forefront of the spray 

bed liner and lighting market featuring 

Armadillo Bed liners, Petrax, Solidfold, Db 

Link Lighting, and more. 

With a wide selection of products, and 

affordable prices, Sound Master invites you 

visit in person to see some of the new and 

exciting things on the market, or to contact 

them through Facebook and Yelp or at their 

website www.soundmasterssa.com. 

SOUND 

MASTER TINT 

& ALARM 


95

MASQUERADE 

DJ 

Since 1986, Ernest Calderon and his 

crew of professional DJs have kept people 

on the dance floor at a variety of 

events with the best mix of music, lights 

and more. The right music is crucial for 

any good party, and Masquerade DJs 

make it their business to provide the 

best musical accompaniment for every 

wedding, gala or party. From the classics 

to the top hits of today, Masquerade DJ 

has exactly what you need. 

A party without music makes an 

audience dull and lifeless, but Masquerade DJ 

delivers the best party music to keep everyone 

on their feet, swirling and dancing all through 

the night. You can select the perfect music for 

your event, from the classics of the 1970s, the 

hits of the 1980s, or any other genre you love. 

Masquerade DJ delivers the highest quality 

DJ services with vibrancy, elegance and 

unique style by combining advanced hardware 

and software with refined DJ skills. 

Masquerade DJ bridges the gaps between different 

genres, cultures, and eras to solidify 

your special memories to cherish for a lifetime. 

From weddings to corporate events, 

proms to homecomings, debuts to bar mitzvahs, 

Masquerade DJ will blend its creativity 

with your desired themes, filling your event 

with excitement and providing memories that 

will last a lifetime. 

Wedding music tailored for you is a 

specialty for Masquerade DJ and the 

team works closely with couples to 

match the ideal music to the occasion. 

From rock to R&B, classic to country, 

the wedding music is tailored to match 

your unique style 

With Masquerade DJ, you get more 

than a moonlighting DJ with a turntable 

and set of speakers. In addition to the allimportant 

music, Masquerade DJ’s professional 

lighting crews create the perfect 

mood with special lighting systems to 

create the atmosphere you desire. The 

wide range of special effects includes 

lasers, fog/haze and LED lighting to 

dramatically highlight the architectural 

features of your venue. They can even 

create a customer monogram to shine on 

the wall during your special event. 

In addition to the music and atmosphere, 

Masquerade DJ provides photo booth rentals 

for your event, providing professional photos 

of guests laughing with joy and having fun. To 

break the monotony of traditional wedding 

photos, the artistic photo booth creates the perfect 

keepsake for every individual in the event. 

Packages include unlimited photos, cool party 

props, and customized design graphics. 

When you hire Masquerade DJ for your 

party, dance, or wedding, you are ensuring 

that your event becomes the talk of the 

town. Let Masquerade DJs fill your night 

with the grand entertainment that makes it a 

joyous celebration. 

To learn more about making your 

event sparkle, check the website at 

www.djmasquerade.com. 


96

Since its origins in 1973, as a small regional 

publishing company based in San Antonio, 

Texas, Lammert Inc. has been in the business 

of helping its customers tell their stories in the 

most compelling and powerful ways possible. 

Working with a wide variety of clients—from 

corporations to civic organizations to 

individuals and families, Lammert Inc. emerged 

as a force in the publishing industry. 

The company initially produced specialty 

publications, such as an office building directory 

for the North San Antonio Chamber of 

Commerce, and a pictorial roster for the San 

Antonio Bar Association. Over the last four 

decades, Lammert published hundreds of directories, 

maps, and magazines for chambers of 

commerce and civic groups across the country. 

In the mid-1990s, Lammert created a new 

division, Historical Publishing Network (HPN), 

and focused on producing hardcover coffee 

table-style history and cityscape books. The first 

of these was Fire and Gold: The San Francisco 

Story. In the ensuing years, Lammert perfected 

the sponsored-book model of publishing. 

Conceived around the idea of an ultra-high 

quality hardcover chronicle of a city or county’s 

past, these exceptional books were also designed 

to raise funds for a sponsoring organization— 

typically a chamber of commerce or a historical 

preservation group. They utilized a unique 

advertising mechanism, known as company 

profiles—business and institutional histories, 

which were purchased by organizations wishing 

to tell their individual stories, and placed in special 

sections of the books. 

As of 2018, Lammert had published more 

than 140 titles using the sponsored-book 

model, while raising hundreds of thousands 

of dollars for its many sponsoring groups. 

Having carved out its position in the market 

for turnkey design, production, and marketing 

of photography-rich coffee table books through 

HPN, in 2018 Lammert Inc. signaled a new 

focus with the launch of its new division, HPN 

Custom Media & Publishing (HPN-CMP). 

HPN-CMP remains a one-stop source for 

custom media, including turnkey book design, 

writing, editing, and production, as well as 

offering an enhanced range of customized 

services, including print, digital, and photo and 

video media solutions, as well as related website 

design and events management services. 

Employees, customers, partners, and shareholders 

all value a credible story which unites 

the organization’s past to its present and to its 

future, enhancing its community standing and 

brand reputation, or celebrating a significant 

anniversary, milestone, or similar event. 

The unique mix of talents and expertise 

brought to bear in a HPN project culminates in 

a remarkable creation—a breathtaking, photorich, 

coffee table book. 

The book may be complemented by a 

dedicated website, digital “flip-book,” and/or by 

related events to commemorate a historical 

milestone, introduce or promote a product or 

brand, or to present an organization’s annual 

report with more impressive visuals. As a gift to 

associates, partners, current and prospective 

employees, clients, and civic officials, the book 

serves as a powerful marketing tool. 

For more information, or to inquire about 

producing your own publication, please visit 

www.hpncustommedia.com. 

LAMMERT INC. 

DBA 

HPNBOOKS & 

HPN CUSTOM 

MEDIA & 

PUBLISHING 


97

SPONSORS 

Alamo Iron Works...............................................................................................................................................................................84 

Alzheimer’s Care and Research Center Foundation ..............................................................................................................................65 

Blue Skies of Texas..............................................................................................................................................................................64 

Bolner’s Fiesta Products.......................................................................................................................................................................86 

Britton’s Bicycle Shop..........................................................................................................................................................................93 

Contractors Corner, LLC.....................................................................................................................................................................72 

Cox Manufacturing Company, Inc.......................................................................................................................................................88 

Elegant Furs, LLC ...............................................................................................................................................................................76 

First Baptist Church of San Antonio....................................................................................................................................................81 

Frost Bank ..........................................................................................................................................................................................87 

HOLT CAT®.......................................................................................................................................................................................85 

ITEX ...................................................................................................................................................................................................68 

Jefferson Bank.....................................................................................................................................................................................74 

Lammert, Inc. .....................................................................................................................................................................................97 

Learning Foundations .........................................................................................................................................................................83 

Mark Langford Photography, Inc. ........................................................................................................................................................92 

Masquerade DJ....................................................................................................................................................................................96 

Mission Park.......................................................................................................................................................................................78 

R.J.S. High School Sports....................................................................................................................................................................94 

Rosario’s Mexican Café y Cantina ........................................................................................................................................................90 

San Antonio Tourism Council .............................................................................................................................................................89 

Sound Master Tint & Alarm................................................................................................................................................................95 

Steves and Sons ..................................................................................................................................................................................70 

Stock Yards Commercial Properties Companies ...................................................................................................................................66 

Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc. ............................................................................................................................................82 

Phyllis Trolinger, Realtor .....................................................................................................................................................................80 

Twang Partners, Ltd. ...........................................................................................................................................................................91 


98

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER 

MARK 

LANGFORD 

Mark Langford is a “Native San Antonian” who has been producing commercial and fine art 

images since graduating from Brooks Photography Institute with a bachelor of arts in photography 

in 1980. Mark has owned his own business since 1984 and clients include international and 

national ad agencies, corporations and publishers. 

Looking at his profession as a series of field trips, Mark has traveled throughout the state of 

Texas as well as nationally, shooting subjects as diverse as food, CEOS, oil rigs, pipes, fashion models, 

nursing homes, hospitals, sewage treatment plants, buildings, pump trucks, professional athletes, 

presidents, homes, computers, groceries, welders, wind farms, onion farmers, and a list that 

could keep going and going and going. His job: to make every subject look as visually stunning 

as possible. 

Mark has photographed six coffee table books on San Antonio: San Antonio, Portrait of the Fiesta 

City; San Antonio, The Soul of Texas; San Antonio: The Alamo, Fiesta and River City; San Antonio - A 

Cultural Tapestry; My San Antonio; and San Antonio, City Exceptional. 

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER 

99

ABOUT THE WRITER 

JENA 

FULLER 

Jena Fuller is a fifth-generation Texan with an MA in anthropology from the University of Texas. 

She has written and edited for a range of government and academic clients and national and 

international entertainment media, including the Texas Historical Commission, American 

Anthropologist: The Journal of the American Anthropological Association, Broadwayworld.com and 

Guitar Player Magazine Brasil. She and her partner, bassist Greg Norris, live in south Texas. 


100

LEADERSHIP SPONSORS 


ISBN: 978-944891-60-2 

Historical Publishing Network

The Flavor of San Antonio: A Tricentennial Tribute

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