Cluetrain Manifesto

The cluetrain manifesto is perhaps one of the most stimulating books on organizational behavior and psychology that I have encountered. The concept that identifies markets as being essentially dialogue between people is rereshing. I'm personally in my second career having ridden the great yellow box film company to the summit and back down to the valley from wince it came. We used to refer to marketing the company's product to consumers as somehow a right associated with some supernatural force. But, that was yesterday, and yesterday is gone.

I do recall spending countless hours pouring over statistical data of how vairous group so people behave. The part that I found most fascinating was that there was seldom any corporate learning associated with the exercise, i.e., we paid our statisticians big bucks for their work, and we went back to our cubicles and pursued our daily grind as if no revelation had occurred. Indeed, it had not. Everthing we saw and heard from our consultants was instinctive information that was well known within the corporate bureaucracy. But, after each exercise, we could point to a book on the shelf that at least quantified for posterity what we already knew.

The process of pursuing one's carrer was the part that was most fascinating. Career advancement and performance were seldome related. Rather, advancement was more closely related to being liked by senior executives. First person dialogue was almost never misunderstood or poorly communicated. Body language, past history, personal agendas, etc. were not checked at the door. However, they were well understood. But, once a face to face contact ended, spin took over and just about anything was fair game because the game was not progress towards some agreed upon goal but the justaposition of personal agendas against an advancement goal.

I'll continue my thoughts on this at a later time. Let me know if you have any response for me on this subject.

Kent Krauss Honored on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show, July 16, 2008

The San Antonio Movers and Shaker Show is honored to have as its featured guest on July 16, 2008, Mr. Kent Krauss, Publisher, San Antonio Business Journal. Mr. Krauss serves on the board of directors of many of the area's civic organizatinos, such as the San Antonio Sports Foundation, Better Business Bureay, San Antonio Area Tourism Council, Goodwill Industries, and many others. Through is leadership of the San Antonio Business Journal, he has championed and reported on San Antonio's economic development and growth.

Submitted by John Thurman, Broker, Heart of Texas Realty www.HeartOfTexasRealty.com

Rick Cavender Honored on the San Antonio Movers and Shaker Show, July 12, 2008

Rick Cavender honored on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show on NewsTalk 930 KLUP www.KLUP.com Bio compliments of http://cdbaby.com/cd/rcavender

?Rick Cavender leads two very successful professions. Many know Rick as the familiar face and voice for his family's car dealerships in San Antonio. In fact,the Cavender family has a 65 year history as the leading automotive name in town with 7 successful franchises. Rick is seen often on TV and heard on radio as pitchman for his family's dealershipsBut when the day ends and the stage lights come up, Rick takes his place in the spotlight as a talented band leader and entertainer. The Rick Cavender Band is one of San Antonio's true treasures. This six piece variety band has entertained audiences for over 20 years opening for major country acts and performing for private receptions and events. In 2001, they were voted "Entertainer of Year" by the city's hotel and catering professionals.In 2002, Rick finally took his original work to the studio. After an eight month production at BGM Studios in San Antonio, his work was completed and "Gypsy Vagabond" was released. This album is an original complilation of 15 songs. It presents a visual and musical tour of some of Rick's favorite places and experiences. It is lively and features a variety of musical genres from bluegrass to Cajun to driving rock 'n roll to country waltz. It will entertain you. It will bring a smile to your face and it will live as a favorite in your CD library.Rick sites his musical influences as some of the Americana's best--Delbert McClinton, Robert Earl Keen, Joe Ely, Steve Earl, George Strait and Pat Green. His songs reflect a sense of imagery and a sense of humor. Take a listen to the wonderful wood string instruments on "Sedona" a song which tells the story of a lost traveler who ends up at an American Legion Hall in this beautiful Arizona town. Or drive to Los Angeles for Rick's walk down the "Grand Red Carpet". This song features the Harmonica prowness of Austin's legendary blues man Gary Primige. Then the title song "Gypsy Vagabond" takes us back in time to a early 60's existence and tells the story of the lost country singing troubador trying to find work for his band members in old dance halls. "Prayer in the Wind" begins with the cry of Randy Rinehard's Emmons pedal steel guitar and leads the listener to a new emotion. Rick shows his humor and reflection of the old "I Love Lucy" shows with his very light "I Got Some Splainin to Do" and tells the story of a man who gets in some big trouble when his wife finds another woman's shoes in her closet! "Croonin on Friday Night" is the first song to introduce the driving R&B influences of Delbert McClinton and features the famous "West Side Horns" who performed with legendary Doug Sahm, Freddy Fender, Flaco Jimenez and the Texas Tornados.Rick called in his good friend Ponty Bone to perform the cajun accordian and vocal on "Bayou Band". "Tomboy" is the true story of an abandoned gold mine 14,000 feet above Telluride, Colorado. Once again, Ponty Bone performs accordian on this remarkable cut. West Texas imagery and the story of the famous Gage Hotel is presented in a signature song on the album. "Daylight in Marathon" is catching a great deal of radio play and interest. PAy attention to the "train whistle cry" performed on fiddle by Bobby Flores accenting the visual lyric. This is perhaps the best story song on the album. "Cushioned for the Fall" may become the only song ever devoted to a man who survives all obstacles dressed in a bubble wrap suit. Take a minute to laugh along with this one. Then go to the famous "Cadillac Bar" and get lost in a bottle of Don Cuervo. Perhaps the biggest surprise on the CD is the haunting ballad "Take a Stand". Rene Saenz plays a beautiful tenor sax solo on this song. The album concludes with Gary Primige on the harp once again and Bobby Flores on the Rickenbacher guitar for "Tonight We Ride."

Dr. Ian ThompsonMD, Honored on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show, July 5, 2008

Dr. Ian Thompson, MD, Honored on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show on News Talk 930 KLUP http://www.klup.com/
Bio from http://urology.uthscsa.edu/bio.html

"Dr. Ian Thompson, M.D.
ProfessorChairman, Department of UrologyGlenda and Gary Woods Distinguished Chair in GU OncologyHenry B. and Edna Smith Dielman Memorial Chair in Urologic ScienceEmail: thompsoni@uthscsa.eduAcademic Telephone: 210-567-5643Clinical Telephone: 210-450-1300Academic Fax: 210-567-6868Clinical Fax: 210-450-1749Faculty Profile
Biosketch
Dr. Ian Thompson received his undergraduate degree from West Point and his M.D. degree from Tulane University. After a Residency in Urology in San Antonio, he completed a fellowship in Urologic Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is Chairman of the Department of Urology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Thompson has published over 360 scientific papers, several dozen book chapters, and has edited five textbooks in medicine and surgery. He currently serves as Chair the Residency Review Committee for Urology and Vice-Chair of the Early Detection Research Network of the National Cancer Institute. He previously served as the President of the Society of Urologic Oncology, the international association of physicians who conduct research and who provide care for patients with urologic malignancies. He has served as a Visiting Professor at most major academic institutions in the U.S. as well as at many leading cancer centers in Europe, Asia, Central and South America, as well as Australia.
Dr. Thompson is the Principal Investigator of the San Antonio Center for Biomarkers Of Risk of Prostate Cancer. This cohort study, with up to 8 years of followup, currently follows over 3,600 men for development of prostate cancer and has been the source of many recent important developments in the early detection of prostate cancer. He was the primary coordinator of the 18,882-subject Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial, is the Localized Prostate Organ Site Chair for the Southwest Oncology Group, and has been PI or a co-investigator in several large national clinical trials. The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, was the largest prostate cancer study ever conducted for prevention of prostate cancer and demonstrated that the medication, finasteride, was associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer.
Dr. Thompson retired as a Colonel from the U.S. Army, serving as Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center as well as Commander of the 41st Combat Support Hospital. He served in Saudi Arabia and Iraq as a General Surgeon in a Combat Support Hospital during Operation Desert Storm/Shield.
Patient Care
Dr. Thompson's primary expertise is the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Urologic malignancies including tumors of the kidney, bladder, prostate, testis and male genitalia. He is an internationally recognized expert in these tumors and patients and physicians seek his advice for the care of the most complex problems.
New Patients
To make an appointment, you may either visit the links at this website to make an appointment or simply call (210) 450-1300. We will make every effort to make a convenient appointment for you. Prior to your visit, we ask that you complete our initial visit form that details all aspects of your medical history as well as your current problems. Please fill out this form as completely as possible. When you come, we ask that you bring with you the additional items:
Any recent X-rays, CT scans, or other scans you have had. These should be the actual films themselves. Dr. Thompson prefers to examine the films himself in addition to examining the radiology reports.
Any records related to any pathology reports.
All pertinent laboratory test information.
A listing of all of your medications and dosages is also very important.
If you are not certain what to bring, either (1) call us at 210-450-1300 for advice or (2) bring all of your records with you. We want very much for your first visit to be as informative as possible and having all of this information at the time maximizes this likelihood.
For almost all visits, Dr. Thompson encourages family members, especially spouses or parents, to come the first time. It helps to have a 'second set of ears' as issues are discussed.
After hours contact information: You may find this at our web site but, when in doubt, simply call 210-450-1300. The answering service will put you in touch with either Dr. Thompson or one of his colleagues who, as necessary, will contact Dr. Thompson. To the extent possible, the faculty members of the Department of Urology want to know if their patients are having any problems and make themselves as accessible as possible. If you are having a medical emergency, it is best to call 911.
Healthcare Professionals
Dr. Thompson seeks to assist other physicians in the care of their patients. Consultations are made as rapidly as possible and both letters and full data of the visits are returned quickly to referring physicians. Should a fellow physician have a question concerning patient management, all physicians of the Department of Urology encourage telephone calls to discuss issues. The 210-450-1300 clinic number is an excellent 24-hour number. For academic issues, 210-567-5640 can be used during weekdays.
Our Promise and our Goal
All of the members of the Department of Urology feel that care of our patients is a privilege and a responsibility. We take this responsibility very seriously and have an overarching goal of providing the most state-of-the-art care for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment while providing this care in a very personal manner."

The following quote is from http://www.uthscsa.edu/hscnews/singleformat.asp?newID=2682

"SAN ANTONIO (Feb. 28, 2008) — The Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is pleased to announce that Ian Thompson, M.D., director of the CTRC genitourinary clinic and professor and chairman of the Department of Urology at the UT Health Science Center School of Medicine, has been selected to serve as a co-chair for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Genitourinary Steering Committee. Co-chair for NCI Genitourinary Steering CommitteeDr. Thompson was selected as one of three co-chairs for this distinguished leadership position because of his international reputation for prostate cancer research and due to the report of the Clinical Trials Working Group issued in 2004. In this report, the NCI provided recommendations on restructuring the clinical trials enterprise supported by the NCI. One of the initiatives set forth by the NCI was to establish a network of disease-specific scientific steering committees involving the broad oncology community.The three co-chairs of the Genitourinary Steering Committee include:
Dr. Thompson, representing urology
Dr. Anthony Zeitman (Massachusetts General Hospital), representing radiation oncology
And a medical oncologist yet to be named.The co-chairs of the steering committee are voting members and serve as leaders of the committee, guiding the committee’s direction. Among its many important tasks, the steering committee is responsible for reviewing protocol concepts and recommending approval, revision or disapproval of the concept to the Cancer Treatment Evaluation Program. The ultimate goal is for the NCI to move toward a comprehensive approach to the development, evaluation and prioritization of clinical trials in genitourinary cancers.
###The Cancer Therapy & Research Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, located in San Antonio, Texas, is one of the nation’s leading academic research and treatment centers, serving more than 4.4 million people in the high-growth corridor of Central and South Texas including Austin, San Antonio, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley. CTRC is one of a few elite cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center and is one of only three in Texas. CTRC handles more than 120,000 patient visits each year and is a world leader in developing new drugs to treat cancer. The CTRC Institute for Drug Development is internationally recognized for conducting the largest oncology Phase I clinical drug trials program in the world, and participated in the clinical and/or preclinical development of many of the cancer drugs approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. For more information, visit http://www.ctrc.uthscsa.edu/.??

James Montgomery, Attorney and Rotarian, Honored on the San Antonio Movers and Shaker Show, June 28, 2008

James and Linda Montgomery are honored as the Featured Guests on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show June 28, 2008 by John Thurman of Heart of Texas Realty http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/ and Bjorn, Just Bjorn, of Bjorn's Home Entertainment http://www.bjorns.com/

Jim was recently nominated for the Ethics in Business (EIB) Award of the CPA Ethics Squad. Mr. Montgomery was nominated for this award by Mr. John Thurman who is associated with Mr. Montgomery through the San Antonio Rotary Club at the Dominion. Mr. Thurman describes him as a “straight-up person” who is very honest and what you see is what you get.
His work with the Rotary Club has spanned many years and he is currently the Rotary International District Governor for the organization, which is a volunteer position that requires a full-time commitment. He travels regularly to local clubs in his district, which includes forty-four counties in south central Texas and nearly 3,000 Rotarians, in support of this organization and is committed to the pursuit of excellence.

His personal vision statement and goals are summarized in the Rotary 4 Way Test which is comprised of four questions which are 1) is it the truth, 2) is it fair to all concerned, 3) will it build goodwill and better friendships, and 4) will it be beneficial to all concerned? By being able to affirmatively answer these questions in every endeavor he pursues he is able to provide an example that others in business and the community admire and respect.
Mr. Montgomery is happy to work behind the scenes and is not interested in personal glorification. Sherri Muniz commented that “just prior to him assuming the duties of leading Rotary District 5840 there were some goals the prior leader had not yet realized, although they were nearly finished. Mr. Montgomery could have waited for the change of leadership, finished the jobs, and received the credit for the accomplishments. Instead, I received a private email asking for my assistance in moving the tasks along so that they would be finished under the leadership of the predecessor. I was impressed by this action; it was the correct and ethical action to take, yet no one else knew that Mr. Montgomery had acted in this way. His concern was not for himself, but for the dignity and achievement of those before him.” Another Rotarian, Rebecca Notzon, stated there is a quote by John C. Maxwell that describes Mr. Montgomery and it is, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” Rebecca went on to say “Jim shows leadership qualities by demonstrating integrity, creating vision, motivating people and leading by example.”
Mr. Montgomery became active in the Boy Scouts as a child, with his father being the Scout Master for his sons. His father provided an excellent example of high standards and values and those principles provided the foundation for Mr. Montgomery, Jr. to build his own personal value set. He has served as an Assistant Scout Master, Cub Master, and District Chairman for his own son carrying on the family tradition. Mr. Montgomery Sr., Mr. Montgomery Jr., and “Jimmy” (III) as he was called to keep the three Jim’s straight for the family members were all Eagle Scouts. “That is just unheard of,” exclaimed Sid Trawick who has been a friend of the family for years.
Mr. Montgomery (the Jr.) and his brother obtained the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America under the superb leadership of his father, affectionately known as Mr. Monty by all the members of Troop 88. This is the highest rank attainable within this organization, it is held for life, and only about five percent of the Boy Scouts actually obtain this award. The requirements for this designation are rigorous and include earning at least twenty-one merit badges and demonstrating scout spirit, service and leadership. Although this achievement is difficult to obtain, it is easy to identify the individuals who have reached this goal because the recipients display the rank on their uniform by wearing a special metal, badge and rope.
Texas Supreme Court Justice Paul W. Green was very fond of Mr. Monty. He described him as a “bear of a man” that was well loved by all the boys. He could picture Mr. Monty presenting him with his Tenderfoot Badge all those years ago. He said, “Boys can sometimes get out of hand, but it was well understood that he was an authority figure and when he got irritated we snapped to and shaped up.” Both Justice Green and Roy Huff, III, another individual that made Eagle Scout under Mr. Monty, described him as a father figure. Mr. Huff stated, “He was a second father to me.” Justice Green said, “We all looked forward to the camp outs. No one ever wanted to disappoint him and failure was not an option. He made you feel proud of yourself because you accomplished your goals and achieved another badge. He was an inspiring man and we wanted to do it for him.” Justice Green commented that even today when people find out he is an Eagle Scout they are impressed because it is so hard to get. He attributes it to the love and support of Mr. Monty.
Mr. Monty ran the Eagle Scout Association here in San Antonio. He had an office and a computer and Sid Trawick described him as a “great man.” Mr. Trawick said when Mr. Monty was seventy years old he helped put the singles on the roof at Camp McGimsey, which is an indoor Boy Scout facility in San Antonio. He was also very skilled in working with wood and made excellent wood doll houses, which he donated to the Alamo Heights Rotary Club for fundraisers. Mr. Trawick said he wanted one of those for his daughter but was never able to win one. Someone always would end up bidding higher and win it, but he tied every time in hopes that he would succeed in winning that prize.
Mr. Montgomery’s mother, Vivian, worked at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church for quite a few years, according to Reverend Prehn, and at one point was the librarian there. Mr. Trawick knew her and said she loved her boys and the grandkids. She is remembered by Mr. Trawick as being a “behind the scenes” kind of mom who “stayed at home, took care of the kids and made sure dinner was ready when her husband came home.” That was the typical role for moms to have and they provided the support and foundation for the family so it could flourish.
He and his wife, Linda, are alumni scholarship contributors at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and have had a named scholar for the last seven years. He is also a member of the Chancellors Council for the University of Texas System.
Linda describes her husband as an uplifting and inspirational speaker and stated that he is truly the wind beneath her wings. It was through his encouragement to go out of her comfort zone that gave her the confidence to become the President of the Alumni Association at UTSA. They have a blended family of four children with three daughters and a son. They have four grandchildren, three boys and a girl.Mr. Montgomery is very involved in various community fund raising activities. This includes being named the Chairman for the following fund raising activities: Cattle Barons Gala Live Auction, KLRN Wine Auction, Golden Gloves Regional Tournament from 1995-1997, and the March of Dimes Celebrity Serve Luncheon. He has sat on the Board of Directors for the San Antonio Youth Literacy and Leadership council, and is a member of the National Excalibur Society and the American Cancer Society.

He and his wife, Linda, are alumni scholarship contributors at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and have had a named scholar for the last seven years. He is also a member of the Chancellors Council for the University of Texas System.
Linda describes her husband as an uplifting and inspirational speaker and stated that he is truly the wind beneath her wings. It was through his encouragement to go out of her comfort zone that gave her the confidence to become the President of the Alumni Association at UTSA. They have a blended family of four children with three daughters and a son. They have four grandchildren, three boys and a girl.

He and his wife own a house in Colorado and both love to ski. Sid Trawick has enjoyed many a ski vacation with them and describes them as a great couple.
Mr. Montgomery is a successful business owner. He owns and operates his own law practice James Montgomery Law. His honestly and integrity in and out of the courtroom has set him apart from the rest of his peers and he is known in the community for sticking to his high standards and value set.
It comes as no surprise that Mr. Montgomery is an AV-rated attorney, which is Martindale Hubbell's highest peer rating for lawyers, and he has over 25 years of courtroom experience. He believes in self improvement and regularly attends continuing education classes to ensure he is providing exceptional guidance to his clients and opponents with his extensive knowledge and experience. His cliental began to request his expertise outside the courtroom to help them be proactive and prevent problems from occurring. This resulted in a shift of his business focus and he began providing consulting services for a wide range of services to include “the design of corporate structures and business transactions to increase profitability and minimize the amount of taxes paid by clients. His business advice programs are designed to maintain regular review and consultation in order to know the client’s business and plans in advance to maximize profit and minimize potential exposure.”

Mr. Montgomery lives by his ethical and moral values at home and in business and is not the type of person who deviates from those core values in different settings or environments. His personal mission statement is to do a good turn daily and service above self, the later being a core value of the Rotary Club, too.
Eagle Scouts are held to a higher standard and as Jim’s dad has stated, “When people find out you are an Eagle Scout they expect more from you.” Thomas Robins, a good friend and business associate stated, “Jim is the ultimate embodiment of what it means to be an Eagle Scout. His moral compass is as much a part of him as one of his internal organs.”

Religious faith with its morals, values and teachings are an integral part of Mr. Montgomery. He attended parochial school at St. Luke’s Episcopal School through the sixth grade and said “My Eagle project was in the 1960s and we helped reorganize the library at St. Luke's Episcopal Church.” The school was founded in 1947. The Alamo Heights church as it stands today was built in 1954, but unfortunately the library was destroyed by water some years ago. Although the damage to the library was extensive Jim’s project has never been forgotten.

The Mission Statement for St. Luke’s Episcopal School is St. Luke's Episcopal School is a Christian community dedicated to academic and personal excellence, lifelong learning, and service to others. The short phrase in that mission statement that is synonymous with Mr. Montgomery is ‘service to others,’ and he learned that lesson well at an early age. The school develops and encourages critical thinking, while instilling in the students a sense of responsibility, self discipline and respect. The reasoning behind this is “To be a citizen who contributes, one must not only have knowledge of mathematics and literature, but also knowledge of cooperation, sound judgment and leadership.[1]”
Linda Montgomery has many kind words to say about her husband. She thinks Jim got his inspiration from his father and she was sorry she only got to spend fifteen years getting to know Mr. Monty. She said, “Jim won’t undermine someone, instead he knows how to encourage people and make them feel appreciated.” He has an uplifting affect on her and through encouragement has enabled her to “step outside of my comfort zone” and accept and conquer challenges like becoming President of the UTSA Alumni Association.
Richard Berchin described Mr. Montgomery as a “great role model.” His wife, Linda, agrees with that statement as does Stephanie Macchia, a business associate and Rotarian who stated, “He leads by example and because of this, people want to be like him.” Rebecca Notzon commented Jim always took actions based on an essential fairness to all concerned. She went on to say he always weighs the potential impact of his decisions and has treated equally all persons that are affected. He conducts his private and social life by preserving and protecting the positive image he portrays.

John Thurman stated, “Jim’s life, in the office and outside it, is synonymous with ethics of the highest caliber. He is an extremely successful businessman, but it is when you understand what he does with this success and expertise that you understand his high standard of ethics. After serving businesses in the courtroom for 25 years as a successful lawyer, Jim now dedicates his time to helping clients stay OUT of the courtroom. He counsels businesses in all aspects of structuring business agreements, represents buyers and sellers of businesses ranging from multi-million dollar office buildings to small pest control businesses, and advises and participates with real estate investors on income producing property and raw land investments. With this holistic approach, Montgomery fills the shoes of an in-house COO and legal counsel for a firm, for a fraction of the cost of a full-time employee, and certainly a small percentage of the cost of going to court. Throughout every transaction, here is his MO:
1) Constantly educates himself regarding new business trends to help his clients
2) Thinks more about his clients’ welfare than his bottom line
3) Always encourages those who work for him or with him by emphasizing their strengths
4) Mentors other attorneys in the business ways of the practice of law
5) Is a conduit for referring business among his clients whenever possible
6) Gets to know his clients so that when an opportunity comes along to refer business among his clients he does it
7) Strives to see that his business clients are given every possibility to become successful
8) Really wants to see his clients succeed
9) Makes time for his children and his grandchildren
10) Plans family trips so his children, stepchildren and grandkids can enjoy their extended family”
Mr. Montgomery stated he does not have followers he has equals and co-workers. During the interview process all respondents had similar responses that Mr. Montgomery was “not a dictator,” or “not out for personal glorification.” The common theme from the questionnaire participants was he leads through example and if he thinks the reason for doing something is worthwhile and/or productive he will encourage two-way communication in explaining the importance of the given project. Mr. James E. Watson, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio stated, “He uses a stimulating questioning technique to insure issues are well thought through and addressed in a creative manner.” He then convinces his co-workers that the project will benefit many people less fortunate than themselves, which creates a sense of pride, accomplishment, and self-worth in the completion of the task. The common response from the questionnaire participants on how he fosters two-way communication is that he is a good listener. Mrs. Sherri Muniz stated, “Mr. Montgomery is a leader in that he sets clear goals for those working on his leadership team. He is an inspiring leader; he is quick to give support and recognition to those who are working under him.” Janet Livingston commented that, “Jim is more of an ‘inspirer’ type of guy. He does not dictate to get the job done. He is regarded as smart, compassionate, hard-working, and positive and I think he has a great sense of humor!” Mr. Watson went on further to state that Mr. Montgomery’s reputation in the community was “Rock Solid,” and that he illustrates his character traits by making “sound decisions and by his actions.”
Thomas Robins, a good friend and former business associate stated, “While we were members of the same law firm, I watched Jim mentor younger lawyers in the ethical practice of the law. Jim turned down lucrative legal work when he felt he could not ethically represent certain clients. On at least one occasion, he did this over the objections of senior partners in the firm. Since we have been solo practioners, I have referred many litigation matters to Jim. He may not have won every case, but his clients always felt that they were well represented and treated with dignity and respect for a fair fee. Believe me I can’t say that about any other lawyer to whom I have referred cases. Jim has helped several of my referral clients, knowing that the work would be pro bono. He treats these clients in exactly the same professional manner that he treats the paying ones.”
Not only does he treat his clients in an upstanding professional manner, but he treats every one of his employees with the same respect. As Ms. Llewellyn says, “If it is important to me, Jim makes it important to him.” He continually encourages open communication and thereby makes the staff feel comfortable enough that they can address any issue or subject with him. He is open on all levels to new ideas, and trusts his employees’ judgment, because without effective communication there is no continual improvement.
Mr. Montgomery is also particularly keen in identifying the potential of individuals, his co-workers, and organizations. He helps support this by motivating them to recognize this quality within themselves. Ms. Llewellyn attests that, “He certainly has encouraged me to recognize that potential within myself and purposefully assigns me projects that foster that potential; specifically in areas I have expressed interest in, such as marketing.” Mr. Montgomery would never ask anyone to perform a duty that he was not willing to do himself. He sets his professional and personal goals high in an effort to inspire others do the same. He is a trustworthy and hard working individual who encourages the people around him to embrace these same qualities, not because it is their ethical obligation, but because he strongly deems these qualities to be important. He believes that most people are honest and hard working, or have the potential to achieve these principles, if only given the opportunity.

Submitted by John Thurman www.HeartofTexasRealty.com

Hon Lila Cockrell Honored on the San Antnio Movers and Shakers Show, June 21, 2008

Hon Lila Cockrell Honored as the Featured Guest on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Radio Talk Show by John Thurman of Heart of Texas Realty www. HeartOfTexasRealty.com, and Bjorn, Just Bjorn, of Bjorns Home Entertainment http://www.bjorns.com/

The following is her bio from the http://www.saparksfoundation.org/.

Ms. Lila Cockrell received a Bachelor of Arts degree from
Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas. She has
past military experience, having served as an Ensign in
the Waves during World War II. Her public service includes serving
as a San Antonio City Councilwoman from 1963 - 70 and again from
1973 - 75. In 1975 she was elected Mayor of San Antonio and served
until 1981 and again from 1989 - 91. She received an honorary
Doctor of Science degree from Our Lady of the Lake University
in San Antonio, and a Doctor of Humane Letters from Southern
Methodist University. She now holds the position of President of the
San Antonio Parks Foundation.
Ms. Cockrell has served on a number of local, state, and national boards and currently serves as
Co-Chairman of the San Antonio River Oversight Committee, National Trustee of the San Antonio
Museum of Art, a Trustee of Southwest Research Institute, Honorary Life Member, San Antonio
Economic Development Foundation, a member of the Texas Forum of the International Women’s
Forum, National Trustee of the San Antonio Museum of Art, Board Member and past Chairman of
the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, and Past Chair of the MasterCard Alamo Bowl,
Among the many local, state and national honors she has received are; San Antonio Women’s
Hall of Fame, Texas Women’s Hall of Fame, the Tom Bradley Award for Public Service from the
National Association of Regional Councils, the Spence Vanderlinden Award for Public Service from
the American Public Power Association, the Woman Who Made A Difference from the International
Women’s Forum, as well as a number of local and regional awards.
She was the widow of Sidney E. Cockrell, Jr. and has two daughters, Carol (Mrs. Robert L. Gulley)
of Alexandria, VA and Cathy (Mrs. John Newton) of Boerne, TX and two grandchildren, Dodge
Garman of San Antonio and Annalee Gulley of Alexandria, VA.
Resume starts on page 2
1
Lila Cockrell
Current Position:
President, San Antonio Parks Foundation August 1998
Current Boards:
Co-Chair, San Antonio River Oversight Committee
National Trustee, San Antonio Museum of Art
Trustee, Southwest Research Institute
Advisory Board Member, Arts! San Antonio
Board Member, World Affairs Council of San Antonio
Honorary Board Member – San Antonio Economic Development Foundation
Past Elective Offices Held:
Mayor, City of San Antonio 1975-1981;
1989-1991
Councilwoman, City of San Antonio 1963-1970;
1973-1975
Past Work Experience:
Deputy Director for Civic and Community Affairs 1994-1998
San Antonio Museum of Art
President, Travel By Design, Ltd. 1991-1994
(Successor Agency to Atkins Travel)
President, Atkins Travel Agency, Inc. 1984-1989
Director of Community Relations, 1972-1974
Ecumenical Center for Religion and Health
Coordinator of Volunteer Services 1970-1972
San Antonio State Chest Hospital
Past Boards, Commissions and Committees:
National Level:
Member, National Commission on Severely Distressed 1991-1993
Public Housing (appointed by Housing Banking Chair,
Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez)
One of the first five women selected as participant, 1981
National Security Forum of the U.S. Air War College,
Maxwell AFB.
2
Advisory Board, National League of Cities 1979-1981
Advisory Board, U.S. Conference of Mayors 1978-1981
Board of Directors, National League of Cities 1977-1979
President, Women in Municipal Government Sector 1976
National League of Cities
Board of Directors, National Association of 1973-1975
Regional Councils
State Levels:
Board of Directors, Texas Municipal League 1973-1981;
1989-1991
President, Texas Municipal League 1975-1976
Texas Commission on Intergovernmental Relations 1973-1975
Regional Level:
Chairman, Greater Austin – San Antonio Corridor Council 1989-1990
President, Region 7, Texas Municipal League 1974-1975
Chairman, Alamo Area Council of Governments 1973-1975
Local Level:
Chair – Mayor’s Committee on Integrity & Trust in Local 2003
Government
Co-Chair, Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on 2001-2002
San Antonio’s Economy
Board Member, Carver Community Cultural Center 2001-2002
Development Board
Board Member, Texas Research Park Foundation 1999-2002
Past Chairman, Alamo Bowl 2000
Downtown Advisory Board 1997-2000
(appointed by Councilman Roger Flores)
Coordinating Chairperson, City of San Antonio 1994
109.7 million bond campaign (4 propositions – all passed
with over 60% majority) May 7, 1994
3
Chairman, General Gifts Section 1994
Salvation Army Capital Campaign
Chairman, World Affairs Council 1992-1994
San Antonio Regional Advisory Board 1981-1994
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
Chairman, Arts! San Antonio 1992-1993
Chairman, City Public Service Board 1987-1988
Board Member, President and Chairman of the Board 1983-1993
San Antonio Festival
Ex Officio Board Member, City Public Service Board, 1975-1981
City Water Board and City Transit Board
President, League of Women Voters of San Antonio 1959-1963
Honors and Awards:
National Level:
Woman Who Made a Difference 1985
International Women’s Forum
Outstanding Civilian Service Medal 1981
United States Army
Meritorious Civilian Service Medal 1981
Department of the Air Force
Spence Vanderlinden Award for Public Service
American Public Power Association
Thomas Bradley Award for Public Service
National Association for Regional Councils
State Level:
San Antonio Business Hall of Fame 2004
Girl Scout Trefoil Award Recipient 2004
The Legends of Texas Award 2000
Sun City Texas by Del Webb
Public Service Award 1985
Texas Public Power Association
4
Texas Women’s Hall of Fame 1984
(One of the first 12 inductees along with
Lady Bird Johnson and Barbara Jordan)
Local Level:
Robert H. H. Hugman Hospitality Award 2002
San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau
Joe Frost Play Advocate 2002
The University of the Incarnate Word
Lifetime Achievement Award 2001
Alamo Area Council of Governments
Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award 1999
Sales and Marketing Executives
Humanitarian Award 1996
National Conference of Christians and Jews
San Antonio’s Women’s Hall of Fame 1984
(One of the first group of inductees)
Senior Citizen Housing Development renamed 1981
Lila Cockrell Apartments by the San Antonio
Housing Authority.
Theater of Performing Arts in HemisFair Plaza 1981
Renamed Lila Cockrell Theater.
Officially named Mayor Emeritus by City Council 1981
after retirement as Mayor.
Politician of the Decade 1980
San Antonio Light
Politician of the Year 1980
San Antonio Express-News
*In addition to these, over 100 local awards, plaques, and certificates of
appreciation have been received.
International Travel and Special Delegations:
As City Councilwoman:
Represented City of San Antonio in the State of 1974
Texas Bicentennial Commission official trip to Guatemala
led by Mark White, Secretary of State.
5
As Mayor:
Delegate and speaker, International Conference on 1990
“Acropolipses” hosted by Mayor of Osaka, Japan
Participant in anniversary celebrations in San Antonio’s 1989
Sister City of Kumamoto, Japan as guest of Mayor Ti Jiri.
Numerous trips to Mexico; received by President 1975-1981;
Luis Echeverria at Los Pinos March 1976; by 1989-1991
President Carlos Salinas in 1990. Sister City visits
to Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mazatlan
Member, U.S. Conference of Mayors first official 1979
delegation to visit the People’s Republic of China
Member, U.S. Conference of Mayors first official 1978
mayoral delegation to visit the People’s Republic
of China (Taiwan).
Member, National League of Cities official delegation, 1977
Bi-National Conference on Culture and Urban
Development. Munich, Nuremberg and Berlin, West
Germany; extension trip to Warsaw, Poland and
Budapest, Hungary.
Official City of San Antonio representative at the 500th 1976
Anniversary of the founding of Las Palmas, Canary
Islands, Spain – one of San Antonio’s Sister Cities.
Visit to Israel, accompanying Winnie and Alton Newell 1975
of San Antonio, on the occasion of a park being named
in their honor in Jerusalem by Mayor Teddy Kollak.
As Mayor Emeritus:
Participated in cultural delegation to Kumamoto, Japan 1993
in connection with Hinokuni Festa Kumamoto 1993.
Education:
B.A., Southern Methodist University
Dallas, Texas
Speech and English
Honorary Degrees
Doctor of Science, Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, Texas
Doctor of Human Letters, Southern Methodist University
Dallas, Texas
6
Military Service:
Served as Ensign in Waves; received an award 1943-1944
of recognition as Commanding Officer of the
company of Waves judged “Best Commanded
and Performed in the Bureau of Ships Regiment of Waves”.
Personal:
Widow of Sidney Earl Cockrell, Jr.
Children:
Carol Ann (Mrs. Robert Lee Gulley)
Alexandria, Virginia
Cathy Lynn (Mrs. John Newton)
San Antonio, Texas
Grandchildren:
Annalee Gulley – Alexandria, Virginia
Dodge Garman – San Antonio, Texas"

Joe McKinney Honored On The San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show,

Joe C. McKinneyVice Chairman, Broadway Bank, was the honored guest on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers show by John Thurman of Heart of Texas Realty http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/ and Bjorn, Just Bjorn, of Bjorn's Home Entertainment, http://www.bjorns.com/ Joe has been Vice Chairman of the Board since October of 2002. Jod McKinney oversees usiness development for Commercial Lending and Private Bank Divisions. Mr. McKinney retired in as Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase (formerly Chase Manhattan Bank and Texas Commerce Bank) – San Antonio Region after twenty-eight years of banking experience.

Mr. McKinney has an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. degree and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Harvard University. His civic service included being Chairman of the San Antonio Economic and Development Foundation. He serves on the boards of the Cancer Therapy and Research Center, the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, and Texas Lutheran University.

John and Debbie Montford Honored on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show, June 6, 2008

The San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show honors John and Debbie Montford for their livelong commitment to giving back to the community through both entrepreneurship and philantrophy. Below is an article that appeared in Philantropyh Magazine about this dymanic pair.

Perhaps it's no coincidence that San Antonio has taken off like a rocket since John T. Montford and his wife Debbie landed in the Alamo City in 2001. Montford, AT&T's senior vice president, Western States, points to the significant growth of San Antonio-based corporations, including Valero Energy, Clear Channel Communications, Toyota, and most recently, SBC's acquisition of AT&T, making San Antonio headquarters for the global communications corporation. As the outgoing chairman of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and the incoming chairman of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, Montford told civic leaders and the business community, "Great cities earn their place in history by what they accomplish through strong leadership, a shared vision, and united execution of that vision. Dynamic cities nurture their symphonies, their museums, and their visual and performing arts. Exceptional cities have great research universities, which excel in the humanities, sciences, and engineering. Most important, outstanding cities have strong visionary leaders and a large cadre of committed volunteers."Nothing could more aptly describe the philanthropic causes to which the Montfords have dedicated themselves and continue to actively support. John T. and Debbie Montford truly personify the term "dynamic duo." As a Texas senator for 14 years, Montford enjoyed a distinguished designation from Texas Monthly magazine when he was voted one of the Top Ten best legislators in Texas five times. During his term as senator, Montford was appointed chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and chairman of the Senate Affairs Committee, and he was also elected president pro tem for the 73rd Legislative Session.Following his Senate career, Montford served five years as the first chancellor of the Texas Tech university system. Montford, who was hired to "raise money and put the school on the map," more than delivered. He was successful in raising significant funds for Texas Tech University and was named Chancellor Emeritus in honor of his outstanding leadership. As chancellor, he surpassed an initial $300 million capital campaign goal, raising the total to $511 million, thereby significantly enhancing education for tens of thousands of future graduates. Also during his tenure as chancellor, Montford initiated the first new pharmacy school in Amarillo and sought to expand the medical school in El Paso. In addition, the Carnegie Foundation listed Texas Tech in the top category as a research university."I actually hired some good shoe salesmen to work on the project," says Montford, who clearly understands what it takes to work in the trenches. "I made 367 development calls in less than four years," explains Montford, in describing his successful capital campaign for Tech.After leaving his indelible mark at Texas Tech, Montford relocated to San Antonio to help lead one of the largest telecommunication companies in the country, SBC, now known as AT&T. Montford is the Senior Vice President of Western States State Regulatory and Legislative Affairs. His area recently expanded to 23 states.Debbie Montford quips, "This is how we have made our marriage strong. We've been married for 30 years, but with all the traveling, we have probably lived together for 10 years." The strength of their partnership has made them successful. "That's what you really have to have," says Debbie, who found her passion in campus beautification projects while at Texas Tech."The appearance of the campus is a deciding factor when students are choosing a college. Our beautification program was a nice complement to the capital campaign, and it also offered a menu of items to potential donors." She lends her leadership to the boards of the San Antonio Symphony and the Library Foundation Board. She's committed to helping out the Honors College at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) by co-chairing Great Conversations, the signature event to raise support for scholarships.One of Debbie's most passionate causes is the Texas Cultural Trust Council, which presents the Texas Medal of Arts award to distinguished Texas artists. Recent honorees include singer Willie Nelson, poet and writer Naomi Shihab Nye, writer Sandra Cisneros, and actor Fess Parker. Arts and education initiatives are always close to home for the Montfords. "I am very committed to this project," says Debbie. Philanthropy is practically 24/7 for the couple, who have three grown children and one grandson. "I get a lot of pillow talk about the Symphony," says John, who shares Debbie's interest in education and support for the arts."My passion is scholarships," he says “I feel strongly about supporting students and providing education for young people."Montford will serve as chairman of College for all Texans in 2006 and is planning to build on the $8 million already raised. He envisions raising $40 million to support the effort. John and Debbie have been recognized for their public service and for helping to raise nearly $2 million for UTSA scholarships.The two have cleverly turned several traditional university events into successful fundraisers for UTSA. "It's a responsibility to give back to the community. The whole idea of philanthropy is not just donating money, but volunteering to help mankind." says Debbie, indicating that her future philanthropic efforts will target arts and education causes on a state level.With their drive and dedication, the Montfords are on target to achieve an amazing goal – raising $1 billion in their lifetimes for the many charities they support in so many ways.

Richard Perez Honored On The San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show, May 31, 2008

The San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show honors Richard Perez, President and CEO of The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. Richard is the 18th President to lead the 2,000 member organization in its 114-year history.
Perez, a native of San Antonio, has been with the Chamber since November, 2007. He brings experience as an owner/manager of a family-owned business to his position. Prior to serving at The Chamber, Richard served as the two-time San Antonio City Councilman for District 4, from 2004 - 2007. Richard’s reputation for integrity and his skill at bringing consensus to solving issues at the City Council helped him become recognized as one of San Antonio’s bright leaders for the future.
While on the Council, Richard
chaired the San Antonio Military Transformation Task Force – which continues to help facilitate and implement post-BRAC plans, the largest single development project in the history of the City, worth up to $2 Billion in construction, and adding thousands of jobs for San Antonians,
served as the point-person in recruitment efforts to attract, and negotiate the contract bringing City Manager Sheryl Sculley to San Antonio,
Chaired the Transportation Policy Board of the San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), which was charged with setting policy that identified, prioritized, and allocated over $100 Million annually in state and federal funding for the construction of roadway improvements, planning studies, and the implementation of various multi-modal initiatives such as bus rapid transit (BRT) and commuter rail/rail relocation efforts for the Bexar County region.
Served as senior City representative, with the County Judge and Greater Chamber President in negotiating the relocation of a new National Security Agency (NSA) office in San Antonio with 500 employees.
Served on the City’s International Economic Development strategic efforts by acting as a City Ambassador via travels to India, Mexico, and Japan, and led two trade missions to India, resulting in a sister city agreement with Chennai, India in 2008.
While these impressive accomplishments describe his success in crossing political lines to ensure the best results for the City of San Antonio, he is most respected for his open door policy and his willingness to listen and respond to the needs of all citizens of the community.
Perez brings regional and national service to his position at The Chamber. He was appointed the Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by the Clinton Administration from March 1998 –January 2001. Prior to that Perez served as Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Laredo.
Perez received a bachelor’s degree with a major in urban and regional planning from Texas State University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas. Perez is married to Judy Lynn (Patterson) and they are the parents of three children: Clarissa, Elissa and Ricardo Antonio. He has deep roots in San Antonio and has lived on the south side of town for 39 years.

Submitted by John Thurman, Co-Host, San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show

Broker, Heart of Texas Realty http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/

Bjorn Dybdahl, http://www.bjorns.com/

Pat Frost Honored On The San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show, May 24, 2008

The San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show
Pat Frost is president of San Antonio-based Frost Bank, which was founded by his great-great-grandfather 138 years ago. He also serves as a director of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc., the bank's financial holding company. A graduate of Vanderbilt University with a BA in economics, Frost also earned an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. He began his career at Frost Bank in 1984 and has been president of the bank since 1993.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Tom Frost, Pat Frost serves on a broad array of civic, non-profit and professional organization boards. He is chairman of the 2008 Men’s Final Four, past-president of the Rotary Club of San Antonio and past-chairman of the Free Trade Alliance, the Alamo Bowl Association, the Ecumenical Center for Religion and Health and the San Antonio Sports Foundation. He is a member of the Financial Services Roundtable and a former board member of the Consumer Bankers Association.

He was named "Outstanding Young Texas Ex" by the University of Texas Ex-Students Association, "Outstanding Young Man of the Year" by the San Antonio Junior Chamber of Commerce, and was honored for his "Outstanding Contributions to Literacy" by San Antonio Youth Literacy.

Submitted by John Thurman, Co-Host, San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show Broker, Heart of Texas Realty , http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/ Bjorn Dybdahl, www.Bjorns.com

Dr. Kenneth Kalkwarf, DDS Honored On The San Antonio Movers And Shakers Show, May 17, 2008

The San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show honors Dr. Ken Kalkwarf, Professor in the Department of Periodontics, and Dean of the Dental School, University of Texas Health Science Cener at San Antonio. Dr. Kalfwarf graduated from the University of Nebraska with a DDS and then completed at General Practice Residency Program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He returned to the University of Nebraska to receive his Certificate in Periodontics and an MS in Oral Biology. He became a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology in 1979. Dr. Kalkwarf held faculty positions at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Nebraska, including the Directorship of the postdoctoral Periodontics Program. He has continuously maintained a private practice limited to Periodontics. He has served on various capacities with the Texas Society of Periodontists, the Southwest Society of Periodontists, and the American Academy of Periodontology. He has been a reviewer for the Journal of Periodontology since 1984.


Submitted by John Thurman, Co-Host, San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show
Broker, Heart of Texas Realty , http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/
Bjorn Dybdahl, www.Bjorns.com

Dr. Ricardo Romo Honored On The San Antonio Movers and Shaker Show

The San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show honors Dr. Ricardo Romo, President, University of Texas at San Antonio, May 10, 2008

As president, Dr. Romo leads one of the fastest growing institutions of higher education in Texas and the nation. UTSA, under his leadership, is now poised to become the state's next premier research universities.
President Romo has led strategic efforts to enhance both access to education and excellence in scholarship and service at the university.
During President Romo’s tenure, UTSA’s enrollment has grown nearly 50%, and the University has added numerous programs and facilities to enhance student life. He also has implemented new student support programs designed to help students succeed at earning a university degree. The number of advisers has tripled, and UTSA, with more than 28,400 students in 2008, is recognized as a leader in “Closing the Gaps,” a statewide initiative by the Legislature to enroll more Texans in higher education.
A native of San Antonio’s West Side, President Romo graduated from Fox Tech High School and attended The University of Texas at Austin on a track scholarship. He served as captain of the track and cross-country team and earned All-American honors in 1966. Romo was the first Texan to run the mile in less than four minutes, and his mile record lasted 41 years. He earned a B.S. degree in Education.
He holds a master's degree in history from Loyola Marymount University and a Ph.D. in history from UCLA. A nationally respected urban historian, Romo is the author of "East Los Angeles: History of a Barrio," which is now in its ninth printing (one in Spanish).
In 1980, President Romo returned to UT Austin to teach history before becoming a vice provost for undergraduate education. In 2002, President Bush appointed him to the President's Board of Advisers on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In 2004, former Secretary of State Colin Powell appointed Romo as a U.S. representative to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, and in 2005, Romo was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, San Antonio branch, and was reappointed in 2007—Romo currently serves as the vice chair. In 2008, he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Texas Exes Alumni Association.
In 2006, Romo was honored by the UT Austin Friar Society as Outstanding Friar Alumnus. He was elected Chairman of the Board for the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (the largest U.S. Hispanic Chamber organization) for 2006. In 2007, Gov. Rick Perry appointed Romo to serve on the Commission for College Ready Texas. He serves on nearly 20 boards, many of them in San Antonio. He is active on several museum boards and is especially proud of his work with the United Way.
President Romo is married to Dr. Harriett Romo, an Associate Professor of Sociology at UTSA. She also serves as director of UTSA's Mexico Center and works with the the Bank of America Child and Adolescent Policy Research Institute (CAPRI). They have one son, Carlos, who graduated from Stanford University and The University of Texas School of Law. Their daughter, Anadelia, attended Princeton as an undergraduate and received a doctoral degree from Harvard University and presently teaches at Texas State University.Dr. Romo has received many honors during his academic career, one of the most recent recognitions was the Isabel la Catolica award, the highest award given to non-Spanish subjects, bestowed upon him by King Juan Carlos of Spain.

Submitted by John Thurman, co-host, San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show
Broker, Heart of Texas Realty http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/
Bjorn Dybdahl, (Just Bjorn) www.Bjorns.com

Clarence R. “Reggie” Williams honored on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show

The San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show is pleased to honor Clarence R. “Reggie” Williams, President/Chief Executive Officer
San Antonio Area Foundation on May 3, 2008.

Clarence R. “Reggie” Willliams leads the Area Foundation in fulfilling its mission…helping donors achieve their charitable goals for the greater benefit of the community. In his role, Reggie helps build philanthropic partnerships between the donors and non-profit organizations looking to address our community’s needs and challenges.
Prior to his current position, Reggie was Senior Vice President of Information Systems Operations at USAA. Directing a 1600 personnel department, he was responsible for the certification, operation, maintenance, and sustainment of USAA’s Information Technology Systems─including telecommunications, computer, print, and mail operations. In addition he served as Executive Chairman of the USAA Volunteer Corp, a 6000 employee based volunteer group.
Reggie holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio; a Master of Education Degree from Westfield State Teacher’s College, Westfield, Maine; and accomplished Doctoral Study at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. He is also a graduate of the Defense University’s Armed Forces Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. After graduating from college, Reggie was commissioned an officer into the United States Air Force. He retired from the Air Force in the grade of Colonel.
An mentor and civic leader, Reggie serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of San Antonio─the largest Rotary Club in the world. He is an advisor to the Board for the Ella Austin Community City as well as Chairman of the San Antonio United Negro College Fund Advisory Board. His other board memberships include Los Compadres de San Antonio Missions, Christus Santa Rosa, College of Wooster, and United Way of San Antonio/Bexar County. Reggie also sits on the Regional Board of Directors for the National Conference for Communities and Justice, the city’s Cultural Collaborative Steering Committee, and the Board of the San Antonio/Bexar County Arts and Culture Fund.
Recognized for his athletic abilities, Reggie was inducted as a Charter Member of his hometown high school, Orrville High, and The College of Wooster and The Wayne County, Ohio, Sports Halls of Fame. In 2000, Reggie was inducted into the San Antonio East-side Community’s Counting Your Blessings Hall of Fame.

Submitted by John Thurman, co-Host, San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show

Broker, Heart of Texas Realty http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/

Bjorn Dybdahl, http://www.bjorns.com/

Doug Leonhard Honoted On The San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show

John Thurman of http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/ , and Bjorn Dybdahl of Bjorn's www.Bjorns.com are pleased to honor Mr. Doug Leonhard, Vice Chairman, San Antonio Water Systems for a life long commitment to entrepreneurship in San Antonio, TX. Mr. Leonhard is a real estate/business consultant with his own firm, Leonhard Real Estate Services, Inc.

Mr. Leonhard, a native of New Jersey, has spent more than half of his life in South Texas, in Houston and San Antonio. He received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University, and his Masters in Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University, both in New Jersey.
He worked for many years for Exxon Company USA, first in petroleum marketing, and then as Vice President and Houston Projects Manager for Friendswood Development Co., an Exxon subsidiary. He also held senior executive positions with the Woodlands Corp., in the new town of The Woodlands, north of Houston, and with the Mission Viejo Corp. in the new towns of Mission Viejo, Calif. and Highlands Ranch, Colo. He retired several years ago from the La Cantera Development Company, a subsidiary of USAA, where he was Senior Vice President and the original developer of the La Cantera project in northwest San Antonio.

Mr. Leonhard has a long record of civic and community involvement in Houston and San Antonio. He was a member, Vice President and President of the Board of Trustees of the Humble Independent School District (in the Houston area) during a 7-year stint on that board. More recently, he has been Chairman of the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the San Antonio Convention & Visitor's Bureau, and President of the Real Estate Council of San Antonio. Mr. Leonhard was the initial Chairman of the Countywide Citizen's Watershed Masterplan Committee from 2000-2002, a member of the Open Space Advisory Committee from 1996-1999, and has served on numerous other civic and community committees and associations.
Mr. Leonhard and his wife Patricia have three children, eleven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Alexander "Alex" Briseno honoed on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show

The honoree of the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show, on April 26, 2008 is Alexander E. Briseño, Chairman of the Board, San Antonio Water Systems, and former City Manager, city of San Antonio.

Alex Briseño retired as City Manager of San Antonio in March 2001 after serving almost 11 years in office. As Chief Executive Officer, he managed the administration of a full-service municipal government as directed by City Council and oversaw an annual budget of $1.2 billion. Mr. Briseño supervised the activities of all City departments with 12,000 employees, serving a community of more than 1.1 million residents and 417 square miles. During his tenure as City Manager of San Antonio, Mr. Briseño worked under four different mayors and 39 city council members.

After a national search, Mr. Briseño was appointed City Manager in April 1990. He began his career with the City in 1977 as Assistant to the City Manager and in 1980 became Assistant City Manager, ultimately supervising almost every City department. Prior to joining City government, he earned the rank of Captain while serving in the U.S. Army, including as Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General of the Army Medical Research and Development Command in Washington, D.C.

Since his retirement, Mr. Briseño has been appointed Professor of Public Service in Residence at St. Mary’s University where he teaches graduate courses in Public Administration. In addition, he frequently addresses participants in public and private sector professional development seminars. He also has provided municipal consulting services for Estrada Hinojosa and Co., an investment banking firm, the North American Development Bank, and other clients. Recently, he served short-term appointments as Interim President of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, as the Interim President/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the San Antonio Water System, as Interim President/CEO of the San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative (SATAI) Network, and as Interim Executive Director of the Brooks Development Authority. Currently, he is also serving as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the San Antonio Water System and as a member of the Board of Managers for the Bexar County University Health System.


Education

Diploma (with High Honors), Central Catholic High School, 1967
Major in Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University, 1967-69
Bachelor of Arts (Magna Cum Laude), Economics, Trinity University, 1971
Master of Arts, Urban Studies, Trinity University, 1973

Professional Memberships

Elected as a Fellow, National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), 1996-present; International City/County Management Association (ICMA) 1977-present, Executive Board, 1985-87; Texas City Management Association 1977-present, Board of Directors, 1983-84; ICMA Hispanic Network, Past President; ICMA Retirement Trust, Board of Trustees, 1994-1998, Chairman, 1996-97; American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), 2001-present.

Submitted by John Thurman, Broker, Heart of Texas Realty http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/
Host, San Antonio Movers and Shaker Show with Bjorn Dybdahl, Just Bjorn, www.Bjorns.com

Charles "Marty" Wender honored on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show

Charles Martin Wender (known to most as "Marty") was honored as one of San Antonio's entrepreneurs by John Thurman of Heart of Texas Realty www,HeartOfTexasRealty.com, and Bjorn, Just Bjorn, of www.Bjorns.com on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show on April 19, 2008. Marty is well known for his many achievements and forward looking vision. Marty is a native of Ft. Worth, Texas. He began his business career in San Antnoio after having participated in the Business Honors Program at The University of Texas at Austin. He is marryied to San Antonio nativ, e Rene Lynn Mandel.
Marty's real estate development projects have included San Antonio Westover Hills, located in the northwest area of San Antonio. Other developments include Fawn Meadow in the Medical Center, Crownridge off IH 10 West near Camp Bullis, and the Oak Run subdivision in New Braunfels, TX

Mr. Wender's vision is to revitalize San Antonio's west side and many of his dreams have come to fruition through n his Westover Hills development. Marty Wender was selected as one of five "Visionaries" by the San Antonio Business Journal special section entitled "A Century of Business" for his vision and accomplishments in West San Antonio and his Westover Hills Development. Westover Hills has become home to Sea World of Texas, the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort Hotel and Arthur Hill Championship Golf Course, QVC Network, Inc., Philips Semiconductors (formerly VLSI Technology, Inc.), World Savings National Operations Center, the Alamo Community College District's new Northwest Vista Campus, which opened Phase I in October of 1998, Oberthur Gaming Technologies, Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q, and the 88.5 acre Office Campus for The American Funds Group/Capital Group Companies, which opened in the fall of 1998.

Submitted by John Thurman, Broker, Heart of Texas Realty www.HeartOfTexasRealty.com

Dan Decker of Sea World Honored on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Show

The San Antonio Movers and Shakers Radio Talk Show, hosted by John Thurman, San Antonio's Most Listened To Realtor and Broker, Heart of Texas Realty http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/, and Bjorn Dybdahl, (Just Bjorn) Owner, Bjorn's http://www.bjorns.com/. Honored one of San Antonio's foremost entrepreneurs on April 19, 2008. Dan Decker, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Sea World of Texas. Dan oversees the largest of the Sea World parks as far as physical size. Dan is the Chairman of the Board of the San Antonio Tourism Council. Prior to his assignment as Executive Vice President, Sea World of Texas, he was Sales and Marketing Director, Grant’s Farm, the historical home of Ulysses Grant. Grant’s Farm is located in St. Louis, Missouri. Dan graduated from Hartford University with a BBA in Business Administration.

Submitted by John Thurman, San Antonio's Most Listened To Realtor

Host Real Estate Focus Talk Show,

Host, San Antonio Movers and Shakers Talk Show

SWBC Corporation Benefits San Antonio Economy

The SWBC Corporation plays a major role in San Antonio's economy in many ways. The company's founders, Charlie Amato and Gary Dudley have been acquainted since their early childhood days. Both have appeared as honorees on the San Antonio Movers and Shakers Radio Talk Show http://www.samoversandshakers.com/ hosted by John Thurman, Broker, Heart of Texas Realty http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/, and Bjorn , Just Bjorn of Bjorn's Home Entertainment Company http://www.bjorns.com/. Charley Amato and Gary Dudley are Chairman and President, respectively, of the SWBC Corporation. Charlie and Dudley are very committed to all facets of the San Antonio economy and business comunity. The recently announced an agreement with the AT&T Center and the San Antonio Spurs to rebrand the entire terrace level of the AT&T Center as the SWBC suite level. They note that the San Antonio Spurs are a community asset and as such they believe that businesses that derive their livelihood from the San Antonio area should be supportive of the team.

SWBC Corporation is primarily a financial services firm that is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The company does business in all 50 states. Their business includes Risk Management, Income Generation, Investment Services, Executive Benefits, Mortgage Services, Information Technology, Business Insurance, Employee Benefits, Employee Mortgage Services, Retirement Planning, They also offer Auto Insurance, Excess Flood Insurance, Homeowners Insurance, Personal Investments, and Reverse Mortgages. In addition, they own severa automobile dealerships.

The SWBC Coporation employs approximately 1,200 people at all levels of compensation.

Thanks to Charlie Amato and Gary Dudley of the SWBC Corporation for your incredible support of the San Antonio, Texas economy.

Subbmitted by John Thurman, Broker, Heart of Texas Realty http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/
Host, Real Estate Focus Talk Show
NewsTalk 930 KLUP

The San Antonio Economy, Resiting Resession?

San Antonio Hispanic Chamber http://www.sahcc.com/ CEO and President, Ramiro Cavazosn and Economic Advisor, Dr. Steven Nivin, PH.D., made a presentation to the San Antonio REALTOR's First Voice Luncheon this past week at Toyota of Boerne http://www.toyotaofboerne.com/. Vic Vaughan, CEO and Dealer and Shawn Vaughan, General Sales Manager, hosted the event.
Other people present were San Antonio Business Journal Publisher, Kent Krauss, Toyota Central Texas Manager, Brad Clark, John Thurman, Radio Talk Show Host of Real Estate Focus http://www.klup.com/ http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/, and Bjorn Dybdahl, http://www.bjorns.com/.

According to Dr. Nivin, corporate profits have have been declining over the past five quarters. This by itself was a signal that the economy was softening. Dr. Nivin noted that one definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of decline in GDP. While we have not experienced that, yet, it is expected that the 4th quarter will show a pretty substantial decline, and many economists are projecting a decline in the first quarter of 2009 as well. Our chief economist has been arguing that we have been in a recession since the end of 2007 or the beginning of 2008. In the past, when the economy has experienced six consecutive months of employment decline, the economy has always gone into recession. Employment has now been declining for three quarters through October, 2008.

US real GDB however has not declined for two quarters but the downturn in the overall economy since October is expected to put 4th quarter numbers of 2008 into a genuine decline.

US seasonally adjusted unemployment rose to 6.5% in October of 2008 and higher levesl are clearly possilble in 2009. The rate of growth in the unemployment is increasing as the end of 2008 approaches

From September 2007 to Sept 2008, inflation declined slightly to 4.94 percent.

A major benefit of the San Antonio economy is that is it very diversified. The Finance sector contributes approximatly $20.5 Million in economic contribution. Real estate contributes approximatly $19.4 Million in economic contribution, Healthcare accounts for approximately $16.3 Million, Manufacturing contributes about $14.4 Million in economic benefit. The US DOD or Department of Defence contributes about $13.3 Million in economic benefit. Hospitality and Tourism contributes about $8.7 Million in economic benefit, Informatino Technology IT contributes about 5.3 Million in economic benefit, Graphics and Creative Technologies contributes approximatly $3.4 Million in Economic Benefit, Aerospace contributes approximately 3.3 Milliion in economic benefit, and Higher Education contributes approximately about $2.2 Million.

Employment supported by the various sectors provides a sound base for economic stability that many other communities may wish to emulate. i.e.: Department of Defense DOD accounts for approximatly 200,000 jobs annually in the San Antonio area. Approximately 131,000 people are employed in the real estate sector. Healthcare and the biosciences account for approximately 120,000 jobs in San Antonio. Tourism and hospitality accounts for approximately 100,000 jobs. Since Toyota opened a plant in San Antonio, the area's manufacturing based has increased to approximatley 53,000 jobs. San Antonio's Finance Sector accounts for approximately 51,000 jobs. Graphics and Creative Technologies account for approximatly 27,000 jobs. Higher education accounts for approximately 17,000 jobs. Information Technology IT, accounts for approximatey 11,000 jobs in San Antonio, and Aerospace accounts for approximately 10,000 jobs. Through October of 2008, San Antonio's employment has been increasing steadily at an approximate rate of about 2%


Texas' leading Economic Indes appears to indicate a slowing of the Texas economy over the next year.

The Texas economy continues to grow but the rate of growth has been declining over the past year. The index increased from 187.2 in August to 187.3 in September. From March 2008 to September 2008, the index increased at an annualized rate of 1.29%

Texas' major metro areas continue their long growth trends, but growth is starting to stagnate.





While all metro areas of Texas grew in September, Houston led the way. The Business Cycle index for major metropolitan areas in Texas noted a 1.96% increase in growth for San Antonio, a 3.96% growth for Houston, 2.34% growth for Ft. Worth, a 1.14% growth for Dallas, and a .5% growth for Austin. In fact, Austin moved from one of the fastest growning regions to one of the slowest during 2008.



US Housing starts decreased thoughtout the US in 2008 and in Texas during the last half of 2008, a clear signal of a pending recession

According to the National Association of Realtors, the number of months of existing homes inventory on the market decreased over the past few months from a high of over 11 months to just under 10 months. However, this statistic included the months prior to the fall of the world stock and financial markets.





The Growth in home sales continues its decline in all major areas of Texas, including San Antonio. Homes sales in San Antonio are down almost 20% from September 2007 to September 2008 according the Bob Leonard, Chairman of the Board of the San Antonio Board of REALTORS. Median home prices declined only slighty in each of the major markets though, indicating at least some stabity in home values in cities like San Antonio.

The PMI Mortgage Insurance Company has established PMI U.S. Market Risk Index to assess the risk that may exist in each of the major U.S. metropolitan markets. Riverside, California has a market risk of 1, meaning a 95.5% probability that if a home is foreclosed, the PMI Insurance in effect on mortgage will be result in a claim on the assets of the PMI Mortgage Insurance Company. Ft. Worth, Texas has a risk index of 5 meaning that the value of the home will likely reflect the home's market value. Other markets in Texas such as San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and Austin have similar indexes meaning housing values should remain stable throughout the recession.

San Antonio has an unemployment rate of approximatly 5% as of Novembe, 2008. During 2008, the city created approximatly 20,000 new jobs.

Summary

The national economy is clearly in for some troubled times. However, the economic stimulus that has been infused into the economy by the US Federal Government is likely to keep a depression from occuring. Even so, economic recession is imminent. But Texas's metro economies are likely to continue to grow, hopefully, but at a slower rate than the past several years.

Summarized by John Thurman , Broker, Heart of Texas Realty

Host, Real Estate Focus Talk Show, NewsTalk 930 KLUP

http://www.heartoftexasrealty.com/