About the Series
The Meadows Center for Entrepreneurial Studies promotes and encourages entrepreneurial thought, business and activities locally, regionally and nationally.
The purpose of the Forum on Entrepreneurship Series is to offer the larger San Antonio community and students of St. Mary’s University a forum to hear from some of the most talented individuals in industry and government. Funds generated from the series support student scholarships and encourage entrepreneurial activities in San Antonio and the region. The Forum on Entrepreneurship Series attracts two to three hundred attendees to its bi-monthly events.
Great leaders who have served as speakers include:
- Brigadier General Laura L. Lenderman, United States Air Force
- Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, President and CEO, greater:SATX
- Jim Sinegal, co-founder, Costco Wholesale
- Lanham Napier, co-founder and CEO, BuildGroup
- Chad McNair, CEO, McNair Java Partners, LLC
- Kellie Fischer, executive vice president and chief financial officer of the Texas Rangers Baseball Club
- Robert Kaplan, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
- Lynda Ellis, owner, president and CEO of Capital Concierge
- James Garvin, Ph.D., CEO, president and director of CytoBioScience, Inc.
- Dennis Noll, CEO of San Antonio Area Foundation
- Bryant Ambelang, president and CEO of NatureSweet Brands LTD
- Mike Howard, chairman and CEO of Howard Midstream Energy Partners, LLC
- Shannon Schuyler, principal, chief purpose officer and corporate responsibility leader of PwC, and president of PwC Charitable Foundation
- Adam L. Hamilton, P.E., president of Southwest Research Institute
- Stuart Parker (M.B.A. ’95), CEO of USAA
- Daymond John, founder and CEO of FUBU apparel, author, and marketing and branding judge for ABC’s Shark Tank
- Paula Gold-Williams (B.B.A. ’84), CEO of CPS Energy
- Tom Kartsotis, founder of Fossil and Shinola
- Bill Greehey, chairman of NuStar Energy, L.P.
- Kelly S. King, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Truist Financial Corporation
- Randy Harig, CEO of Texas Research & Technology Foundation and VelocityTX
- Brad Barron, President and CEO, NuStar Energy, L.P.
- Angela Yochem, EVP and Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Novant Health
- Andrew Endicott, Co-founder and General Partner, Gilgamesh Ventures
- Lorenzo Gomez III, community builder, author and public speaker, former director of Rackspace
- Jacqueline Darna, CEO and medical inventor of the NoMo Nausea, NoMo Migraine and NoMo Sleepless Nights
- Craig Boyan, President of H-E-B
- Anna M. Alvarado, Managing Director, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Texas Capital Bank
- Randy Smith, Co-Founder and CEO, Weston Urban
- Cat Dizon, Co-founder and COO, Active Capital
Past Speakers
Forum Speakers
Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024
Witte Museum, Dawson Family Hall
Kate Rogers
Executive Director of Alamo Trust
Kate Rogers, Ph.D. currently serves as the Executive Director of the Alamo Trust, the non-profit organization responsible for the daily operations of the Alamo historic site and the implementation of the $550 million Alamo Master Plan.
The first new building associated with the plan – The Ralston Family Collections Center – opened to the public on March 3rd, 2023. During her tenure at the Trust, Rogers has successfully kicked off the statewide fundraising campaign with nearly $50 million raised to date in private funding, recruited several key staff members and completed the acquisition of the Donald and Louise Yena Collection. She has also launched several new outdoor interpretive exhibits including the 18 Pounder Losoya House, the Palisade and the Mission Gate as well as the new Sacristy Exhibit inside Alamo Church.
Prior to her time at the Alamo, she served as the Vice President of Community Outreach and Engagement at the Charles Butt Charitable Foundation. Rogers graduated Magna Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Texas Christian University and received her Master of Public Affairs degree from the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. She recently earned her Doctor of Education degree from the University of Southern California.
Rogers spent almost 20 years in marketing and communications at H-E-B, one of the largest privately-held retail chains in the country before transitioning to pursue her passion in public education. Prior to joining the Charles Butt Foundation, she served as the founding President of the Holdsworth Center, a leadership institute for public school professionals located in Austin, Texas. Rogers also serves on the board of Alamo Colleges Foundation and Early Matters San Antonio and has been named Woman of the Year by the San Antonio Business Journal and the list of top 100 Texans to Watch.
More about Kate Rogers
Registration Link coming soon.
Forum Speakers Future Events
Thursday, Nov 14, 2024
Witte Museum, Dawson Family Hall
Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025
Witte Museum, Dawson Family Hall
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Witte Museum, Dawson Family Hall
Sponsorship Opportunities
To renew your sponsorship, become a new Forum on Entrepreneurship Sponsor, or for additional information about attending, contact forum@stmarytx.edu or 210-436-3124.
Forum Sponsors
Title Sponsorship
Speaker’s Sponsorship
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
- Hernandez Financial Strategies, LLC / Fred Olivares, CPA/CFF, PLLC
- Inventures | STR Ventures
- King Family Foundation
Non-Profit Sponsors
Venue Sponsor
Board of Directors
President
Paul Hensley, HOLT CATChairman
Sergio Palacios, Ph.D., St. Mary’s UniversityVice President-Speakers
Hector Hernandez, Hernandez Financial Strategies, LLCVice President-Sponsors
Beth Hair, VacoTreasurer
Julia Hamon, Wells FargoSecretary
Pamela A. Luna, St. Mary’s UniversityMembers
- Lane Allen, Encore Bank
- John Bruce, FORVIS
- Rhonda Calvert, retired
- Jon D. Crumley, retired
- Tres Doran, KPMG LLP
- Chris C. Edelen, Safe Showers, LLC
- Paul Garro, Vascular Perfusion Solutions
- Jeffrey Landers, Third Coast Bank SSB
- Violeta Diaz, Ph.D., St. Mary’s University
- David G. Pope, Labatt Food Service
- Rowena Ortiz-Walters, Ph.D., St. Mary’s University