Conference on Texas | Texas Trailblazers Awards
Celebrate the people who are working to preserve the land, water and sky of Texas at the 5th annual Conference on Texas:
Changing Landscapes featuring the 11th annual Texas Trailblazers Awards on May 16-17, 2022.
Sunday, May 15, 2022
Pre-Conference Activity: Draw Closer to Nature: Plein Aire and Sketching Techniques
As part of the 2022 Conference on Texas, the San Antonio Art League will conduct a Plein Aire class. In the spirit of the opening exhibition of James Ferdinand McCan: Painting A Historical Portrait of Texas, 1895 – 1925, Vikki Fields will instruct students in the practice of making art in the open air on the back porch of the Mays Family Center. Join us and draw closer to nature!
Instruction provided by the San Antonio Art League. Additional ticket required. Limited to twenty people.
Monday & Tuesday, May 16 & 17, 2022
Texas Trailblazers Awards Luncheon
Presented by the Mays Family Foundation
11:30 a.m – 1:00 pm
Mays Family Center of the Witte Museum
The Texas Trailblazers Award Luncheon presented by the Mays Family Foundation in partnership with Texas Monthly on May 16 will honor Helen K. Groves and the Trustees of the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation. Keynote speaker Joni Carswell, Executive Director of Texan by Nature, will discuss current conservation efforts along with a recorded message from Laura Bush, founder and former First Lady.
Conference on Texas: Changing Landscapes
This year’s conference will focus on a global conversation about Texas, especially people’s relationships with the land, in the past, present and future. Discussions include: Future of the Earth: Climate Ready Buildings with Steve Hennigan, CEO Credit Human; A Century of Change with esteemed naturalist David Schmidly; and panels: New Stewards of the Land; Oil and Renewable Energy Strategies; Conservation along the Gulf Coast; Ocelot as a Mascot for Habitat Change; Wind Turbines and Bird Flight Paths; Solar Energy Feeding the Grid, among other topics. On Monday evening, enjoy the opening of James Ferdinand McCan: Painting A Historical Portrait of Texas, 1895 – 1925 whose work documented the changing Texas landscape.
Day 1 - May 16, 2022
Steve Hennigan, CEO, CreditHuman
A coneversation with Don McDonald, Architect and James Grizzard, Harvest Rain
Jenny Sanders and Roel López, Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute | Moderator: Neal Wilkins, East Foundation
Room: TBD
Romey Swanson, Audubon Texas and Larry McKinney, Harte Research Institute | Moderator: Suzanne Scott, The Nature Conservancy
Room: TBD
M.M. McAllen and Cina Alexander Forgason
Room: TBD
Location: Ewing Halsell Hall and Valero Great Hall
Day 2 - May 17, 2022
Sponsored by Wells Fargo – Veltri and Velasquez
Topic: Texas Natural History in the 21st Century
Speaker: David Schmidly, Naturalist
Breakfast provided.
Courtesy of The East Foundation
Location: May’s Family Center
Michael Tewes, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute and Neal Wilkins, East Foundation
Moderator: Helen Holdsworth
Location: TBD
Josie Gutiérrez, Latino Outdoors and Leon McNeil, City Kids Adventures
Moderator: Heather Welder Russo
Room: TBD
Earl Nottingham, Texas Rivers
and Wes Ferguson, Author
Moderator: Kathy Blackwell, Texas Monthly
Room: TBD
Richard Estrada, Statewide Renewable and Robert Miggins, Big Sun Solar
Moderator: Dirk Elmendorf
Room: TBD
As in the past few years, your health and wellness are top priorities. Our intention is to host an in-person event but will make adjustments as necessary closer to the event. Regardless, we know you’ll enjoy the fascinating content and camaraderie of this year’s Conference.
Sponsorship Opportunities
All levels include:
- Recognition as a major donor in printed materials and invitations to the annual Witte Museum’s President’s Dinner
- Special logo recognition and prime placement on printed program, signage at the event, and invitation, thank you in the summer 2020 Witte Tracks Member Magazine to 7,000 members & emailer to entire Witte database of 17,000+ South Texans
- Invitations to the VIP Opening Reception of the exhibition, James Ferdinand McCan: Painting A Historical Portrait of Texas, 1895 – 1925 on May 16, 2022.
- Presenting Sponsor of both Texas Trailblazers Luncheon and Conference on Texas
- (2) Top tier table placements in front of the stage with preferred seating for (10) at the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon
- (15) complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas
- (1) Top tier table placement in front of the stage with preferred seating for (10) at the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon
- (10) complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas
- Dedicated ad space in the printed Conference program
- Recognized as the Conference on Texas Sponsor
Location: Ewing Halsell Hall and Valero Great Hall
Pioneer | $5,000
(1) Second tier table placement with preferred seating for (10)
(4) complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas
Explorer| $3,000
(1) Third tier table placement with preferred seating for (10)
(4) complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas
Naturalist| $2,000 | Limited Quantity
(1) Fourth tier table placement with preferred seating for (10)
(4) complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Dear Conference on Texas and Texas Trailblazers Luncheon Attendee:
Thank you for joining us at the 5th Annual Witte Museum Conference on Texas: Changing Landscapes featuring the 11th Annual Texas Trailblazers Luncheon honoring the Trustees of the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation.
The Witte Museum is saddened by the loss of esteemed trailblazer, Helen Kleberg Groves, whose family foundation is being honored as this year’s Texas Trailblazer. On behalf of the Witte Museum Board of Trustees and Staff, we want to express our sincere sympathies to the family of Helen K. Groves. We will honor her memory at the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon on Monday, May 16.
On Tuesday, May 17, the Boxed Luncheon sponsored by Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo featuring David J. Schmidly is rescheduled as Breakfast starting at 8:00 on Tuesday, May 17. The Texas Natural History – Century of Change Program will begin at 8:30 am. The rest of the conference (panels at 9:30 and 10:45 a.m.) will continue as planned through 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday to accommodate those who would like to attend the celebration of life for Mrs. Groves.
Registration for the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon will be in the Feik Family Orientation Pavilion of the Mays Family Center on Monday, May 16 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. For the rest of the conference, registration will take place in the H-E-B Lantern at the Witte’s main entrance. Registration for Tuesday, May 17 begins at 8 a.m.
Valet: Complimentary valet parking is available along Gunn Drive during the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon on Monday, May 16th.
Self-parking is available in the Brackenridge Park Parking Garage.
We look forward to seeing you at the 5th Annual Conference on Texas: Changing Landscapes.
Please share this information with your guests!
If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Heather Welder Russo, Chief of Advancement, at 210-357-1851 or HeatherRusso@WitteMuseum.org.
