Standing Ovation Past Honorees

Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts // 2020

Nelson W. Wolff // 2019

Nelson William Wolff was appointed to serve as Bexar County Judge in 2001 and is currently serving his fourth term. He has represented Bexar County in various political offices since 1971, when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, and subsequently served in the Texas Senate in 1973, the San Antonio City Council in 1987, and as Mayor of San Antonio from 1991 to 1995. Nelson Wolff is only the second person in more than a century to serve as both Mayor of San Antonio and Bexar County Judge. 

Throughout his longstanding career in public service, Judge Wolff works to promote and improve the economic, social, and cultural vibrancy of our region. Judge Wolff supports economic and workforce development, especially in the local tech industry, and led the creation of BiblioTech, the nation’s first all-digital public library. He has supported major public safety initiatives and critical infrastructure projects. His efforts aided the construction and improvements of major cultural assets, including the Tobin Center for the Fine Arts, and the eight-mile Mission Reach of the San Antonio River, which proved vital to the UNESCO World Heritage designation for the Spanish colonial missions.

Together, Wolff and his wife Tracy, President of the Hidalgo Foundation, have six children and eight grandchildren.

H-E-B // 2018

H-E-B got its start in 1905, when Florence Butt opened the original Kerrville location on a $60 loan. Since then, the grocery chain has exploded into a family-favorite across Texas and Mexico, with over 340 stores in 155 communities and over 100,000 employees. One of the things that makes H-E-B so unique is its devotion to charity - the company donates more than 5 percent of its pre-tax earnings to charitable organizations and nonprofits. Through their "Community Investment Program," H-E-B donates to local organizations throughout Texas and Mexico - Mexico's first food bank was a product of this intiative.

H-E-B also developed the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards, a program that recognizes the most influential teachers across Texas. Additionally, H-E-B donates over $6 million every year to education programs such as Excellence in Teaching and Classroom Champions. H-E-B Chairman Charles Butt is deeply committed to education, and in 2018, he pledged to invest $100 million to help create an educational leadership center in Austin, TX called the Holdsworth Center.

GRAHAM WESTON // 2017

Graham Weston is one of the founders of Rackspace and serves as Chairman of the Board of the Rackspace Foundation. Born and raised in the San Antonio area, Graham from an early age saw entrepreneurial opportunities in everything around him. He launched his first business venture as a seventh grader, marketing organic pork in newspaper ads that read “Go Hog Wild!”

When prices fell during the Savings and Loan Crisis of the late 1980s, he led his family to buy and develop the Weston Centre, one of the premier office towers in downtown San Antonio. At the same time, he developed a keen interest in the possibilities of the Internet. In 1998, he and a partner provided the original capital for a business idea pitched by three local Trinity University students. They called it “Rackspace.com.” Graham joined the enterprise as CEO and remained in that position until 2006, when he became chairman.

Graham is active in the development of new options for urban living, entrepreneurship, and entertainment in downtown San Antonio. He helped launch the mayor’s SA2020 initiative, and created Geekdom, which provides a co-working space downtown, along with mentorship and funding for tech startups. Graham was named a “Best Boss” by Fortune Small Business magazine and was recognized as regional Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.

MOLLIE ZACHRY AND
BUNNY MATTHEWS // 2016

Mollie Zachry is a San Antonian from birth. She graduated from high school here and moved 90 miles away to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas. She loved all kinds of music and studied piano for most of those years. She also sang in her high school and college choirs and still sings at the top of her voice while driving alone in the car.

One of her greatest treats during her youth was being taken to performances of the San Antonio Symphony as well as the annual Metropolitan Opera series that came here each year. Her love of music remains strong although her ability to play piano has virtually disappeared.

When Evelyn Berg asked her to be on the Board of Director of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, she was pleased to accept and then spent many wonderful years on the Board watching the organization grow and the orchestras improve. Her pride in YOSA is boundless!

Bunny Gregg Matthews was raised in Kerrville and as a graduate of Tivy High School, Ms. Matthews played the B-flat clarinet from sixth to twelfth grade. She was also a Drum Major and Twirler. She began teach piano privately to students in first grade to twelfth grade and officially made music a significant part of her life when she graduated from UT Austin with a Bachelor’s of Music (Piano Pedagogy) in 1958. Two short years later, Bunny received her Master’s in Music Literature.

Bunny married her doting husband, Wilbur L. Matthews, Jr. on July 2, 1960 and they have resided in San Antonio ever since. She has a host of extracurriculars under her belt including participation in Junior League of San Antonio, Tuesday Musical Club, Duo-piano Department performer, Co-Chair of the Tuesday Musical Club’s 100th year celebration (1916-2016), as well as service to the San Antonio Symphony League and Maestro Society, San Antonio Symphony Young People’s Concert Docent and Chair, Young People’s Concert usher, and YOSA Board member from 2000-2012.

Bunny has been a piano teacher at Saint Mary’s Hall for 30 years and has maintained a home studio since 1960. She is a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.