Open Today 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Conference on Texas | Texas Trailblazers Awards

witte museum conference on texas

March 23-24, 2023

Dive into Texas’ wild and vivid lands, especially its people, their resilience and how they adapted to or impacted ever-developing Texas.

Subjects will include personal stories from the families of Erasmo Seguin, Ignacio Perez, the Glasscocks and early oil discovery, C. H. Guenther, the people of Los Adaes – Texas’ first capital, the Steves and Raba families and many others.

General Admission: $200 per attendee • Educator/Student Admission: $150 per attendee
Ticket includes full access to the two-day conference and seating at the Texas Trailblazers Awards Luncheon.

The Conference on Texas: Origin Stories and the Texas Trailblazers Award Luncheon is presented by the Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation.

Texas Trailblazers Awards Luncheon

Celebrate the families and people whose stories created the Texas we know and love at the annual Conference on Texas featuring the 12th annual Texas Trailblazers Awards Luncheon.

Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 11:30 a.m.

Mays Family Center of the Witte Museum

Honoring the Steves Family

The Texas Trailblazers Award Luncheon will honor the esteemed Steves Family for legacy family history and philanthropy. The Steves family is iconic in the history of San Antonio, having established Steves & Sons, Inc. 150 years ago, providing the underpinning lumber and welcoming doors in most major buildings in the city, including the Witte Museum. Today, the family thrives in many business arenas and are influential in politics and philanthropy throughout the city. The family has been involved with the Witte for generations, most recently with Edward Steves as a Trustee and currently as a member of the Witte’s Collection Committee.

Featuring Catherine Nixon Cooke, Keynote Speaker

We are pleased to announce keynote speaker Catherine Nixon Cooke, who will discuss methods on how to research the origin stories of individuals, families and businesses, based on the work she has accomplished as an award-winning author.

Thank you to the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon speaker sponsor, Jefferson Bank.
Texas Trailblazers Awardees 2022
Catherine Nixon Cooke

Registration at 11:30 a.m. Program begins at noon.

General Luncheon Ticket: $120 per attendee • Educator/Student Luncheon Ticket: $100 per attendee.

Interested in sponsoring the Conference on Texas or the Texas Trailblazers Awards Luncheon? Please contact Justin Muñoz, Vice President of Development, at JustinMunoz@WitteMuseum.org or 210.357.1894. 

Conference on Texas Schedule

Day 1 - March 23, 2023

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Join presenters and guests for coffee and pastries before the day begins.

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Speaker: Marise McDermott, President and CEO, Witte Museum

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Francis Galan, Professor of History, Texas A&M University San Antonio: Angelique, Indigenous Scout of Los Adaes
Phil King, Castroville Historical Society: Henri Castro and the Ferdinand Louis Huth Family of Castroville
Facilitator: Gretchen Stieren O’Gorman, Coates Energy Trust

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Frank de la Teja, Former State Historian: Erasmo Seguín and the Paradox of Loyalty
Jack Hebdon, Jr., Guenther Family Historian: The Flour King: C. H. Guenther and Family
Facilitator: Francis Galan, Professor of History, Texas A&M University San Antonio

Location: Mays Family Center

Honoring the Steves Family

Speaker: Catherine Nixon Cooke, Historian and Author
Special Introduction: Marise McDermott, President and CEO, Witte Museum

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Kathleen Glasscock Tomasovic, Family Historian: The Glasscocks – From Circus Artistry to Oil Industry
Moderated by: Bob and Patty Hayes, Philanthropists 

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Ramón Vásquez, Executive Director of American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions: The Descendants Walk Among Us
Ronald W. Davis, II, Curator of American History, Witte Museum: Hector Bazy and the Silence of the Archives
Facilitator: Marise McDermott, President and CEO, Witte Museum, and Aaronetta Pierce, Civic Leader and Trustee of the Witte Museum

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Ricardo Romo, Historian, and Fidencio Duran, Artist: A Visual Story of Us

Location: Russell Hill Rogers Art Gallery

Curatorial Talk by Marise McDermott in the Ewing Halsell Hall, Robert J. and Helen C. Kleberg South Texas Heritage Center.

Day 2 - March 24, 2023

Location: Memorial Auditorium Hallway

Join presenters and guests for coffee and pastries before the day begins.

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Amy Porter, Professor of History, Texas A&M University San Antonio: Families in the Aftermath of the 1813 Battle of Medina
Christina Villarreal, Professor of History, University of Texas at El Paso: The Bigmouth of East Texas and the Unnamed Mother
Facilitator: Cecilia Ballí, Journalist

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Lionel Sosa, Artist: The Stories Art Can Tell
Facilitator: Marise McDermott, President and CEO, and Justin Muñoz, Vice President of Development, Witte Museum

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.

Interested in sponsoring the Conference on Texas or the Texas Trailblazers Awards Luncheon? Please contact Justin Muñoz, Vice President of Development, at JustinMunoz@WitteMuseum.org or 210.357.1894. 

  • 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 (20) at the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon
  •  (20) complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas
  • (1) Full-page color ad on the back cover of the Conference on Texas Program
  • Sponsor of the Thursday luncheon
  • (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
  • (1) Full-page color inside back cover of the Conference on Texas Program
  • Sponsor of the Thursday Evening Reception
  • (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
  • (1) Full-page color inside front cover of the Conference on Texas Program
  • Underwrites free tickets for 10 educators and discounts for students and educators
  • (1) Top tier table placement with preferred seating for (10) at the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon
  • (10) Complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas
  • (1) Full-page black and white ad inside the Conference on Texas Program
  • Recognition as the Luncheon Speaker sponsor on all materials
  • (1) Top tier table placement with preferred seating for (10) at the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon
  • (10) complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas
  • (1) Full-page black and white ad inside the Conference on Texas Program
  • Recognition as the Thursday and Friday Breakfast Sponsor
  • (1) Top tier table placement with preferred seating for (10) at the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon
  • (10) Complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas
  • Recognition as the Conference Video Sponsor prior to and during online publication
  • (1) Top tier table placement with preferred seating for (10) at the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon
  • (10) Complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas
  • Recognition as the Conference Invitation Sponsor
  • (1) Top tier table placement with preferred seating for (10) at the Texas Trailblazers Luncheon
  • (10) Complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas

Pioneer | $5,500

  • (1) Second tier table placement with preferred seating for (10)

  • (10) complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas

Explorer| $3,500

  • (1) Third tier table placement with preferred seating for (10)

  • (10) complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas

Naturalist| $2,500 

  • (1) Fourth tier table placement with preferred seating for (10)

  • (10) complimentary tickets to the Conference on Texas

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.

For questions, please contact Justin Muñoz, Vice President of Development, at JustinMunoz@WitteMuseum.org or 210.357.1894. 

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.