Invest: San Antonio leadership summit to spotlight infrastructure, culture, and growth
Writer: Andrea Teran
September 2025 — On Wednesday, Nov. 5, over 250 of San Antonio’s civic, business, and institutional leaders will convene at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts to celebrate the launch of Invest: San Antonio, the region’s annual economic review produced by caa. Running from 8 to 11 a.m., the event will serve as both a data-rich unveiling of caa’s latest market report and a real-time dialogue about how San Antonio is navigating growth with intention.
This year’s Leadership Summit will center on a key question: How does a rapidly growing city like San Antonio preserve its soul while planning for the future? The conversations will dive into infrastructure modernization, regional collaboration, and education’s vital role in sustaining cultural continuity, drawing from voices across public utilities, construction, banking, economic development, healthcare, and academia.
“San Antonio has always been more than its growth metrics — it’s a city with deep cultural currents and a strong sense of place,” said Abby Lindenberg, founder and CEO of caa. “What’s striking about this moment is not just the pace of development, but the way leaders are thinking about it: collaboratively, cross-sector, and with a deep awareness of timing. As someone who has learned that not all momentum needs to be rushed, this city’s approach — rooted in dialogue, planning, and purpose — is exactly what this summit is here to explore.”
The first panel of the morning, “Building for Tomorrow: How San Antonio leaders are future-proofing infrastructure, and the strategies in place to protect its historical roots,” will explore how public and private stakeholders are navigating the demands of modernization while preserving the city’s architectural and cultural heritage. Moderated by Robert Killen of Killen, Griffin and Farrimond, the discussion features CPS Energy CEO Rudy Garza, Joeris General Contractors President Burton Hackney, and Monterrey Metal Recycling Solutions CEO Jordan Vexler. Together, they’ll unpack the city’s most pressing infrastructure questions — from utility innovation to sustainable site redevelopment — and the leadership strategies guiding these efforts.
Book your place now the for Invest: San Antonio Leadership Summit. CLICK HERE!
The summit’s second discussion, “Unity in Progress: Balancing expansion with authenticity through cross-sector collaboration,” will examine the regional partnerships shaping growth in more inclusive and equitable ways. Led by moderator Mike Koch, regional president of Happy State Bank, the panel will feature Parker Hensley of Bank of Texas, Josh Schneuker of the Seguin Economic Development Corporation, Andro Herrera-Mendoza of PAM Health, and Blaine Beckman of Nunnelly. Together, they’ll explore how financial institutions, healthcare systems, and local governments are aligning their goals to ensure that growth remains both economically sound and socially sustainable.
Closing out the morning, the final panel, “Classrooms and Community: The role of educators in preserving San Antonio’s cultural character amid economic growth,” will elevate the voices of academic leaders tasked with developing not just workforce-ready students, but culturally rooted citizens. Moderated by William Handmaker, head of Keystone School, the session will include Abel Chávez, president of Our Lady of the Lake University; Jason Longoria of Central Catholic High School; and Scott Brown of TMI Episcopal. Their dialogue will focus on how institutions are evolving to meet changing skill demands while protecting the values and traditions that make San Antonio unique.
More than just a celebration of a new publication, the Invest: San Antonio Leadership Summit is a space for leaders to slow down, listen closely, and challenge the status quo together. It is built around the belief that strong economic development stems from shared vision, and that behind every data point, it’s the relationships that make the work meaningful.
About caa & Invest: San Antonio
caa is an integrated media platform that produces in-depth business intelligence through its annual print and digital economic reviews, high-impact conferences and events, and top-level interviews via its video platform, Invest:Insights.
Invest: San Antonio is an in-depth economic review of the key issues facing the San Antonio economy, featuring the exclusive insights of prominent regional leaders. Invest: San Antonio is produced with two goals in mind: 1) to provide comprehensive investment knowledge on the region for local, national, and international investors, and 2) to promote the region as a place to invest and do business.
The report conducts a deep dive into the top economic sectors in the region, including technology, real estate and construction, infrastructure, banking and finance, healthcare, education, and tourism. The publication is compiled from insights collected from more than 200 economic leaders, sector insiders, political leaders, and heads of important institutions. It analyzes the leading challenges facing the market and uncovers emerging opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators.
To get your ticket, click here.
For more information, please contact:
Alina Manac
Senior Executive Director
305-731-2342
