San Antonio-México Friendship Council

samfco

ABOUT

The San Antonio Mexico Friendship Council is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 by the then Consul General of Mexico in San Antonio, Carlos Sada, and various prominent community leaders to strengthen and promote the shared cultural ties between the citizens of San Antonio and Mexico.

The organization supports a myriad of cultural and civic activities along with the Mexican Consulate and the Mexican Cultural Institute in San Antonio. SAMFCO also provides students of Mexican origin attending colleges and universities in the San Antonio area with scholarships to further their education. SAMFCO’s board is comprised by San Antonio civic, governmental, cultural, educational and business leaders from both the United States and Mexico. Traditionally, the Consul General of Mexico serves as Honorary Chairman and the current President of the Council is Juan Antonio Flores, Executive Vice President for Governmental Affairs of Port San Antonio.

Executive Committee of the Board of Directors

BOARD MEMBERS

Chair
The Honorable Rubén Minutti Zanatta
Consul General of Mexico in San Antonio

President
Louis Escareño
Attorney at Law

Vice President
Magdalena Barrera
Assistant Director, Network Partner Integration

Treasurer
Yvette Gonzalez
Vice President-International Department
International Bank of Commerce

Secretary
Shahrzad (Sherry) Dowlatshahi
Chief Diplomacy &Protocol Officer
Head of Global Engagement Office

Immediate Past President
Juan Antonio Flores
Executive VP, Government Affairs

Executive Committee of the Board of Directors

BOARD MEMBERS

David Adelman
Principal
AREA Real Estate, LLC

John Agather
Community Leader

Iñigo Arzac
Managing Partner
Axon Consulting

Armen Babajanian
Executive Director
World Affairs Council of San Antonio

David Berrocal Diaz-Faes
Asst. Vice President for Corporate Business Development

Ernest Bromley
Managing Partner
Pescador Public Strategies, LLC

Alejandra Bueno
Executive Director International Programs
Alamo Colleges District

Jorge Canavati
President
Canavati & Co, LLC.

Gerardo Carvajal
La Familia Cortez Restaurants

Graciela Cigarroa
General Counsel
Centromed

Carlos M. De LaChica
Assistant Vice President-Private Banking
Frost Bank

Amado Duron
Executive Director in Business Development
Nustar Energy

Elizabeth Fauerso
Chief Marketing Officer
The Pearl

Marcos Fragoso
Vice President for International Affairs
University of the Incarnate Word

Jorge A. Garcia
Director of International Program
Martin & Drought, P.C.

Randy Harig
CEO
Velocity  TX

Luis F. Hernandez
Financial Services Professional
New York Life Company

Jennifer L. Jenks
Market Manager
AeroMexico

Raul P. Lomelí-Azoubel
Executive Chairman
Saber es Poder

Esteban López, MD
Community Leader & Physician Entrepreneur 

Calixto Mateos, Ph.D.
Managing Director
North American Development Bank

Maria Mejia
Director of Howard Energy México
Howard Energy Partners

Lisa Montoya
Vice Provost for International Initiatives and Senior International Officer

Curt Parker
South Central Area Director
Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages

Ezequiel Peña
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs–Global & Strategic Initiatives
Our Lady of the Lake University

Rosa Ramirez
Executive Director of Credit
Valero Companies

Jose “Joe” Reyes Jr.
Premium Partnerships, Manager
Spurs Sports and Entertainment

Sara Salazar
International Development Manager, Grocery Cookie/Cracker

Rosa Santana
President and CEO
Integrated Human Capital

Federica Soriano de Teresa
CEO CRIT USA/TELETON USA

Rodolfo Spielmann
CEO
Nature Sweet Tomatoes

Tony Treviño
Attorney at Law
Treviño Consulting, LLC

Barbara Warren
Architect
Overland Partners Architects

Kathleen Weir Vale
Community Leader

Alonso Villarreal De los Santos Villarreal De los Santos
Chairman & CEO
Grupo Secopsa/ Secopsa USA

Executive Committee of the Board of Directors

ADVISORY COMMITTE OF THE BOARD

Cristina Aldrete
President & CEO
North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

Al Arreola
President & CEO
South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

Natalie Cerón
Attorney
Cacheaux Cavazos & Newton

Paula De Gotari
Director
UNAM-San Antonio

Marina Gonzalez, J.D.
President  & CEO
San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Javier Lopez de Obeso
President of AEM San Antonio
Attorney at Law, F&C Consulting Group

Chris Morris
President & General Manager Univision SA
Univision Communications, Inc.

Richard Perez
President & CEO
San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

Robert Sarabia
President & General Manager
Telemundo San Antonio

Ana Sandoval
City Councilwoman District 7
City of San Antonio

Executive Committee of the Board of Directors

EMERITUS ADVISORY COMMITTE OF THE BOARD

Hope Andrade
SAMFE Past President (2005 – 2008)

Mike Casey
SAMFCO Founding Board Member (1996 – 2018)

Elizabeth E. Costello
SAMFCO Past President (2013-14)

Veronica Salazar Escobedo
SAMFCO Founding President (1996-2005)

Ruben Escobedo
SAMFE Founding President (1996 – 2004)

Cecilia Elizondo Herrera
Community Leader
SAMFCO Past President (2015-17)

Amparo Ortiz
SAMFCO Founding Board Member (1996-2018)

Ana Celia Partida
SAMFCO Founding Board Member (1996-2020)

Henry Sauvignet
SAMFCO Past President (2006 – 12)
SAMFE Past President (2009-14)

Frances Ortiz Schultschik
SAMFCO Past President (2017-18)

Executive Committee of the Board of Directors

CONSULAR STAFF

Diego Armenta
Consul for Public & Media Affairs
Consulate General of Mexico

Desiree Richards
Liaison with SAMFCO
Consulate General of Mexico

Valeria Campomanes
Public & Media Affairs
Consulate General of Mexico

Get In Touch

127 NAVARRO ST SAN ANTONIO TX 78205
(210) 227-9145
info@samfco.com