Ferne Burney has volunteered in the San Antonio community since she moved here from Arizona in 1973. She has served on the boards of the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of San Antonio, the Panhellenic Association of San Antonio, Delta Delta Delta Alumnae Association of San Antonio, The Woman’s Club of San Antonio, and the Military-Civilian Charitable Foundation.

She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in English from Arizona State University. Ferne worked for Abbott Laboratories for 31 years and for Mylan, Inc. for a short time after retiring from Abbott Laboratories.

She has served on the Fiesta San Antonio Commission Board of Directors and as Secretary, Treasurer, First Vice President, and Senior Vice President on the Fiesta San Antonio Executive Committee. Ferne’s theme for Fiesta during her term will be “Fiesta Together”.

Jim Mery started his career as a Landscape Architect for the San Antonio Parks & Recreation Department from 1984-1993, providing project management and design for the development of $18 million of park development and capital improvements for the City of San Antonio.

Notable design projects included Schnabel Park Pavilion, project management on Eisenhower Park Development, Mission Del Lago golf course and Wolff Municipal Baseball Stadium. When the construction was being completed at Wolff Municipal Stadium, Jim saw the potential for excellence beyond the design and construction phase in which he was entrusted as a landscape architect and volunteered to act as Temporary Facility Manager. Click here to read more . . .

Barton T. Simpson serves as Executive Director of the Alamo Colleges Foundation, where he leads philanthropic strategy and community engagement in support of student success across the Alamo Colleges District. With a deep commitment to expanding access to higher education, Simpson oversees fundraising initiatives that provide scholarships, emergency aid, and innovative program support to thousands of students each year.

Under his leadership, the Foundation has strengthened partnerships with local businesses, civic organizations, and donors to advance equity and workforce readiness in the greater San Antonio region. 

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Allison Reyes Boese is an accomplished entrepreneur, community leader, and family oriented individual. A proud graduate of Southern Methodist University, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in History, Art History, and Italian Area Studies. She went on to receive her Juris Doctor from the School of Law at Saint Mary’s University.

Currently, Allison serves as President of both A. Reyes Ventures, LLC, a company focused on investment opportunities, and Reyes Properties, which specializes in real estate. She is also actively involved in her family’s business, Reyes Automotive Group, a Tier One supplier to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas Inc. in San Antonio. Previously, she owned and operated Blo Blow Dry Bar San Antonio. Click here to read more . . .

Lieutenant General (Retired) John Evans is a widely accomplished senior executive whose leadership skills were developed and refined during 36 years of Army service. He currently serves as President/CEO of Evans Strategic Solutions, a consulting firm in San Antonio. John commanded at every level in the Army from Company Commander to Theater Army Commanding General. He honed his operational skills as a pilot in the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment where he spent over 14 years culminating as the 13th Commander of the Regiment.

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Dr. Jose M. Ruiz is an Obstetrician Gynecologist that has been practicing medicine for 27 years in San Antonio. Dr. Ruiz earned his Bachelor of Science and medical degree from Louisiana State University. When not delivering babies, Dr. Ruiz finds fulfilment in family life with his wife Carla and 3 children. He also enjoys golfing and hunting. Dr. Ruiz believes that the difference between an extraordinary life and an ordinary life is finding extraordinary pleasure in ordinary things.

Isidro “Sid” Gutierrez is a Senior Market Manager at Heineken USA and oversees a vast portfolio of import brands such as Heineken, XX, and Tecate Light, among others. 

Sid brings over 17 years of experience within the CPG industry, having worked in numerous roles of increasing responsibility within organizations such as Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, and most recently, Heineken USA.  In his role with Heineken USA, Sid has had the opportunity to work directly with the local team at Glazer’s Beer & Beverage, having built a strong and value-added relationship with them for the last 4 years.

He is responsible for strategic planning, execution at retail, and implementation of initiatives that drive a high ROI.

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Born and raised in San Antonio, David is a proud graduate of St. Mary’s University, where he currently serves on the board of the Alumni Association. As one of the top defense lawyers in San Antonio, David has dedicated himself to his profession and to serving his community in many ways.

A former Assistant District Attorney and Municipal Court Judge, David has remained actively involved in civic leadership. He has served as chair of the State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee, a member of the City of San Antonio Zoning Commission, and a board member of the Brooks Development Authority. Currently, he is an active member of the Alamo Community College District Foundation Board of Directors and is honored to serve as the 2025 president of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission.

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Steve became the Executive Director of the Fiesta® San Antonio Commission on August 1, 2020. Prior to that date, Steve was the Executive Director of the Fiesta Oyster Bake® festival and Director of Alumni Relations for St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, and held those positions since 1995.

Steve is a member of the Texas Festivals and Events Association (TFEA) Hall of Honor, a Past President of TFEA, and a past board member of the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA). Steve has been an Elected Commissioner of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission, and in 2017, was inducted into the Order of the Cascaron (Fiesta’s Volunteer Hall of Fame).

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