On the last day of our Black History Month celebration, Shareholder Art Bayern honors Clarence "Reggie" Williams

In 1999 and 2000, I was the President and Chairman of the Board of the San Antonio Area Foundation. After a crisis, the Executive Director resigned, and we had a nationwide search for a new Executive Director. Received numerous applications and much to my surprise, one came from Clarence (Reggie) Williams, who was about to retire after many years as an executive at USAA. Reggie had retired before as a full Colonel in the United States Air Force, and then had another career at USAA. Long story short, we hired Reggie and he began at the Area Foundation on the Monday after he had retired at USAA.

In the ensuing year, he convinced me of his ability as he reached out to the minority communities and the Area Foundation expanded its reach in San Antonio and the surrounding communities. Reggie taught me and the members of the Board how to reach the Black and Hispanic citizens in San Antonio and how we could help them, through education, through scholarships, through seminars, and including them on our committees and Board. His leadership was an eye-opener for all of us involved with the Area Foundation and through it he and his late wife, Buzz, and me and my late wife, Janice, became friends and we are still to this day.

He was and still is a leader in San Antonio, having become President of the Downtown Rotary Club (which at the time was the largest Rotary Club in the U.S.) and then was the District Governor. He has led by example and is a wonderful person and leader in the Black community and beyond.

Arthur H. Bayern

Arthur H. Bayern is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and a member of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law. He is Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Bo...