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Music Festivals to Enjoy in San Antonio

Reid Hackney is a prominent member of the San Antonio Founder Lions Club. An alumnus of Penn State University, Reid Hackney is a successful financial executive who worked at the highest corporate levels for more than 30 years before retiring in 2017. He loves participating in outdoor activities, like music concerts.

It’s a good thing that San Antonio has a thriving music scene that allows music lovers to enjoy a variety of festivals. Latin folk music enthusiasts can attend the three-day Tejano Conjunto Music Festival hosted by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. It is the world's largest showcase of Tejano and conjunto folk music, and the oldest music festival in San Antonio. There is also the Taco Fest, a one-day event that combines live performances from local bands and eateries that serve all kinds of tacos.

One festival to enjoy in September is the San Antonio Music Showcase. It is a one-night celebration that features many local bands and musicians from different genres ranging from rock, gothic, and country music to punk, electronica, and hip-hop. In this event, bands perform in different venues around the city. Then there's the Mala Luna Music Festival, which is San Antonio's biggest festival that usually happens over a two-day October weekend. It is dedicated to hip-hop, R&B, and dance music and features both regional and international acts performing at the Nelson Wolff stadium.

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How the San Antonio Founder Lions Club Stays Involved in the Community

Previously the chief financial officer and vice president at A’GACI, a retail fashion organization located in San Antonio, Reid Hackney is an alumnus of Penn State, having earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting before beginning his career in finance. Now retired, Reid Hackney enjoys getting involved in the local San Antonio community, and has served as a member of the San Antonio Founder Lions Club since 2017.

The San Antonio Founder Lions Club has been around since 1915, making it “the oldest Lions Club in the world.” Active in the San Antonio community, the club has a number of different methods of outreach, with a particular interest in assisting those who are struggling with vision impairment or blindness. The club collects eyeglasses in order to refurbish and donate them to those who can’t afford to purchase prescription eyeglasses of their own. Additionally, it assists with funding a mobile eye screening initiative, where a travelling unit offers free eye exams to the public.

In addition to many other outreach efforts, the San Antonio Founder Lions Club is proud to continue offering the Texas Lions Camp, a residential camping facility that caters to children suffering from various illnesses, including cancer, type 1 diabetes, and other kinds of physical disabilities. The children are able to participate in a variety of activities, including music, fishing, arts and crafts, archery, swimming, and drama.

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Mixtli Named Best Restaurant in San Antonio

Reid Hackney holds an accounting degree from Penn State University. Beyond his professional success, Reid Hackney is active with the San Antonio Founder Lions Club. As a self-described foodie, he also enjoys the city’s thriving culinary scene.

Founded by James Beard Award semifinalists, Chef Diego Galicia and Chef Rico Torres, Mixtli offers an uplifting and inspired modern take on Mexican cuisine. Five years after opening its doors, Mixtli secured the title of Best Restaurant  in San Antonio by the popular publication, the Express-News. The restaurant is well-respected for its diverse beef, vegetable, and bean dishes, which are served as a multi-course tasting menu.

Every ingredient of the restaurant is made from scratch, resulting in dishes with authentic and traditional flavors. The tasting course also suggests beverage pairings, including wines sourced from a local distributor. Mixtli operates from a converted boxcar and delivers an intimate experience for up to 12 diners at a time.

The San Antonio Founder Lions Club and the Tower of the Americas

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Penn State University alumnus Reid Hackney retired in 2017 after serving as vice president and chief financial officer at the retail fashion organization AGACI. Now residing in Texas, Reid Hackney spends his free time cycling, hiking, attending concerts, and completing community service through the San Antonio Founder Lions Club.

Established in 1915, the San Antonio Founder Lions Club is the oldest Lions Club in the world and works to support those who are blind or visually impaired. The organization pays for glasses and eye exams for those without the necessary means and helps fund a Mobile Eye Screening Unit. It also supports a children's summer camp and helps fund the Lions Sight Research Foundation. It is able to do this via a variety of fund-raising methods, including its operation and maintenance of the seven telescopes at the Tower of Americas in Texas.

Every year, San Antonio Founder Lions Club members collect upwards of $12,000 in quarters from the telescopes. Situated on the observation deck of the 750-foot tower, the telescopes cost 50 cents per use and provide users with a panoramic view of the Alamo City. The tower also features the revolving Chart House Restaurant and the 4D theater ride Skies Over Texas.

Separated by a Century - The Naming and Founding of San Antonio

Reid Hackney is a graduate of Penn State who has an extensive background in information technology and organizational financial oversight. A longtime San Antonio resident, Reid Hackney has a particular interest in exploring the history of the city embodied in its surviving missions and colonial-era artifacts. 

The name of the city itself predates its foundation and goes back to June 13, 1691, when a Spanish expedition force reached a sizable river. As described by Father Damian Massanet in his diary, the men arrived at a rancheria of Payaya nation Indians. Their horses stampeded upon arrival due to the sheer abundance of buffalo in the area. Because this happened to be on the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua, they named the place, called Yanaguana by its inhabitants, San Antonio de Padua, and built an altar at the location. 

A formal settlement was not established until 1718 by an expedition that had governor of Coahuila y Texas Don Martin de Alarcon at its helm. The location was advantageous because it was the only place in the region that offered fresh spring water. With May 1, 1718 recognized as the official founding date, the city celebrated its 300th anniversary last year.

Boosting Operational Efficiency in a Retail Space

San Antonio, Texas, executive Reid Hackney worked in retail finance for more than two decades before retiring. During his time as senior vice president of finance and CFO for the Dressbarn brand, the Penn State graduate spearheaded the growth of the company from 40 to more than 2,500 stores. Reid Hackney’s work at the company included boosting operational efficiency.

Operational efficiency in a retail space centers on the shopping experience. A good shopping experience affects customer retention and acquisition. When customers have a good experience at a store, they will rave about the service to friends, family, and others. This word-of-mouth marketing is free to companies and helps bring in new customers for less than traditional marketing efforts. 

Meanwhile, great experiences entice customers to return to a business on a repeat basis, increasing their total lifetime value and boosting company revenue.

Operational efficiency in retail also depends on inventory management and automation. Automated systems prevent retailers from overselling products, since they decrease the chance that inventory information will be incorrect. When inventory is accurate, customers are disappointed less often, and have an easier time finding the products they want. Better shipping processes that offer improved order fulfillment, improved synchronization between online and brick-and-mortar stores, and tidier warehouses also play a role in operational efficiency.

Culinary Institute of America's New Restaurant Opens in The Pearl

The recipient of a bachelor's degree in accounting from Penn State University, Reid Hackney is a retired financial executive who most recently served as vice president and chief financial officer of the retail enterprise AGACI. In retirement, Reid Hackney enjoys visiting the Pearl district of San Antonio, Texas, to check out new restaurants.

The Pearl district's reputation for quality restaurants that offer a diverse selection of food coincides with a $35 million investment by Kit Goldsbury in 2008 to bring an official Culinary Institute of America (CIA) campus to the area. When it first opened, the CIA established the student-run restaurant NAO, which emphasized Latin American cuisine. Although the restaurant closed in 2018, a new CIA-run establishment has opened in its stead. 

The new restaurant, Savor, opened in mid-January to a glowing review from mySanAntonio, which acknowledged both the space and the menu as a significant upgrade over NAO. The restaurant is located near the former NAO building in what was once the Sandbar Fishhouse & Market. It is both brighter and more intimate than NAO and houses an open kitchen concept that allows both students and instructors to cook for as many as 60 guests at any given time. Meanwhile, the menu reflects a more modern American dining experience over the Latin American flavors emphasized at NAO.

San Antonio’s Historic Network of Missions

Presently retired, Reid Hackney is a longtime Texas business executive who engaged with A’GACI as chief financial officer and vice president. An avid cyclist with a passion for exploring his local area, Reid Hackney enjoys visiting urban parks and missions in San Antonio. With French settlements in Louisiana sparking a rivalry, in the late 17th century, Spain established a network of a half-dozen missions across what is now eastern Texas. Several of these missions failed due to disease and drought, as well as changing political priorities that starved them of financial stability. Ultimately, three of the missions were relocated to along the San Antonio River in the 1720s, with five total riverside missions joining the Presidio San Antonio de Béxar. From the 1780s onward, friction between Mission Indians and tribes such as the Comanche and Apache, coupled with limited military reinforcements, led community members to move to safety within mission walls. Eventually, they were largely abandoned as US frontier expansion came to fore. Despite their prolonged decline, the missions have remained vital cultural artifacts over the decades and are now contained within the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. The entire park spans 86 mission-related structures across 21 historical and archeological sites.

The Mavericks Coming to Floore's Country Store

The recipient of a bachelor's degree in accounting from Penn State University, Reid Hackney is a retired San Antonio, Texas-based financial executive who most recently served as chief financial officer of AGACI. In retirement, Reid Hackney enjoys attending live musical performances at John T. Floore's Country Store.

Located in Helotes, Floore's Country Store regularly hosts well known and up-and-coming country music acts in addition to free family nights every Sunday. On April 6, the venue will host Grammy Award-winning band The Mavericks for a standing room only show in support of the group's most recent album, Brand New Day, which is scheduled to be released on March 31. 

Led by lead vocalist Raul Malo, The Mavericks came together in the late 1980s in Miami, and soon after moved to Nashville, where they began developing a devoted fan base. The group, which is known for its unique blend of country, rock, folk, blues, and Latino elements, took a hiatus in 2003, but began touring and creating new music again in 2012. They have since released two critically-acclaimed studio albums and continue to tour all over the world. Tickets for the show are $35 in advance and $40 at the door.

Micah Parsons' Impressive Freshman Season with Penn State

A retired financial executive who spent his career in the retail sector, Reid Hackney now resides in San Antonio, Texas, where he enjoys hiking, bicycling, and visiting dance halls. An alumnus of Penn State University, Reid Hackney is also an avid fan of the school's Nittany Lions football team.

The Nittany Lions finished the 2018 season with a win-loss record of 9-4 after losing to the University of Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl, but it was a particularly memorable season for freshman linebacker Micah Parsons, who not only registered 13 tackles in the Citrus Bowl but also led the team with 82 over the course of the season. In doing so, Parsons became the only true freshman to lead Penn State in tackles dating back to 1969, when the school began compiling year-by-year statistics. 

What's most impressive about Parsons' team-leading 82 tackles is the fact that he started only one game this season. Moreover, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound consensus first-team Freshman All-American was initially recruited and signed by Penn State as a defensive end, but was converted to linebacker prior to his first game of the season. He also racked up five tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, and 1.5 sacks in his first year with the Nittany Lions.

Beginner Hiking Tip - Start Small

From 2000 to early 2017, Reid Hackney worked as the senior vice president of finance and the chief financial officer of the Ascena Retail Group. There, he leveraged technology, conservative fiscal stewardship, operational efficiency, and procedural excellence to help drive the company’s growth into a $3 billion national retailer. Now retired, Reid Hackney likes to spend time outdoors with activities like hiking.

Aside from being a great workout, hiking is an ideal way to slow down and unplug while enjoying the wonders of nature. If you are thinking of taking up hiking as a hobby, it is important to start small to avoid turning this relaxing hobby into a potentially dangerous excursion. 

To start with, choose a trail that is shorter than your average walking distance on a flat surface. As trails are often uneven, hilly, and even mountainous, walking the same distance will require extra effort. 

As a beginner, make sure you are hiking with someone who has more experience than you. Aside from helping to keep you safe, your partner can likely teach you a few things about hiking. 

Consider hiking at a local park once a week to bolster your skills. Hiking in a public park is a safe way to build up your stamina, test new gear, and practice planning a hike. 

Once you can complete these shorter hikes with ease, it is safe to consider something longer or more strenuous. That said, even as an experienced hiker, you should always hike with other people to avoid the risk of getting lost or injured and stranded.

Cake Boss Star Opening Pair of Restaurants in San Antonio

A retired retail executive, Reid Hackney most recently served as vice president and chief financial officer of the San Antonio-based AGACI. A self-described food enthusiast, Reid Hackney enjoys frequenting new restaurants throughout San Antonio in his free time.

A pair of new restaurants owned by a popular TV star will open in San Antonio in the near future. In September, Cake Boss star Bartolo "Buddy" Valastro announced plans to open outposts of both Carlo's Bakery and Buddy V's Ristorante in the city. While an official opening date has yet to be set, construction was scheduled to begin in early October. 

The Buddy V's outlet will include an open kitchen concept with a wood-fired grill and a menu similar to that of its other locations, including classic Italian-American staples and an extensive dessert list. Prospective chefs at the restaurant will travel to Jersey City to train with and learn from Valastro, while the Cake Boss star will make an appearance in San Antonio for the official openings of both restaurants. Buddy V's Ristorante has outposts at casinos in Las Vegas and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, while there are over 20 Carlo's Bakery locations throughout the United States and one in Brazil.

Three Hot Restaurants in San Antonio

Now retired, Reid Hackney spent over 20 years in executive positions for firms including A’GACI, LLC, and Ascena Retail Group, Inc. A resident of San Antonio. Texas, Reid Hackney enjoys visiting the city’s Pearl and Southtown areas to check out the latest restaurants. 

San Antonio is a hotbed of up-and-coming and well-established restaurants that attract all, from foodies to people who enjoy quality food. Eater has compiled a list of the top restaurants in the city, including:

1) Il Forno. Chef Michael Sohocki, a James Bear Award semifinalist, opened his Neapolitan pizza shop with a classic wood-burning oven and seasonal pizzas that take advantage of fresh vegetables found at farmers’ markets. Better yet, Il Forno pizzas are moderately priced - and the happy hour offers a $6 margherita pie. 

2) Rebelle. Found inside the St. Anthony Hotel, Rebelle opened to great acclaim, receiving stellar reviews in Texas Monthly and the San Antonio Current. An upscale restaurant, it offers a hybrid of French cooking methods and global flavors with dinner entrees that include seared Scottish ocean trout and roasted Berkshire pork chop. 

3) Botika. The unique cuisine at Botika includes Chifa (Chinese-Peruvian) and Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) options as well as more traditional dishes updated with modern twists. These combinations result in unusual and tantalizing flavors.