Our Sponsors
The Texas Tribune invites all who share a passion for a better Texas to come engage with our growing, forward-thinking community of business, legislative and policy leaders at the fifth annual Texas Tribune Festival. We are excited to welcome a select number of premier sponsors and supporters to participate in the Festival as partners.
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities for the 2016 Texas Tribune Festival, please contact April Hinkle.
Presenting Sponsor
Celebrating 40 years of doing business in Texas, Walmart is proud to be the state's largest private employer with nearly 172,000 Texas associates and 572 stores. Walmart spent more than $50 billion with Texas-based suppliers in 2015, supporting an additional 146,000 Texas jobs. At the heart of Walmart's culture is our commitment to serving the needs of our customers and the communities we call home. In 2015, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation contributed more than $117 million in cash and in-kind donations to support programs such as hunger relief and healthy eating, assistance for veterans and military families, sustainability initiatives, career development and women's economic empowerment in Texas.
Major Sponsors
South By Southwest dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries, as well as acclaimed events for professionals in the fields of education (SXSWedu) and sustainability (SXSW Eco).
The University of Texas at Austin is a world-class research community tackling society’s greatest issues. With students from every state and more than 100 countries, UT is creating the next generation of leaders who will make an impact in Texas and around the world.
AT&T brings it all together, from an industry leading smartphone portfolio to next-generation home automation services and sophisticated solutions for multi-national businesses. For more than a century, AT&T has provided innovative, reliable, high-quality products and services and excellent customer care.
The Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) is committed to making a difference in the future of Texas public education. With more than 100,000 members, ATPE is the largest independent education association for Texas public school employees. The organization strives to provide every child an equal opportunity to receive an exemplary public education.
The Beer Alliance of Texas is a trade association representing malt beverage distributors across the state. The wholesale beer business employs more than 39,000 Texans with a $2.6 billion payroll, contributing over $1.3 billion in state, local and federal taxes. Our members are driving Texas’ economy and delivering for consumers.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) is the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas, serving 5 million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in 150 countries.
CenterPoint Energy, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution and energy services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. With more than 7,400 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 140 years.
CPS Energy is the nation’s largest municipally owned energy utility providing both natural gas and electric service. We serve more than 786,000 electric customers and 339,000 natural gas customers in and around San Antonio, the nation’s seventh largest city.
In the United States, Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries have 57,000 professionals with a single focus: serving clients and helping them solve their toughest problems. Deloitte LLP works in four key business areas — audit, financial advisory, tax and consulting — but their real strength comes from combining the talents of those groups to address clients’ needs.
Doctors Hospital at Renaissance (DHR) is a 530-bed physician-owned health system that offers some of the most comprehensive medical care on the U.S. Southern Border. From general acute care services and graduate medical education to wellness and preventative health programs, at DHR over 600 physicians and more than 1,000 nurses dedicate themselves to offering a full continuum of care in over 55 different sub-specialties.
Emerus, an innovative leader in the delivery of emergency, inpatient and diagnostic health care, is no longer the best-kept secret in Texas. Nationally renowned for it’s ability to successfully develop and manage a new model of public-private lead health care facilities, the Emerus Platform is leading the evolution of tomorrow’s health care.
At ETS, our goal is to provide quality measures that give educators, administrators, employers and policymakers information they can count on to form insights and make decisions that help learners evolve. Unparalleled research capabilities and an unwavering commitment to exacting standards set us apart and allow us to lead the industry with innovative products and approaches to assessment. ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually - including customized state-level K-12 assessments, high school equivalency tests and teacher licensure exams.
In 2014, ETS launched the HiSET® exam. The exam gives out-of-school youth and adults an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and earn a state-issued high school equivalency credential. The exam features paper- and computer-based formats in English and Spanish, and has been approved for Texas.
General Motors Co. and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. In the U.S., GM sells vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC brands. GM’s subsidiary, OnStar, is also a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.
Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
H-E-B operates 350 stores in Texas and Mexico. The company is recognized for its fresh food, quality products, convenient services and a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability. It strives to provide the best customer experience at everyday low prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs more than 80,000 partners.
The Hatton W. Sumners Foundation supports programs and activities that will result in an increased understanding by the public of the benefits of individual freedom and civic and personal responsibility, and the corresponding threat to liberty posed by a lack of informed, active participation by citizens at all levels of government.
H+K is a full-service communications firm with Texas offices in Austin, Houston, and Dallas. Our Austin office is home to experienced communication professionals who counsel clients across a range of industries, as well as former political professionals with experience working for high-profile campaigns and key regulatory agencies.
IBC Bank was founded in 1966 to meet the needs of small businesses in Laredo, Texas. Today, it serves as the flagship bank of International Bancshares Corporation. Since its opening, IBC has grown from less than $1 million in assets to more than $11.8 billion, making it one of Texas’ largest holding companies. IBC now serves 88 communities throughout Texas and Oklahoma with 204 branches and more than 310 ATMs providing full service banking seven days a week.
Inspired by President Lyndon B. Johnson's vision, the LBJ School of Public Affairs engages in contemporary public policy challenges–sustainability, security, development, diversity, effective governance and public accountability, among others–through rigorous graduate degree programs and innovative policy research.
Legacy Community Health is one of the nation’s largest non-profit health centers providing primary adult care, pediatrics, OB/GYN, behavioral health, dental and vision services to more than 100,000 patients, regardless of their ability to pay. The Houston-based agency has 22 clinics, including school-based health, in Southeast Texas.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 125,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation committed to increasing the proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees, certificates and other credentials to 60 percent by 2025. Lumina’s outcomes-based approach focuses on helping to design and build an accessible, responsive and accountable higher education system while fostering a national sense of urgency for action to achieve Goal 2025.
Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. is a private, faith-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating access to health care for the uninsured through direct services, community partnerships and strategic grant-making in 74 counties across South Texas.
The Monument Group, LLC, established in 2008, is an Austin-based business advisory and public affairs communications consultancy. The Monument Group provides select clients with public affairs/government relations strategy, business intelligence, corporate positioning, advocacy communications, coalition and grassroots issues management, media services and procurement advice.
NRG Energy is at the forefront of changing how people think about and use energy by developing cleaner and smarter energy choices: whether as one of the largest solar power developers in the country, or by building the first privately funded electric vehicle charging infrastructure or by giving customers the latest smart energy solutions to better manage their energy use.
Oncor operates the largest electric transmission and distribution system in Texas, delivering power to nearly 10 million customers each and every day and operating approximately 121,000 miles of power lines across the state. Oncor delivers safe, reliable electric service at some of the lowest delivery rates in Texas.
As the world’s leading learning company, Pearson’s mission is to improve lives through learning. We are driven by our efficacy commitment—to make a measurable impact on learning outcomes. By combining our deep experience in education and creating engaging content with innovative technologies and digital delivery, we partner with institutions and faculty to help people learn and teach more effectively.
Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our 45,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives.
Raise Your Hand Texas is reinventing public education by igniting fiercely innovative leadership and advocacy for our state's 5 million+ students. We are unique among education organizations because of the investments we make spanning research, programs, and advocacy in pursuit of a high-quality public education for every single Texas student.
In its 44th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary customer service delivered by more than 47,000 employees to more than 100 million customers annually. Southwest operates more than 3,600 flights a day, serving 94 destinations across the United States and six additional countries.
St. David's Foundation invests in a healthy community through funding, hard work, and initiatives to better care for the underserved and uninsured in Central Texas. We help people in every corner of the community through our signature programs and collaborations with more than 60 nonprofit partners.
St. David’s HealthCare (SDH)—one of the largest hospital systems in Texas—is a unique partnership between St. David’s Foundation, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) and Georgetown Health Foundation. With locations throughout Central Texas, SDH operates six hospitals, six ambulatory surgery centers, four free-standing emergency departments, four urgent care clinics, rehabilitation facilities and numerous physician practices.
Teladoc’s U.S. board-certified doctors can resolve many of your medical issues, 24/7/365, via phone or online video consults from wherever you happen to be. It’s health care on your terms – simple as that.
The A&M System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, seven state agencies, two service units and a comprehensive health science center, the A&M System educates more than 140,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year.
Texas Central is a private company bringing high-speed rail to Texas to connect North Texas and Houston in less than 90 minutes, using state-of-the art technology for a safe, affordable and reliable transportation option.
TGCCCC member colleges serve more than 220,000 credit and more than 83,000 non-credit students spread out over 13 counties in the Houston area.
A nonpartisan nonprofit organization, Texas State of Mind identifies and encourages implementation of mental health policies and practices so Texans get help when and where they need it. An initiative of Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, TSOM finds best practices, explores promising approaches and analyzes issues toward efficient and effective mental health care.
TexProtects seeks to reduce and prevent child abuse and neglect through research, public policy, and education. By effecting broad-scale, systemic change and leveraging private funds with public funds to bring high-impact prevention solutions to scale, we can free children from abuse and neglect and allow families to thrive.
Toyota is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through its Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands. Over the past 50 years, we have built more than 25 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants and directly employ more than 40,000 people.
In 2012, Dallas became the birthplace of Uber Texas. With a mission of making transportation as reliable as running water for everyone, everywhere, Uber now spans nearly 20 Texas cities. In only four years, Uber has empowered millions of Texans with freedom and economic opportunity at the tap of a button.
UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty includes many distinguished members, including six who have been awarded Nobel Prizes since 1985. The faculty of almost 2,800 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments.
Valero Energy Corporation, through its subsidiaries, is an international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels, petrochemical products and power. Valero subsidiaries employ approximately 10,000 people, and assets include 15 petroleum refineries, 11 ethanol plants, and a 50-megawatt wind farm. Valero is a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio.
For nearly three decades, the Walton Family Foundation has continued the philanthropic vision begun by Walmart founders Sam and Helen Walton. They had an unshakable belief in the power of individuals to transform their lives. Today the Walton Family Foundation, led by Sam and Helen’s children and grandchildren, focuses on awarding grants that drive not just incremental, but transformative, change.
We Work For Health is a grassroots initiative that shows how biopharmaceutical research and medical innovation work together to create a strong, vibrant economy and a healthier America. We unite biopharmaceutical companies with business and community partners to raise awareness about the vital role we all play in delivering life-saving and life-enhancing advancements in medicine, while educating elected leaders on the impact that public policies have on our ability to continue to innovate.
Houston-based Gulf States Toyota is one of the world's largest independent distributors of Toyota and Scion vehicles and parts, serving 157 dealers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Gulf States Toyota was founded in 1969.
The Friedkin Group is comprised of a consortium of automotive, adventure, hospitality and entertainment companies. These organizations include: Gulf States Toyota, Gulf States Financial Services, GS Marketing, US AutoLogistics, Auberge Resorts Collection, Iconic Properties, Legendary Adventures and Imperative Entertainment. The Friedkin Group is led by CEO Dan Friedkin.
Supporting Sponsors
NI equips engineers and scientists with systems that accelerate productivity, innovation, and discovery. For 40 years, NI customers have brought numerous products to market and engineered a better life for us. If you can turn it on, connect it, or drive it, chances are NI technology helped make it happen.
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million, including more than 2 million in Texas. AARP helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse.
The Annette Strauss Institute envisions a democracy where all citizens are informed, vote, and are actively involved in improving their communities. Through nonpartisan research, education, and outreach, the Institute seeks to understand and overcome obstacles to civic engagement.
The AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center is located on the University of Texas at Austin campus. The hotel offers a state of the art meeting facility and well-appointed guest rooms for all of your conference and travel needs. The Ballroom at 1900 University Ave. provides the perfect venue for galas and wedding receptions.
Comcast NBCUniversal shapes the future at the intersection of media and technology. We create world-class experiences that people love and trust and drive innovation that builds value. We bring millions TV and Internet, entertainment, sports and news, communications and home management, theme parks, television and movies. Comcast NBCUniversal brings to life the best of what’s to come.
The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation is a mission‐driven grantmaking foundation that seeks innovative, sustainable solutions for human and environmental problems. The foundation works as an engine of change in both policy and practice in Texas, supporting high-impact projects at the nexus of environmental protection, social equity and economic vibrancy.
A leading catalyst for progress, Educate Texas, a public-private initiative of Communities Foundation of Texas, is an innovative alliance of public and private groups that share a common goal: strengthening the public education system so that every Texas student is prepared for success in school, in the workforce and in life.
For offices with staffs large or small, Greater Texas Water exclusively distributes water distillers that provide pure, safe and more affordable drinking water, without the hassle of bottles. Distilled water systems mean significant savings, often cutting an office's water expenses in half when compared with the cost of renting bottles plus coolers.
The mission of Houston First Corporation is to enhance quality of life, advance economic prosperity and promote the Houston region by inspiring:
The world to think Houston first; Houstonians to believe in Houston first; and, Houston to deliver first class hospitality.
Huston-Tillotson University nurtures a legacy of leadership and excellence in education, connecting knowledge, power, passion, and values.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is committing $250 million for workforce training as part of its New Skills at Work initiative, the largest ever private-sector effort aimed at addressing the skills gap that exists across our state and nation. The effort will unite industry groups, the public sector, academic institutions and other workforce training partners who will collaborate to equip local students with skills they need for jobs that are readily available in Texas and across the nation.
The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment aims to develop and promote programs, research and techniques for ensuring sustainable water resources for human needs, ecosystem health and economic development.
The Meadows Foundation strives to exemplify the principles of its founder in addressing basic human needs by working toward the elimination of ignorance, hopelessness and suffering, protecting the environment, providing cultural enrichment, encouraging excellence and promoting understanding and cooperation among people.
There’s no place like Chicago to study journalism and integrated marketing communications, and no place like Medill’s world-class programs to learn from. Propel your career forward with a master’s degree in journalism or IMC from Medill at Northwestern University. Our programs combine timeless skills and values with the latest storytelling techniques and technologies.
Messina Hof is a leader in the establishment of the Texas wine industry and one the fastest-growing and most award-winning wineries in the state. Established in Texas in 1977, the rich winemaking heritage of the Bonarrigo family dates back six generations to Messina, Sicily. The Messina Hof Winery & Resort in Bryan, the Messina Hof Hill Country Winery and Manor Haus in Fredericksburg and the Messina Hof Grapevine Winery are dedicated to producing premier, award-winning wines and offering tourism destinations based on tradition, romance and family.
The Nature Conservancy works across Texas to conserve and protect the lands and waters on which all life depends. Their on-the-ground conservation work is guided by science and propelled by partnerships, striving to create a broad coalition of people who understand a simple truth: conservation makes people’s lives better.
With more than 100,000 members, the Texas Association of REALTORS® is a professional membership organization that represents all aspects of real estate in Texas. We advocate on behalf of Texas REALTORS® and private-property owners to keep homeownership affordable, protect private-property rights, and promote public policy that benefits property owners.
The Texas Exes, the alumni association for the University of Texas, was founded in 1885. The core purpose of the Texas Exes is to formally organize alumni and friends of the University of Texas at Austin to be its champions and advance its interests. Today there are more than 103,000 members.
A publisher of international scope, the University of Texas Press serves the University of Texas at Austin community, the people of Texas and knowledge seekers around the globe by identifying valuable and relevant information and publishing it in books, journals, and digital media.
Upbring is a 135 year-old nonprofit organization with a rich legacy of serving vulnerable people across Texas. Its mission is to break the cycle of child abuse by empowering children, families and communities. Upbring serves more than 27,500 people annually and provides innovative programs and services for children including foster care, adoption, education, residential treatment and community services. Join us.
UnitedHealthcare is an operating division of UnitedHealth Group, the largest single health carrier in the United States. Our family of companies delivers innovative products and services to approximately 70 million Americans. UnitedHealthcare's nationwide network includes 691,095 physicians and health care professionals, 80,000 dentists and 5,554 hospitals.
Media Partners
The Austin American-Statesman reaches more than 638,000 print readers each week and draws 5 million visitors accessing more than 26 million pages online each month. Named Newspaper of the Year in 2013 and 2014 by the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors, the Statesman is part of Statesman Media, whose portfolio includes; six community newspapers; Austin360; ¡ahora sí!; five websites and three apps.
CultureMap is your source for local lifestyle news. We report on the things that matter to you most, like where to eat and what to do. You're going to love our daily updates on how to make the most of living in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio, as well as fun tidbits about what's happening around Texas.
Houston Public Media provides high quality local, regional, and national content through a multi-media platform that includes TV 8, News 88.7 and Classical 91.7. Focused on the areas of news and information, arts and culture, and education, Houston Public Media strives to engage audiences with unprecedented access to the content that is meaningful to them – on air, online, at home and everywhere they go.
KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, presents quality content that engages people in the exchange of ideas, the expression of the arts and lifelong learning opportunities. In addition to providing locally produced and quality national television programming, KLRU is also a non-profit organization helping to build a stronger community through educational workshops, community engagement projects and public events.
KXAN News is dedicated to serving the community by delivering in-depth, investigative coverage of issues and events affecting the lives of Central Texans. KXAN is the top-rated local source of news and weather on-air and online.
The Marfa Public Radio network serves West Texas with NPR programs, regional news, daily interview shows, and original music and culture. This year, its news department won 7 regional Murrow Awards. Through its family of frequencies in Marfa, Alpine, Marathon, and Odessa-Midland, the Marfa Public Radio network has a coverage area the size of South Carolina.
Since 1973, Texas Monthly has chronicled life in contemporary Texas, reporting on vital issues such as politics, the environment, industry and education. As a leisure guide, Texas Monthly continues to be the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering music, the arts, travel, restaurants, museums and cultural events with its insightful recommendations.
Texas Standard, the national daily news show of Texas, is setting a new bar for broadcast news coverage, offering crisp, up-to-the-moment coverage of politics, lifestyle and culture, the environment, technology and innovation, and business and the economy — from a Texas perspective — and uncovering stories as they happen and spotting the trends that will shape tomorrow’s headlines. Heard on 23 public radio stations across the state.
Univision Communications Inc. is the leading media company serving Hispanic America. The Company, a leading content creator in the U.S., has 16 broadcast, cable and digital networks; 62 television stations; 68 radio stations; and an array of online and mobile apps and products.
The Washington Post is an award-winning news leader. It combines world-class journalism with the latest technology and tools so readers can engage with The Post anytime, anywhere.