176. The Education of a Texas Public Servant: Ron Nirenberg's Memoir and Vision for Bexar County

176. The Education of a Texas Public Servant: Ron Nirenberg's Memoir and Vision for Bexar County

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we turn our attention to local leadership and public service in San Antonio. Bob sits down with former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, now the Democratic frontrunner for Bexar County Judge, to discuss his new memoir, The Education of a Texas Public Servant, published by Trinity University Press. The conversation delves into Nirenberg’s journey from jazz station manager to public servant, as well as the personal and professional experiences that have shaped his time in office. The episode explores how family, crisis, and San Antonio’s unique culture have influenced Nirenberg’s approach to leadership—and how those lessons may inform the city’s future as he pursues county office. They discuss: * The impact of personal loss, family, and upbringing on public service * San Antonio’s pandemic response—what worked, what didn’t, and what needs to change * Persistent challenges around poverty, economic mobility, and health care in Bexar County * The role of public-private partnerships and collaboration between city and county governments * Why investments in downtown, infrastructure, and workforce development matter for San Antonio’s resilience Listen in for a candid reflection on leadership, the city’s evolving identity, and the ongoing work of building a more equitable San Antonio. RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN: ▶️ #153. The Race to Lead Bexar County: Ron Nirenberg [https://www.bigcitysmalltown.com/153-the-race-to-lead-bexar-county-ron-nirenberg/] – Hosts Cory Ames and Bob Rivard dive into Ron Nirenberg’s campaign to become Bexar County Judge. Hear candid insights into his vision for public health, justice reform, and regional leadership as San Antonio faces a pivotal moment of growth and change. ….. GET THE NEWSLETTER 📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read. Subscribe here. [https://bigcitysmalltown.kit.com/fb1825d442] -- -- CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bigcity.smalltown/] 🔗 Join us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjrivard/] 🎥 Subscribe on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@bcstsatx] SPONSORS 🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors [https://www.bigcitysmalltown.com/sponsors/] THANK YOU ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ⭐ Rate us on Spotify

175. Claudia Zapata's Advice on Eating Well, Staying Active, and Living Healthier in San Antonio

This week on bigcitysmalltown, Bob Rivard sits down with registered dietitian Claudia Zapata to examine the challenges and opportunities facing San Antonio’s food culture and public health. A longtime advocate for healthier eating and community well-being, Claudia brings her experience as a columnist, former television host, and founder of the Diplomacy Diet to the discussion. Bob and Claudia discuss the roots of San Antonio’s health issues, the realities of changing eating habits in a city known for its food traditions, and the small steps individuals and institutions can take to improve outcomes for residents of all ages. They discuss: * The limits of “everything in moderation” and the importance of daily choices * How affordability and access shape San Antonio’s nutrition landscape * The role of education in changing family and community health * How policy, school cafeterias, and marketing influence what we eat * The importance of mobility, exercise, and social connection in lifelong health * Claudia’s personal approach to working with clients, meal planning, and teaching healthy habits The episode also looks at the impact of federal policy, the evolution of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, and why prevention—and practical, non-judgmental support—are central to Claudia’s work with Methodist Healthcare and her broader vision for San Antonio. RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN: ▶️ #140. The Food Bank is Harvesting Solutions to San Antonio’s Hunger [https://www.bigcitysmalltown.com/140-the-food-bank-is-harvesting-solutions-to-san-antonios-hunger/] – Food, health, and housing are deeply interconnected in San Antonio. In this conversation, host Cory Ames sits down with Mitch Hagney of the San Antonio Food Bank to explore how innovative farming, drought-resistant crops, and sustainable agriculture are transforming both emergency food services and long-term food security for the city’s most vulnerable communities. ….. GET THE NEWSLETTER 📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read. Subscribe here. [https://bigcitysmalltown.kit.com/fb1825d442] -- -- CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bigcity.smalltown/] 🔗 Join us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjrivard/] 🎥 Subscribe on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@bcstsatx] SPONSORS 🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors [https://www.bigcitysmalltown.com/sponsors/] THANK YOU ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ⭐ Rate us on Spotify

174. Twenty Years at SAPD: Chief Bill McManus on Recruiting, ICE, and Who Comes Next

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we sit down with San Antonio Police Chief William  McManus as he approaches the end of his nearly 20-year tenure leading the San Antonio Police Department. With retirement on the horizon in September 2026, Chief McManus offers a candid reflection on two decades of service in a city that has grown and changed dramatically. Bob Rivard guides a conversation that covers the evolving challenges facing law enforcement in San Antonio. From changes in public celebrations to the impact of state legislation on policing practices, Chief McManus discusses the complexities of running a department in one of the country’s largest and fastest-growing cities. They discuss: * The unique pressures of policing during major community events such as Spurs celebrations and Fiesta * How the department responds to trends in drunk driving, road rage, and domestic violence * The growing influence of state immigration laws, cooperation with federal authorities, and the evolving relationship with ICE * Efforts to improve recruitment, strengthen community relations, and address officer wellness and mental health * Policing homelessness, the expansion of mental health response units, and San Antonio’s efforts to support its most vulnerable residents * The significance of cultural awareness and community immersion for new officers, and thoughts on leadership succession within SAPD Through personal stories and policy details, Chief McManus reflects on the accomplishments and challenges that have defined his leadership and shares what he believes San Antonio needs as it looks to the future of public safety. RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN: ▶️ #162. Close to Home on Why the City Struggles to Keep Up With Homelessness [https://www.bigcitysmalltown.com/162-close-to-home-on-why-the-city-struggles-to-keep-up-with-homelessness/]Building on this week’s discussion of policing and homelessness, Bob Rivard and Cory Ames talk with Katie Wilson of Close to Home about San Antonio’s ongoing struggle to address housing, mental health, and chronic homelessness. Discover why collaboration and long-term planning are crucial as they unpack the local realities and policy challenges behind this persistent citywide issue. -- -- CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bigcity.smalltown/] 🔗 Join us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjrivard/] 🎥 Subscribe on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@bcstsatx] SPONSORS 🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors [https://www.bigcitysmalltown.com/sponsors/] THANK YOU ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ⭐ Rate us on Spotify

173. Charlie Amato and Gary Dudley on Building SWBC — and Betting on San Antonio for 50 Years

This week on bigcitysmalltown, Bob Rivard sits down with Charlie Amato and Gary Dudley, co-founders of SWBC, to mark the company's 50th anniversary. What began in 1976 with $1,500, a third partner in Dallas, and car trunks for offices has grown into one of San Antonio's largest and most diversified private companies, with 2,500 employees, operations in all 50 states, and a growing presence in Monterrey, Mexico. They discuss: * How two friends from the Gulf Coast reunited in college, learned the insurance business from the inside, and quit their jobs on the same day to start something better * Why they chose San Antonio as their headquarters — and why a vote, a house sale, and a buyout sealed it * How surviving 17–19% interest rates in the 1980s shaped their philosophy on diversification and financial resilience * The decision to expand into multifamily real estate development — and what the post-COVID softening of that market looks like now * Why they joined the group that kept the Spurs in San Antonio in 1993, and what that $85 million bet looks like at a $3.5 billion valuation * Their operation in Monterrey — why they went, how H-E-B showed them the way, and how they're thinking about security during the World Cup * What 6,000 intern applications revealed about SWBC's reputation — and how they're thinking about AI across their businesses * Why San Antonio has work to do on corporate recruitment, workforce development, and staying top of mind for CEOs RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN: ▶ 161. Former Assistant City Manager Lori Houston Reflects on 23 Years at City Hall and Her Next Steps — [https://www.bigcitysmalltown.com/161-former-assistant-city-manager-lori-houston-reflects-on-23-years-at-city-hall-and-her-next-steps/] SWBC's growth mirrors San Antonio's own civic evolution. This episode examines the infrastructure and leadership decisions that shaped the city Charlie and Gary bet on. ….. GET THE NEWSLETTER 📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read. Subscribe here. [https://bigcitysmalltown.kit.com/fb1825d442] -- -- CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bigcity.smalltown/] 🔗 Join us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjrivard/] 🎥 Subscribe on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@bcstsatx] SPONSORS 🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors [https://www.bigcitysmalltown.com/sponsors/] THANK YOU ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ⭐ Rate us on Spotify

172. Ambassador Tony Garza on Mexico, Trade, and What San Antonio Gets Right

This week on bigcitysmalltown, Bob Rivard sits down with Ambassador Tony Garza, a Brownsville native who served as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico under President George W. Bush from 2002 to 2009 and now works as counsel and special advisor to the global law firm White & Case in Mexico City, to discuss the state of the U.S.-Mexico relationship at a moment of unusual tension and opportunity. They discuss: * Why the transactionalism defining U.S.-Mexico relations today was always present beneath the surface — and what changed when it became explicit * How President Sheinbaum has managed the relationship with Washington, and why her approach has earned approval on both sides of the border * The coordinated operation that took down El Mencho, and what it reveals about the level of intelligence-sharing between the two governments * Why "cartels" is the wrong word for what Mexico is actually dealing with — and why that distinction matters for policy * Whether the Trump administration would ever order direct military action inside Mexico * How multinational companies navigate corruption and security risks while continuing to invest heavily in Mexican manufacturing * Why nearshoring has proceeded more slowly than the headlines suggested — and where the real growth has actually come from * The missed opportunity for comprehensive immigration reform in 2001, and what a more pragmatic path forward might look like today * Why San Antonio's DNA — automotive, cyber, aeronautics, and its deep ties to northern Mexico — positions it better than Austin for what's coming next in North America RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN: ▶ 165. How Hill Country Landowners Are Challenging CPS Energy's 370-Mile Transmission Line Plan — [https://www.bigcitysmalltown.com/165-how-hill-country-landowners-are-challenging-cps-energys-370-mile-transmission-line-plan/] Ambassador Garza references water and energy infrastructure as emerging areas for U.S.-Mexico cooperation. This episode examines one of the most consequential energy projects now moving through the Texas Hill Country. ….. GET THE NEWSLETTER 📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read. Subscribe here. [https://bigcitysmalltown.kit.com/fb1825d442] -- -- CONNECT 📸 Connect on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bigcity.smalltown/] 🔗 Join us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertjrivard/] 🎥 Subscribe on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@bcstsatx] SPONSORS 🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors [https://www.bigcitysmalltown.com/sponsors/] THANK YOU ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ⭐ Rate us on Spotify