The Hill Country Podcast

MotivAction Partners with Schreiner’s Center for Talent and Workforce Development to Build Educator Resilience

Welcome to award-winning The Hill Country Podcast. The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places on earth. In this podcast, welcomes back Jen Hardy.  Jen is the COO of Academy of MotivAction, a neuroscience-based training and development company that equips high-stress professionals with resilience and communication tools to reduce burnout and maintain relationships. Hardy explains MotiveAction’s new partnership with Schreiner University’s Center for Talent and Workforce Development to deliver professional development for educators and education staff through workshops, retreats, keynotes, and on-campus courses. She describes a key training gap in education and coaching: managing difficult conversations, regulating one’s nervous system during stressful situations, and addressing increasingly dysregulated students. Hardy contrasts self-paced and live online offerings with the benefits of immersive in-person training. She notes partner Irina is focusing more on CEO responsibilities while new coach Sarah Talley helps lead courses. A summer 2026 on-campus course is scheduled for June 23.  Key Highlights  ·      What Is MotivAction ·      Schreiner Partnership ·      Training Gap For Teachers ·      Coaching Lessons Applied ·      Team Roles And New Coach ·      How To Connect And Wrap Up   Resources Jen Hardy on LinkedIn MotivAction website [https://motivaction.academy/] Schreiner University’s Center for Talent and Workforce Development [https://schreiner.edu/ctwd/]   Other Hill Country Focused Podcasts Hill Country Authors Podcast [https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/hillcountryauthors] Hill Country Artists Podcast [https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/ACS2211176852] Texas Hill Country Podcast Network [https://www.texashillcountrypodcastnetwork.com/]   Cover Art Nancy Huffman [https://www.nancyhuffman.com/]

AJ Rodriguez of Guadalupe Bank on Community Banking, Local Growth, and Interest-Rate Uncertainty

Welcome to the award-winning The Hill Country Podcast. The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places on earth. In this podcast, Tom’s partners, Gilbert Paiz and Andrew Gay, take the lead in visiting with AJ Rodriguez, now the interim CEO and board member of Guadalupe Bank. AJ recounts entering banking after a ranch fire led him to college, an internship, and an examiner role with the U.S. Treasury, and subsequent roles at larger banks before becoming CEO of a South Texas community bank that grew to 31 branches and $2.2B in assets; after retiring in 2012 and moving to Fredericksburg, he helped launch the Backwoods barbecue restaurant and later joined Guadalupe Bank, stepping in as CEO after the prior CEO resigned. They contrast community banks with national banks, emphasizing local decision-making, relationship-based service, community involvement, and support for small businesses, and provide Guadalupe Bank details (about $254–$256M in assets, ~37–38 employees, locations in Kerrville and Fredericksburg, and a San Antonio production office planned to become a branch). They cover recruiting talent via a Schreiner University internship rotation program, regional optimism post-flood and amid steady growth, current products and fraud-prevention investments, and non-advisory commentary on interest rates, inflation, and market volatility. Resources: Guadalupe Bank [https://www.guadalupebank.com/]  Other Hill Country-Focused Podcasts: Hill Country Authors Podcast [https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/hillcountryauthors] Hill Country Artists Podcast [https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/ACS2211176852] Texas Hill Country Podcast Network [https://www.texashillcountrypodcastnetwork.com/] Cover Art Nancy Huffman [https://www.nancyhuffman.com/]

Schreiner University’s Jane Ragsdale Memorial Polo Celebration: Honoring Legacy and Funding the Equestrian Team

Welcome to the award-winning The Hill Country Podcast. The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places on earth. In this podcast, Hill Country resident Tom Fox visits with the people and organizations that make this one of the most unique areas of Texas. In this episode, host Tom Fox speaks with Sage Walter about the upcoming Jane Ragsdale Memorial Polo Celebration, which will be held at Camp Stewart in Hunt, Texas, on Saturday, April 18, 2026. The event honors longtime Schreiner Board member Jane Ragsdale, who was lost in the July 4 flood, and raises funds to build an endowment for Schreiner’s equestrian team led by head coach Ashley Brune, whose riders compete through IHSA against larger universities and have recently attended a national qualifier. Sage outlines event logistics and programming, including sponsor/VIP tents, general admission options, halftime equestrian demonstrations, hat contest, divot stomping, polo basics, parking details, and “rain or shine” execution. VIP and sponsorships are sold out, with general admission still available, and attendees are advised on smart-casual polo attire. Highlights include: * Meet the Equestrian Team * Remembering Jane Ragsdale * Tickets, Weather, and Attire Jane Ragsdale Memorial Polo Celebration [https://schreiner.edu/schreiner-university-to-host-jane-ragsdale-memorial-polo-celebration-along-the-guadalupe-river/]  Other Hill Country Focused Podcasts Hill Country Authors Podcast [https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/hillcountryauthors] Hill Country Artists Podcast [https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/ACS2211176852] Texas Hill Country Podcast Network [https://www.texashillcountrypodcastnetwork.com/] Cover Art Nancy Huffman [https://www.nancyhuffman.com/]

Kerr250’s Evolution Car Show: Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday and Community Resilience

Welcome to award-winning The Hill Country Podcast. The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places on earth. In this podcast, Hill Country resident Tom Fox visits with the people and organizations that make this the most unique areas of Texas. In this episode, host Tom Fox speaks with Doug Hetzler about Kerr250, a community effort to celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary leading up to July 4, 2026.  We discuss the “Evolution Car Show” envisioned as 250 cars displayed in chronological order to show the evolution of American auto manufacturing. The event will be a free show at Louise Hays Park, with food trucks and vendors, aiming to rebuild positive community memories after the flood. Doug describes other Kerr250 initiatives, including DAR-supported flag displays on Sydney Baker Street, commemorative tree sales with medallions, and a Fourth on the River program split into a memorial and a celebration. He emphasizes broad community participation, provides the website (kerr250.com) and contact (info@kerr250.com), and encourages inclusion of everyday vehicles, not just high-end classics.  Highlights Include:  ·      Vision for Evolution Car Show ·      What Is Kerr250 ·      How to Join and Website ·      Why 250 Years Matters ·      Car Show Open to All Cars   Resources Kerr250 website [http://kerr250.com/] Evolution Car Show [https://kerr250.com/evolution-car-show-may-16-2026/]   Other Hill Country Focused Podcasts Hill Country Authors Podcast [https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/hillcountryauthors] Hill Country Artists Podcast [https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/ACS2211176852] Texas Hill Country Podcast Network [https://www.texashillcountrypodcastnetwork.com/]   Cover Art Nancy Huffman [https://www.nancyhuffman.com/]

Greg Faldyn: Leadership and Legacy in Rotary

Welcome to the award-winning The Hill Country Podcast. The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places on earth. In this podcast, Hill Country resident Tom Fox visits with the people and organizations that make this one of the most unique areas of Texas. In this episode, host Tom Fox speaks with Greg Faldyn, a seasoned insurance industry professional and a long-time Rotarian. Greg, an insurance professional with over 40 years of experience and a dedicated Rotary Club member for nearly 25 years, views the 100th anniversary of Rotary in Kerrville as a landmark achievement in the organization’s enduring commitment to community service. Having played a pivotal role in organizing the celebration as the foundation chair, Greg has been instrumental in highlighting Rotary’s century-long partnerships with key local organizations, such as the Peterson Foundation and the Raphael Clinic. He proudly points to the Hill Country community’s collective resilience, particularly in the wake of events like the July 4th flood, as a testament to Rotary’s strength and impact. Passionate about engaging young professionals, Greg believes that the milestone anniversary serves not only as a celebration of past achievements but also as a call to future service and community enhancement. Highlights include: * Rotary’s Centennial Celebration in Kerrville’s Community * Community Support through Rotary Foundation Grants * Rotary Club Weekly Engagement * Why Join Rotary? Resources: Rotary Club of Kerrville [https://kerrvillerotary.org/] Rotary District 5840 [https://rotary5840.org/bulletin/viewsent/afb61221-cf09-4853-a33f-2c37f29f7c87/14c5635a-0e9b-4663-9587-7adb7c88266f?mid=20oP2Qprz7zjbP/HWYGAEw8rNGGmRsVR1IOyOD7NguI=&type=m] Rotary International [https://www.rotary.org/en]  Other Hill Country Focused Podcasts Hill Country Authors Podcast [https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/hillcountryauthors] Hill Country Artists Podcast [https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/ACS2211176852] Texas Hill Country Podcast Network [https://www.texashillcountrypodcastnetwork.com/] Cover Art Nancy Huffman [https://www.nancyhuffman.com/]