2020-2021 Art of Humanity Award Winner
Richard Ojeda
The Art of Humanity Award is given to recognize those who have turned their
skills, talents, or vocation into a calling to help others.
Like many successful entrepreneurs, Richard Ojeda started honing his business and sales skills at an early age. By the time he was nine-years-old, he was earning money selling watermelons in the summer and Christmas cards during the holidays. The time he spent in the kitchen preparing food with his mother and his grandmother led to his interest in food and entertaining, so it was only natural that he would find his passion – and his success – in the catering industry.
Richard began his work in the restaurant business in his hometown of San Antonio after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, where he attended on a football and academic scholarship. In 1986, he founded Black Tie Affairs, a company that has grown to be the largest Hispanic-owned catering company in San Antonio.
The company grew and flourished with Richard working long hours in every aspect of his business. He also helped raise three children, Emily, Hill, and Sarah, and became involved in community affairs, including the Northside School Board, and local charities.
In 2011, Richard was elected “Rey Feo” after raising over $250,000 for college scholarships for San Antonio youth. In 2013 he was named “Volunteer of the Year” for the Live Stock Show and Rodeo, and in 2014 he was named “Man of the Year” after raising over $220,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Richard continues to raise money for a variety of charitable causes through the Ojeda Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit he founded to facilitate charity work in San Antonio.
“Giving has always been an innate characteristic of my personality, a purpose that resides in my heart,” says Richard. “When you take it to heart that God loves a cheerful giver, it brings all of the components of raising money to a positive and exciting place.”
Richard likes to surround himself with likeminded givers to spread a sense of community in San Antonio. “If helping others with my personal blessings from God will leave a positive legacy on this earth after I am gone, then I am determined to pay it forward so that even more people can experience charitable kindness.”
Richard began his work in the restaurant business in his hometown of San Antonio after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, where he attended on a football and academic scholarship. In 1986, he founded Black Tie Affairs, a company that has grown to be the largest Hispanic-owned catering company in San Antonio.
The company grew and flourished with Richard working long hours in every aspect of his business. He also helped raise three children, Emily, Hill, and Sarah, and became involved in community affairs, including the Northside School Board, and local charities.
In 2011, Richard was elected “Rey Feo” after raising over $250,000 for college scholarships for San Antonio youth. In 2013 he was named “Volunteer of the Year” for the Live Stock Show and Rodeo, and in 2014 he was named “Man of the Year” after raising over $220,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Richard continues to raise money for a variety of charitable causes through the Ojeda Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit he founded to facilitate charity work in San Antonio.
“Giving has always been an innate characteristic of my personality, a purpose that resides in my heart,” says Richard. “When you take it to heart that God loves a cheerful giver, it brings all of the components of raising money to a positive and exciting place.”
Richard likes to surround himself with likeminded givers to spread a sense of community in San Antonio. “If helping others with my personal blessings from God will leave a positive legacy on this earth after I am gone, then I am determined to pay it forward so that even more people can experience charitable kindness.”
2019 Art of Humanity Award Winner
Joanna Weidman
As Senior Vice President of Administration for NuStar Energy L.P., Joanna Weidman helps oversee internal and external communications, special events and community relations, responsibilities that require complex skills and the ability to connect with people. It is Joanna’s gift for meaningful connections, her service to the community, and her power to inspire others that earned her the Autism Treatment Center’s 2019 Art of Humanity Award.
NuStar’s corporate culture of caring and sharing mirrors Joanna’s longtime philosophy on giving back. At the University of Texas at Austin, she volunteered as a public relations intern with Big Brothers Big Sisters. When she moved back to San Antonio after graduation, she became a Big Sister and developed a passion for helping girls grow into successful, giving women.
Today, Joanna’s volunteer service covers a broad range of causes and organizations. She works with THRU Project to mentor young women aging out of foster care and is a committed fundraiser who has cycled hundreds of miles and raised thousands of dollars for the National MS Society. Along with the NuStar team, Joanna helps coordinate the NuHope Golf Classic, which has raised more than $38 million for Haven for Hope over 12 years. Joanna also volunteers for many other nonprofit organizations and serves in leadership roles as Vice Chair of Clarity Child Guidance Center, an advisor with Women United, and an Advisory Board Member of the South Texas chapter of the Women’s Energy Network.
Joanna credits two people, in particular, for encouraging and shaping her passion for philanthropy and volunteer service - founding Chairman of Valero and NuStar Energy, Bill Greehey, and longtime boss, friend and mentor, Mary Rose Brown. “I’ve been blessed to have such amazing mentors, co-workers, family members, and friends,” Joanna says. “We are all so supportive of each other, helping each other in good times and bad.” It is this collaborative spirit and Joanna’s desire to always put others in the spotlight that has brought our community together to shine the light on her.
NuStar’s corporate culture of caring and sharing mirrors Joanna’s longtime philosophy on giving back. At the University of Texas at Austin, she volunteered as a public relations intern with Big Brothers Big Sisters. When she moved back to San Antonio after graduation, she became a Big Sister and developed a passion for helping girls grow into successful, giving women.
Today, Joanna’s volunteer service covers a broad range of causes and organizations. She works with THRU Project to mentor young women aging out of foster care and is a committed fundraiser who has cycled hundreds of miles and raised thousands of dollars for the National MS Society. Along with the NuStar team, Joanna helps coordinate the NuHope Golf Classic, which has raised more than $38 million for Haven for Hope over 12 years. Joanna also volunteers for many other nonprofit organizations and serves in leadership roles as Vice Chair of Clarity Child Guidance Center, an advisor with Women United, and an Advisory Board Member of the South Texas chapter of the Women’s Energy Network.
Joanna credits two people, in particular, for encouraging and shaping her passion for philanthropy and volunteer service - founding Chairman of Valero and NuStar Energy, Bill Greehey, and longtime boss, friend and mentor, Mary Rose Brown. “I’ve been blessed to have such amazing mentors, co-workers, family members, and friends,” Joanna says. “We are all so supportive of each other, helping each other in good times and bad.” It is this collaborative spirit and Joanna’s desire to always put others in the spotlight that has brought our community together to shine the light on her.
2018 Art of Humanity Award Winner
Louis Barrios
For almost forty years, the Barrios family has been known for the great food and hospitality dished out at their San Antonio restaurants. The Barrios name has also become synonymous with service, a tradition started by their matriarch, Viola Barrios. When she was killed in 2008, her three children, Louis, Diana, and Teresa, turned tragedy into charity by founding Viola's Huge Heart Foundation to give 4-year private high school scholarships to deserving students. As Louis Barrios says, “It speaks to that Mexican proverb “Algo bueno siempre sale de algo malo” - something good always comes out of something bad.
Louis has turned this philosophy into a business model that creates “win-win-win” solutions for his family-owned restaurants, donors, and local nonprofits. Eleven years ago, his friend, Mike Coolbaugh, died after being struck in the head by a baseball, leaving a pregnant wife and two children behind. Concerned about how they would pay their bills, Louis quickly moved into action. He created a flyer and invited guests at the funeral to a chicken fajita dinner fundraiser the following Sunday. At the end of the event, Louis handed his friend’s widow a check for $8,000, funds raised from 250 people who came to eat dinner and help out.
When the family opened its third restaurant, Viola’s Ventanas, in 2013, Louis decided to make the chicken fajita dinners available for nonprofit fundraisers every Sunday on the large, beautiful patio. Over the past 5 years, Louis has helped more than 80 charities raise money through these low-cost, turn-key dinners. “The smaller the charity, the more they love our fundraisers,” Louis says, “because they don’t have to risk money to raise money.”
Louis’ love for people shines through in everything he does. Whether visiting with guests at his restaurants or making calls to promote the next chicken fajita fundraiser, Louis large circle of friends know he does it because he cares – not just about the people he knows, but about everyone he meets. It’s the Barrios way!
Louis has turned this philosophy into a business model that creates “win-win-win” solutions for his family-owned restaurants, donors, and local nonprofits. Eleven years ago, his friend, Mike Coolbaugh, died after being struck in the head by a baseball, leaving a pregnant wife and two children behind. Concerned about how they would pay their bills, Louis quickly moved into action. He created a flyer and invited guests at the funeral to a chicken fajita dinner fundraiser the following Sunday. At the end of the event, Louis handed his friend’s widow a check for $8,000, funds raised from 250 people who came to eat dinner and help out.
When the family opened its third restaurant, Viola’s Ventanas, in 2013, Louis decided to make the chicken fajita dinners available for nonprofit fundraisers every Sunday on the large, beautiful patio. Over the past 5 years, Louis has helped more than 80 charities raise money through these low-cost, turn-key dinners. “The smaller the charity, the more they love our fundraisers,” Louis says, “because they don’t have to risk money to raise money.”
Louis’ love for people shines through in everything he does. Whether visiting with guests at his restaurants or making calls to promote the next chicken fajita fundraiser, Louis large circle of friends know he does it because he cares – not just about the people he knows, but about everyone he meets. It’s the Barrios way!
For additional information on Arts e Platters, please contact Cynthia Hamilton by email or at (210) 538-0905.