After a 26-year career as a regional sales manager at AT&T, Alexander Travieso was all set to retire to his native San Antonio and enjoy leisurely days on the golf course. As it turns out Travieso wasn’t wired for that.
Rather than kick back and relax, he launched a new chapter of his life focused on higher education and community support. This included serving on the A&M-San Antonio Foundation Board for nearly nine years, including four years as board chairman.
During his time on the board, which serves as the philanthropic arm of the University, he helped oversee the University’s top fundraising initiatives, including The Jaguar Classic Golf Tournament and Dream Maker Scholarship Celebration.
With experience in business, nonprofits, higher education and fundraising, Travieso brought a unique skill set and widespread connections to his role on the board, making a big impact on the campus community.
“It was a labor of love,” said Travieso, who completed his board term in December 2024. “I believed in the students and wanted to do all I could to help them succeed.”
Making Connections
Following Travieso’s tenure with AT&T, during which time he lived in San Antonio, St. Louis, Missouri, Houston, and El Paso, he accepted an offer to serve as a major gift officer with Texas State University’s Advancement Department.
“I agreed to one year, but one year turned into eight,” he said.
After his time at TSU, Travieso accepted another offer, this time to serve as CEO of Kids Sports Network. The nonprofit provided training and certification for coaches participating in the San Antonio Spurs Youth Basketball League.
“I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to meet some of the Spurs players and coaches and help support local youth,” he said.
Finally, after some 37 years of working for these various businesses and organizations, Travieso once again told himself he was ready to retire and start working on his golf handicap.
But then A&M-San Antonio came calling. Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson, who served as the University’s president from 2014 to 2022, asked Travieso to serve on the board of the A&M-San Antonio Foundation, which raises funds for scholarships and the university’s top priorities to help ensure the success of A&M-San Antonio and its students.
“Alex has been a huge asset for A&M-San Antonio, dedicating his time and talent,” said President Salvador Hector Ochoa. “I’d like to personally thank him for his support and leadership, which enabled us to award hundreds of scholarships to deserving students. He has made a huge difference in many people’s lives.”
One of Travieso’s many accomplishments as a board member included finding a new golf course for the tournament after Republic Golf Course closed in 2020.
“I made a couple of calls,” he said. “My neighbor happened to be the superintendent of the SilverHorn Golf Club. I did a little negotiating, and we were able to use the course at a better rate. If you want to generate revenue, you have to either increase sales or decrease expenses, and I was able to decrease expenses.”
The well-connected Travieso also “made a few calls” when he learned about the cost associated with providing lunch for all the golfers.
“Fast forward, I got the entire lunch donated,” he said. “That was another nickel in our pocket that we didn’t have to spend, which helped generate additional scholarship monies for students, which is why I was there.”
And during the COVID-19 pandemic, Travieso helped organize a virtual Dream Maker gala, which was broadcast on YouTube. As part of the event, the University handed out lunches to donors, who picked up the food in their cars.
“That’s one of the things I’m most proud of,” he said. “We successfully made the event happen during very challenging times.”
An Impactful Legacy
During his time on the board, Travieso worked with Teniente-Matson, interim president Linda Schott, as well as current president Salvador Hector Ochoa.
“My wife Gloria and I have actually gotten very close with Hector and his wife, Mari,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for them. They’re wonderful people.”
Now that he’s stepped down as board chairman, Travieso—who has three daughters, all Texas A&M University alumnae—said that this time he really is retired.
“The funny thing is, I haven't played any golf. My wife and I now have grandpa and grandma duties, so that keeps us busy. But I’m very proud of my time with A&M-San Antonio and my tenure as a board member. It was great to see deserving students who worked hard achieve their educational dreams.”