Friend of Youth Luncheon

2012 Friend of Youth Award honoring:
Gordon V. Hartman, Tim Haegelin, and Louis J. Cardenas

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Morgan’s Wonderland at 5223 David Edwards Drive San Antonio TX 78233

To sponsor the event or buy a ticket, contact us at 210-223-3131 ext. 207 or jason@sanantonioyouth.org.

About the Honorees

Gordon V. Hartman “Briscoe Friend of Youth”

Gordon Hartman is a philanthropist and former businessman who was born and raised in San Antonio. From his small efficiency apartment, Gordon founded Gordon Hartman Homes in 1983 and began to build homes for low to moderate income families. Over the next 22 years, he grew his company into the largest locally owned home building and land development enterprise in San Antonio. In 2005, Gordon sold his companies. That same year, he established The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation, to which he and his wife, Maggie, have donated $15 million to date to pursue their dream of helping children and adults with special needs. Gordon recognized the tremendous need for accessible outdoor facilities for individuals with special needs, so in April 2010 he opened Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first ultra-accessible family fun park designed with special-needs kids and adults in mind as well as their family members, caregivers and friends. Also in 2010, the STAR Soccer Complex began operations adjacent to Morgan’s Wonderland. In August 2011, Gordon opened a school – Monarch Academy. It will provide students with special needs a unique learning environment that will enable them to reach their maximum individual potential. Gordon Hartman has been extremely generous to numerous charities in San Antonio, including SA Youth, providing funding where needed and television advertising to support our mission.

Tim Haegelin “Corporate Friend of Youth”

For nearly half a century, Tim Haegelin has tirelessly served credit unions both in Texas and across the nation. He has led his own credit union, Generations, to enormous growth and advancement in technology and service delivery, while working as a legislative advocate for credit unions everywhere. Tim joined Generations Federal Credit Union (then – San Antonio City Employees Federal Credit Union) in 1980 as Associate Manager, taking the helm as President and CEO in 1984. Under his leadership and direction, Generations has expanded from a credit union with one location, 14,000 members and $37 million in assets; to nine locations, 47,000 members and more than $400 million in assets. Always a proponent of technological advance, Tim launched one of the first high-tech, high-touch branches in the City – the fourth Generation branch – in 2001. Generations was the first credit union in Texas to use the biometric safe deposit vault in an “attendant-free” environment. Despite Tim’s many contributions to the Credit Union industry, and San Antonio specifically, he will perhaps be most noted for his key role in the establishment of Credit Unions For Kids. It was so successful that the Credit Union For Kids model was launched on a nationwide level in 1996. Currently all 50 states have a strong Credit Unions For Kids organization. Since its inception in San Antonio, CUFK has raised more than six million dollars for CHRISTUS. Nationally, CUFK has gone on to raise more than $75 million dollars for local children’s hospitals. Tim Haegelin has been an advocate for SA Youth for more than 20 years, providing board leadership, volunteers, funding, and other needed assistance

Louis J. Cardenas “Friend of Youth Champion”

San Antonio native Louis Cardenas is a small business owner, supporter of local artists and various charities. Louis honed his artistic skills while attending San Antonio College and landed his first job in publishing. After six years in publishing, a start-up communications company in Austin recruited him. During the DotCom years, Louis was credited along with his colleagues for taking the company public. In early 2001, Louis took a risk and opened his creative/multi-media firm, Blonde Creative. Since then, Blonde Creative, which consists of a great group of creative misfits, has become an award-winning agency with clients ranging from small start-up to Fortune 50 companies. Louis has served as President of the American Advertising Federation – San Antonio and currently serves on the Board of SA Youth along with supporting many other non-profits throughout San Antonio. In 2009, Louis and his wife, Pam, started Scare-N-Share, a costume collection drive for under privileged kids. This year Scare-N-Share donated costumes to kids in the care of Roy Maas’ Youth Alternatives and SA Youth. Louis and his wife have been married for 15 years and have a daughter Trinity.

For the last 16 years, the Friend of Youth Award, given by SA Youth, has recognized philanthropists and community leaders in San Antonio who have made a significant impact in the lives of children and youth.

SA Youth programs have been reaching out to San Antonio’s most impoverished youth since 1984.  Our agency provides a host of activities for the most impoverished youth in the city; during the out-of-school time when juvenile crime and delinquency are at a peak.  Each year, our centers and programs serve hundreds of inner-city youth:  providing tutoring, music lessons, job training opportunities, educational advancement, recreational activities, social and life skills, meals and other youth development opportunities.  Our mission is to develop the character, strengths, talents and skills of high-risk urban youth through fun, safe experiences, positive learning environments and holistic programs that inspire each individual to fulfill his or her potential in life.

The Friend of Youth Award recognizes individuals who have not only made an impact on children served by SA Youth, but we recognize philanthropists who have supported the work of other children’s organizations as well. 

Past honorees recognized for this well-deserved award include:

Chas Toudouze & Family, 1996

Red & Charlene McCombs, 1997

Rev. Buckner Fanning, 1998

Representative

Ruth Jones-McClendon, 1999

Peter Holt, 2000

Mayor Howard Peak, 2001

Ret. Police Chief Al Philippus, 2002

Ret. Fire Chief Robert Ojeda, 2002

USAA & Barbara Gentry, 2003

Valero Energy Corporation and Bill Greehey, 2004

Governor Dolph Briscoe, 2005

Charles Amato, 2006

Congressman Charles Gonzalez, 2007

The Zachry Group, Inc. 2008

Mayor Phil and Linda Hardberger, 2009

Harvey E. Najim, 2010

The Turner Family & TETCO, 2011