Richard Perez, President and CEO of The San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, is the 18th President to lead the 1,800 member organization in its 120-year history.
Under Richard’s leadership at the San Antonio Chamber, the city has benefitted from many initiatives supported by the business community, including:
The extension of the San Antonio River Walk to include more than 13 miles of linear parks,
The location to San Antonio of the Air Force’s cybersecurity headquarters, the 24th Air Force
The kickoff of a new NCAA Division I football team, the Roadrunners of the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2011,
The creation of a cybersecurity plan for the City of San Antonio which has helped the city become known as one of the best prepared cities in America.
The passage of the 2012 City Bond election, which will greatly enhance our parks, libraries, the downtown HemisFair area and provide needed investment in our streets.
The passage of Pre-K for SA in 2012, which aims to improve the educational trajectories of San Antonio youth.
The passage of Proposition 6 in 2013, which will provide funding for essential Texas water projects, necessary for economic growth across the region
Richard grew up in San Antonio and attended South San Antonio ISD schools. He got his first taste of business experience working at his family’s landscaping company, Fairway Landscape and Nursery in his youth. He received his Bachelor’s degree with a major in Urban and Regional Planning from Texas State University in San Marcos, and then attained a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas.
Richard often says that he felt that studying public administration and urban planning is the best way to give back to the community that gave so much to him. His career has become one of community service for almost two decades. Following graduate school, Richard served as Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Laredo. In 1998, he was appointed by the Clinton Administration as the Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he served until January, 2001. Richard then returned to San Antonio and rejoined the family business from 2001 – 2004, when he was elected to the San Antonio City Council for District 4.
