Speakers

SightsUnseen's mission is to put glasses on the faces of those in need. We see vision as the cornerstone for education, training, employment and opportunity for all peoples and the ability to clearly see the world allows people to realize Sights Unseen.

Our vison at SightsUnseen is to provide eye glasses to the people of the developing world that do not have access to eye care or the ability to purchase prescription glasses. Our focus is on providing basic eyewear that can be rapidly adjusted to the individual, is sturdy and reliable, and inexpensive.

We provide stand-alone, teaming and support capabilities to reach countries in the developing world where there is a need. SightsUnseen conducts fundraising and works directly with international, governmental and corporate sponsors to procure and deliver glasses worldwide.

www.sightsunseen.org

Jeff McDonald is a beat writer for the San Antonio Express News and has been covering the Spurs since 2007.  He often travels with the team and has an insider view of the team.  He will be speaking on what happened between the Spurs and Kawhi Leonard and what the future now holds.

John Kuempel was sworn in on December 30, 2010 to the 81st Legislature and is serving his  fourth term as State Representative from District 44. The district is comprised of Guadalupe and Wilson Counties.

John received a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He was born and raised in Seguin and graduated from Seguin High School. He was active in high school sports, playing football and baseball before becoming a walk-on member of the University of Texas football team.

Since his college graduation, John has been employed as a Salesman at Commercial Metals Company in Seguin.

Rep. Kuempel currently serves as Chairman of the Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee where he oversees all occupational licenses issued by the state. He also serves as a member of the State Affairs Committee which oversees a myriad of critical state issues including, but not limited to: state policy and government, the regulation of electric and telecommunication utilities, energy production and consumption, right to life and immigration policy. During the 83rd Legislative Interim, Speaker Straus appointed Representative Kuempel as Co-Chairman of the Legislative Committee to Review the Texas Lottery Commission. 

In June 2011, Speaker Straus appointed John to serve on the Energy Council, a non-profit organization that helps promote a balanced national energy strategy and related environmental policies at the state level.  Upon completion of the 82nd legislative session, Representative Kuempel was honored with the 2011 Legislative Champion Award given by the Foundation Appraisers Coalition of Texas for his tireless efforts in reforming Appraisal Management Companies in Texas and authoring legislation to protect appraisers and consumers in the state.  Representative Kuempel has been honored each session by the Texas Association of Business  and has been named a “Champion of Free Enterprise”.

Like his parents, the late Edmund Kuempel and Roberta Blumberg Kuempel of Seguin, John is actively involved in his community. He is a member of the Seguin Rotary Club, the Guadalupe County 100 Club, Texas Farm Bureau and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

John is an avid outdoorsman and serves as a Texas Parks & Wildlife Honorary Game Warden. He is also a life member of the National Rifle Association and the Texas State Rifle Association.

John and his wife, Michelle, are parents of 13 year-old twin boys. They are active members of Faith Lutheran Church in Seguin where Michelle, a librarian at Koennecke Elementary, serves on the Altar Guild.

The couple supports several local charitable entities such as Guadalupe Regional Hospice, Seguin Education Foundation, Wade Busby Memorial, Tejas Literacy Club, Texas Agriculture Education and Heritage Center and Guadalupe, La Vernia and Wilson County Youth Shows.

http://johnkuempel.com/

www.cybertexas.org

Ground Zero 360 is a traveling exhibition that educates the public on the events of September 11th, 2001 and honors the memory of victims & 1st responders.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrugFGiPRWw

Stasi Gaveras is a Business Development Manager with Nepris, a leading educational technology platform that connects industry to education to bridge the skills and opportunity gaps that today's youth experience. These virtual connections bring the world to students and introduce them to various career pathways.

Started in 1996 by Rick Cavender who was then the incoming president of the largest Rotary Club in the world, Kingdom for Kids is a community partnership that unites Rotarians with City Year San Antonio and hundreds of volunteers to build playgrounds and other improvements  in inner city schools, libraries and community centers. The 20^th project is scheduled for this fall at the Sarah King Elementary School.

Rick will tell the story of how the idea developed and how the project has grown over the years to be a marquee community improvement program enhancing the lives of thousands of children.

Holman's Honey