Award Recipients
PAUL & IRENE ELIZONDO LEGACY AWARD
George & Adel Hernandez
George B. Hernández, Jr., JD, is the President/Chief Executive
Officer of the Bexar County Hospital District d/b/a University
Health. The institution operates 28 primary, specialty and
preventive healthcare centers throughout Bexar County, as well as
University Hospital, a 716-bed hospital which serves as South Texas’
only civilian Level I trauma center and first and only Level I pediatric
trauma and burn center. University Health also operates a nonprofit HMO, Community First Health Plans, Inc.; a nonprofit multispecialty physician practice University Medicine Associates.
The University Health is South Texas’ first Magnet healthcare
organization, a status designated by the American Nurses Association
and earned only by 6 percent of U.S. hospital. As one of the Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems in the nation, University Health ranks in the top 1 percent of U.S. health organizations for achieving a high level of information technology integration.
Hernández serves as a member of the “Code Red” Task Force on Access to Health Care in Texas and is past chair of both the Texas Hospital Association (2013) and Teaching Hospitals of Texas (2005-08).
In 2019, Hernández was awarded the Texas Hospital Association Earl M. Collier Award for Distinguished Health Care Administration. He received the Reynaldo G. Garza Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 from the State Bar of Texas, Hispanic Issues Section, for his commitment to addressing concerns affecting the Hispanic community and for advancing diversity and access to justice in the practice of law. In 2009, he was honored by the Texas Council of Community MHMR Centers as the recipient of the Frank M. Adams Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service and named one of Modern Healthcare magazine’s Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare for 2010. Hernández and the University Health’s chief information officer were joint recipients of the 2008 Transformational Leadership Award from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and the American Hospital Association.
Hernández is a native of San Antonio. He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s University and law degree from George Washington University S School of Law in Washington, D.C
Adel Botello Hernandez worked as a senior management paralegal for more than 30 years. During her time with Valero Energy Corporation, she handled large volumes of oil and gas litigation while traveling between Corpus Christi, Houston and Laredo. With the Law Offices of Mills Shirley out of Galveston, she handled all aspects of construction litigation. In addition to working full time, she also worked part time for Paralegal’s Plus, transcribing court trial transcripts for attorney’s review for the following days. Some trials lasted more than a week and she was always up for the challenge. In addition to being a member to State Bar of Texas Legal Assistant Division, she was an election chair for five years. She was involved in starting the local Alamo Area Professional Legal Assistant, Inc. and also served as charter member, public relations chair, treasurer and program Director.
In 2002 – 2007 Adel took on a fun part-time job at the Fleet Feet running store. She was the buyer for women’s and men’s running attire. She learned about the difference among running shoes. She started and managed the Marathon Training Program. Adel has run 5 marathons, a 50K and numerous half marathons.
In 2011 Adel retired from the legal environment to be able to babysit her grandchildren in Okinawa, Japan. Antonio, her oldest son, was stationed in Okinawa for three years. She would travel two or three times a year to help out and get her fix of baby kisses. The following three years Antonio was stationed in Hawaii and, of course, the babysitting responsibilities increased as the kids were getting a little older.
Adel is a native of San Antonio. She attended Providence High School and earned her bachelor’s degree from Our Lady of the Lake University.
Adel is married to George Hernandez. They will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this April. They have three grown children and three adorable grandchildren.
2011-2014 Board Member of Alpha Home. A San Antonio substance abuse treatment center for women in drug and alcohol addiction.
2016-2019 Mays Cancer Center Board of Managers
2018-2020 Served as Honorary Chair for Komen – Race for the Cure. Breast Cancer advocate for Komen and Co-Chair University Health walking/running team.
2021 – Present Active supporter for ThriveWell
2022 – Present Member of the University Health Volunteers with special training in the NICU Department
2023 – Present Active Member of the steering committee for Women in Law and Medicine
2023 – Patient Advocate Member on the External Advisory Board (EAB) of the NCI (National Cancer Institute) Program (For the P01 APOBEC mutagenesis in Cancer Grant)
PINNACLE AWARD
Joe & Carmen Gamez
There’s never been a more authentic mission. “Gamez Law Fights” is a slogan for the Joe A. Gamez Law Firm and perfectly represents the founding attorney’s spirit and mission. It fights for the rights of injured people and their families and to be the voice for those who couldn’t otherwise represent themselves.
MORE THAN THE WEST SIDE
What started in 1979 as a one-person law office in San Antonio is today an organization with ten (10) attorneys operating in six locations across Texas. The Joe A. Gamez Law Firm’s principal office is in San Antonio, and it has offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Laredo, and McAllen. Joe celebrated 50 years of practicing law in 2023.
Joe A. Gamez was born and raised on the west side of San Antonio and attended Sidney Lanier High School. First as young boy he made door to door sales for his grandmother’s homemade pralines. While at school, he worked at the Coca-Cola bottling company during the summers. After graduating, he attended San Antonio College and transferred to the University of Texas at Austin. In 1973 he obtained his law degree from St. Mary’s University of San Antonio.
What stands out about Joe is his community-minded approach to business and personal life. It defines the purpose of his law firm. He has served on numerous boards within the community with a spirit of helping others and fighting for those who cannot.
Joe’s law career began in 1973 as Brooks County Attorney. With a passion for Texas and Texans, he proudly served in the House of Representatives for the Texas Legislature. The pull of San Antonio could no longer be ignored, and in 1979 he opened Joe A. Gamez Law Office.
His illustrious 50-year career has rewarded Joe with prestigious accolades and acknowledgments. Joe was Recognized by the State Bar of Texas in recognition of his 50 years of practicing Law. Recently Joe was awarded the “La Gente Award” by La Prensa and the “Civic Award/Education“ by Lulac Chapters 4290 and 4291. Joe was awarded the 20th Annual National Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and nominated for the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. In 2022, he was included in the “Best Trial Lawyer In America” by the National Institute of Trial Lawyers. That same year, Joe was awarded the St. Mary’s University School of Law Henry B. Gonzalez Award in 2022.
MORE THAN CASE NUMBERS
This law firm specializes in personal injury law, representing individuals involved in catastrophic accidents, as well as automobile accidents.
MORE THAN A LAW FIRM
Today, the Joe A. Gamez Law Firm serves its San Antonians with expert legal counsel and through several community upliftment projects. In 2022 and 2023, it disbursed $500,000 to nonprofits.
St. Mary’s School of Law established the Joe A. Gamez Endowment wherein Joe provides two Hispanic law students with $25.000.00 per year. These Hispanic ethnicity background students are selected based on their academic qualifications and financial based needs.
In partnership with the SAISD Foundation, providing scholarships of approximately $150,000.00 for Sidney Lanier High School students that are college bound from the west side of San Antonio. In addition, Joe has provided approximately $100,000.00 to students to attend private schools enabling said students who would otherwise not be afforded the opportunity.
Education is one of Joe’s most important community outreaches. The law firm provided $250,000 to the Rey Feo Foundation, which offers high school students scholarships throughout San Antonio.
Another education project provides funding to numerous families for children to obtain music, voice, and instrumental lessons through Network for Young Artists whose families could not otherwise afford musical lessons.
Gamez Law Firm has provided $30,000.00 to Ma’Hila’s Heart, a non-profit organization assisting families whose children have been diagnosed with cancer.
The Joe Gamez Law Firm was the sponsor of the first ever Girl Scouts of America Float.
The Firm also donates Nike basketballs shoes for Sidney Lanier High School’s basketball teams, Boys and Girls.
Joe also provided $150,000 to La Trinidad Methodist Church on the west side of San Antonio for major renovations of the church. Joe’s Firm has donated $25,000 to the Sanctuary of Hope Foundation, assisting unwed mothers to prevent abortions.
A longstanding focus on justice and community support have shaped the Joe A. Gamez Law Firm into one of the most respected institutions in San Antonio and “The Pride of the West Side.”
Carmen Belden Gamez was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas.
Carmen is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School. She received her associate degree from San Antonio College.
Carmen received her Bachelor of Arts Degree with a bilingual-bi-cultural concentration and a kindergarten endorsement from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Carmen started her teaching career in the Edgewood Independent School District, even making home visits to parents who failed to attend parent teacher conferences. Thereafter, Carmen transferred to Northside Independent School District as a bilingual instructor.
Carmen enjoyed being a Girl Scout so much as a child that she volunteered to be a Girl Scout Leader even when she did not have daughters of her own.
Carmen is also a former Chair for the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women for the City of San Antonio.
Joe and Carmen’s daughters attended St. Anthony Catholic School, where Carmen then devoted much of her time as a volunteer teacher and served as PTC President.
She was a member of the St. Anthony School Board, where she served two terms prior to being elected as Chair of the Board of Trustees. Currently the only female to have served in that capacity.
With the growth of her husband, Joe Gamez’s law practice, Carmen’s primary focus became the law firm, serving as managing officer.
Today, Carmen has enjoyed devoting much of her time working with numerous non-profits.
Carmen and Joe’s passion is the importance of education.
They both pride themselves in providing numerous students with scholarships from Joe’s alma mater, Sidney Lanier High School.
In addition, Carmen works with families, many who are single parents with financial need, in providing these students with an opportunity to attend private school who otherwise could not be afforded the opportunity.
Carmen and Joe are exceptionally proud of the fact that these students have maintained honor grades and have excelled academically.
Their constant prayer is” Lord help us so we can help others”.
Carmen and Joe have 3 children, Melissa, Joseph and Natalie, and they are the proud grandparents of 5 grandsons and 1 princess, Mackenzie.