Robert and Kate Crosby (right) share a photo with Renee McElhaney, Development Board member, at the Swing-In Auction Party in 2012.
The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is a place of family and community. Robert Crosby, who in July became the new chair of UIW’s Development Board, said his inspiration for getting involved at the university was his wife, Kate ’96 BBA, and friend and colleague, Mikel Fitzgerald.
“Kate joined the Development Board in January of 1997. As she became more involved with the board, I would participate in the Swing-In golf tournament and gala,” said Robert. “Also, my partner, Mikel, at Wortham knew Sr. Kathleen (Coughlin), vice president of institutional advancement, from his days growing up in Corpus Christi. We decided to join the Development Board together.”
Robert, who has been in the insurance agent brokerage business for over 49 years with 30 of those in San Antonio, spent the last eight years as a managing director with Wortham Insurance and Risk Management. He plans to retire from Wortham in April 2015.
Robert and Kate’s close connection with UIW is also rooted in the university’s ADCaP program. Kate graduated from UIW as the first ADCaP graduate in December 1996.
“When Kate started with ADCaP, there were 28 students in the program,” Robert said. “Now there are more than 1,000 students.”
For Kate, Robert shared, being in the pilot of this program with Dr. Denise Doyle, UIW chancellor and former ADCaP dean, gave her and the new ADCaP students the opportunity to participate in its development and learn with fellow students who worked and had business experience.
Kate, who formerly served as chair of the Development Board, has also had an impact on Robert’s approach as the new chair.
“Because of Kate’s experience, I feel that I can understand the need to reach out to all board members both on the Development Board and the board of trustees,” said Robert. “My goals and plans for the Development Board are to develop a strategy to better serve the board of trustees and UIW.”
But most heartfelt by Robert and Kate is providing students who want to attend college a means of fulfilling their academic aspirations.
“Kate and I understand how hard it is to work and go to school at the same time,” Robert said. “We also realize that San Antonio and South Texas have many people who are economically disadvantaged. If we can help just one student achieve a goal of graduating from college, we are successful.”
