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Distinguished Citizen Award Luncheon

Support Scouting and Community Leadership

The Distinguished Citizen Award Luncheon honors individuals who share Scouting’s belief in leadership, determination and values, and have contributed significantly to the growth and vitality of our community. It also provides critical financial support through the Friends of Scouting campaign for all our programs across 15 counties in Central Texas.

When: April 20, 2023
Where: JW Marriott Austin, 110 E. 2nd St., Austin, 78701

Registration opens at 10:45am
Lunch and program at 11:30am-1:00pm


 

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This Year’s Recipient of the Distinguished Citizen Award

2023 honoree: Fred Heldenfels IV, President & CEO, Heldenfels Enterprises Inc.

Fred W. Heldenfels IV of Austin, Texas is President and CEO of Heldenfels Enterprises Inc., a manufacturer of precast/prestressed concrete structures for the highway, industrial, commercial, and sports construction markets with headquarters in San Marcos, Texas. His firm has won numerous industry design awards and other recognitions including the Aggie 100 Award in 2005, 2006, 2010, and 2015.

Mr. Heldenfels served as 2022 chairman of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce’s Board and remains an officer as immediate past chair. He was appointed Chairman of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) by Governor Rick Perry in May 2010 while serving on the board from July 2006 through December 2013. He also served as an appointee of Governor George W. Bush on the Coastal Coordination Council from 1995 to 1998.

Mr. Heldenfels is Past Chair of the A&M PAC board and serves as treasurer on the board of Texans for Lawsuit Reform and its PAC. In addition, Mr. Heldenfels is Past Chairman of the Texas A&M Twelfth Man Foundation (2001) and Past Chairman of PCI – the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (2004). He is a Past Chairman of both the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Foundation (1997) and the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce (1993), where he helped initiate support for tort reform in the Coastal Bend, as well as the creation of a four-year university within the Texas A&M University System.

In 2015, Mr. Heldenfels was honored as a Distinguished Alumni of Texas A&M University, and in 2018 was named an outstanding Alumni of the Mays Business School at Texas A&M. Mr. Heldenfels was honored by induction into the Corpus Christi Business Hall of Fame in 2010 by Junior Achievement of the Coastal Bend. He is also the 1996 recipient of the Outstanding Leadership Alumni from Leadership Corpus Christi.

Mr. Heldenfels graduated from Texas A&M University in 1979 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. He and his wife Liz have lived in Austin since 1997 and have three grown children: Amy Jerke and husband Ryan of Austin, William Heldenfels and wife Lindsey of Nashville, and Holly Heldenfels of Austin as well as five beautiful grandchildren.

 

 


Event Volunteer Leadership

Event Chair

Ed Horne

Honorary Event Chairs

Tim Timmerman
The Honorable Rick Perry

Event Vice Chairs

 Wade Cooper  Chris Kappmeyer  Marietta Scott
 Tim Crowley  Dale Laine  Tim Taylor
 Daniel Gonzales  Connor Lammert  Ben Turner
 Clarke Heidrick  Mollie O’Hara Leach  Mike Weynand
 Bobby Jenkins  Mike Morgan

 


Event Impact

For more than 110 years, the Boy Scouts of America has provided programs with a mission of preparing young people for adulthood – and to be responsible citizens. Scouting offers exciting programs designed to inspire, build character, and instill the values boys and girls need to succeed today. Funds from the Award event benefit nearly 500 Scouting programs across 15 Central Texas counties serving youth regardless of ability or economic level.