Henry Bartell 'Pat' Zachry

Henry Bartell “Pat” Zachry was a quiet and thoughtful man with a quick wit, a kind heart, a love of poetry and a gleam in his eye. Born in Uvalde, Texas, in 1901, he believed hard work, self-discipline, responsibility to help those in need and quality education for all.

The construction company he founded in 1924 built highways, dams, pipelines, hospitals, power plants, petrochemical facilities throughout the United States and every corner of the world including. His enterprise grew to also include ranching, oil and gas, cement and aggregates, and hotels including the Palacio del Rio built for Hemisfair ’68.

He served on numerous Boards, including being Chairman and Chief Executive of HemisFair ’68. and gave generously to many organizations in San Antonio and Texas, particularly those focused on education.

His philosophy for life begins “I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon if I can.” He was uncommon.