SAM BARSHOP

Sam Barshop was known as a pioneer in the hotel industry, an innovative businessman, enthusiastic philanthropist, and dedicated family man. 

Many people in the business community knew of Sam as founder, retired Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of La Quinta Motor Inns.  However, the hotel business was only one of his many endeavors.  For instance, Sam and his brother Philip got their start working in their father’s produce company, which is still in operation today.  Sam was a proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and later served on the Board of Regents (including 2 years as Vice Chairman).  He served on numerous boards of directors including Southwest Airlines, RepublicBank, and University of Incarnate Word (as a trustee).   Sam was former chair of the Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council and the San Antonio Free Trade Alliance.  He and his family were instrumental in establishing the Barshop Jewish Community Center of San Antonio located on N.W. Military Hwy.

Sam also supported many worthwhile causes in education and medicine.  In addition to lifelong service to UT Austin and the University of Texas System, Sam served on the Advisory Board of Texas State University’s College of Business, holding the Professorship in Entrepreneurship Studies in the McCoy College of Business.  Sam’s proudest achievement may have been his and Ann’s establishment of the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies located at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas, which is a world-leader in the study of the biology of aging.

After leaving the hotel business in 1995, Sam orchestrated the formation of Barshop & Oles Company.  The firm was created through the merger of the family's real estate company, Barshop Enterprises, and C.P. Oles Company in Austin.  This full-service commercial real estate firm has developed over 5 million square feet of commercial product including shopping centers, industrial and office properties, and limited-service hotels, plus several highly acclaimed master-planned, mixed-use land projects. Sam was directly involved in many successful land developments in San Antonio and Austin, including Northwoods, the landmark 145-acre mixed use development at U.S. Hwy. 281 N. and Loop 1604.

The list of Sam’s civic and philanthropic pursuits is long, including service on many boards such as the San Antonio Medical Foundation.  His list of honors and awards is equally long and includes induction into the San Antonio Business Hall of Fame, Texas Philanthropy Hall of Fame, and the University of Texas Ex-Student’s Association Distinguished Alumni Award.

Sam Barshop passed in 2013.  He was friend to many and left countless legacies that will not be forgotten.