VICE PRESIDENT & CHAIR OF SPECIAL EVENTS, IMPACT SAN ANTONIO; MEMBER NON-PROFIT BOARDS; UPS FRANCHISE OWNER; FORMER SR. VP, AT&T GLOBAL EVENTS; PRESIDENT SBC CALIFORNIA & NEVADA; PRESIDENT EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, NEVADA BELL
By photographer
Lora Watts has always known what it means to “lean in.” As President of SBC in California, and AT&T’s Senior Vice President of Global Events, managing their $100M plus sponsorship budget for the biggest sporting events in the world—the Olympics, the Super Bowl, Formula One, The Masters—Lora was usually the only woman in the room.
“I felt like I had to overcome being blonde and somewhat attractive, but once people got to know me, that didn’t last long. I think it was to my advantage. It was a nice place to be.”
“WHEN I STARTED WORKING WITH SOUTHWESTERN BELL, I DIDN’T HAVE HUGE EXPECTATIONS THAT I WOULD HAVE THE POSITIONS I DID. BUT I ENDED UP WITH SOME UNBELIEVABLE OPPORTUNITIES.”
Lora Watts graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Business Administration from Trinity University. “My classes were in the morning, so I worked in retail in the afternoon and studied at night. It was all about doing well, getting good grades and getting a good job afterwards.”
Today, Lora and her husband own three UPS franchise stores. She also sits on the board of several San Antonio non-profits: CTRC (Cancer Therapy Research Center) Council, Trinity’s Board of Visitors, South Texas Blood & Tissue Center Foundation, Dominion Country Club and the American Red Cross. “Since most of them are volunteer boards, you work out of passion. You still make good business decisions, but you’re sitting at the board because you want to be there.”
Lora is Vice President and Chair of Special Events for Impact San Antonio. Impact is committed to empowering women and improving the community through effective philanthropy. What makes Impact San Antonio different from most non-profits is that every dollar, of each member’s $1,000 donation, is awarded to that year’s grant recipients. “I love that all the women take it seriously: the review of the grant applications, the awarding of the grants, and then following up so that whoever gets the money, spends it like it was intended to be.”
Last year the women of Impact raised over $300,000, and all of it goes back to the community. Operational costs are covered by donations from sources other than member donations. “We don’t throw big parties. We have nice socials and some educational events, but we have underwriters that help cover those costs. It’s an all volunteer organization. This year we have almost 340 members, so we’ll be able to award all of that $340,000 in grants.”
“Impact brings together women from all walks of life. I would have never met these women any other way. Business women, attorney’s, women who’ve taught school… A wide range who’ve come together for a great cause. Now that’s empowering!”
It was nice to be the only woman in the room. You stood out.
with Lora
MOST IMPORTANT SURVIVAL SKILL.
Being organized and prepared.
SUNDAY I LIKE TO:
Take my time. Have a cup of coffee. I sit down and pay bills, then I go and work out. I like cooking and just being home on Sunday evening.
WHAT EMPOWERS YOU:
Whether it’s losing weight, putting together an event, or planning a party, I think being successful at the end is what makes it empowering.
WHAT THROWS YOU OFF YOUR GAME:
People not doing what they say their going to do; not living up to commitments; being disingenuous, not loyal.
VALUE MORE NOW:
So many women are being diagnosed with breast cancer. I value my good health more than I used to, and I don’t take it for granted. I value my family because when I was blowing and going and doing my career, I missed my family and being close to them.
MOST DARING:
Taking the leap of faith to follow my career. The first 18 years we followed my husbands career. Then I had the opportunity to become president of Nevada Bell, at the time. We did a commuter marriage for a number of years. I knew nobody with the company; I knew nobody in Reno, and leaving my husband behind… You certainly learn a lot about yourself and your ability to survive.
ASPIRE TO:
To continue to enjoy life. I really do enjoy retirement and the freedom I have.
STYLE NOW VS. 20 YEARS AGO:
Much more casual. I grew my hair out longer, more fun. I love boots. I never wore boots to work, but I probably would if I were still working.
FALL OR SPRING:
I like the quality of the clothes in the Fall. We have such long summers that by the time summer clothes are done, they just don’t keep their shape from season to season.
FAVORITE DESIGNERS:
While I was working, I did a ton of St. John’s. But that’s kind of stuffy for me now. Now it’s a little bit more flowy, fun and colorful.
MISSING FROM YOUR CLOSET:
I would love to have some jumpsuits, but they’re hard for me to find. My height is not in my legs, it’s in my trunk, so that’s difficult.
GO-TO OUTFIT:
In the winter it’s leggings and boots and some kind of fun top. In the summertime, I do lots of dresses. Very few skirts.
DEFINITION OF LUXURY:
A cruise. That’s something I never did, so I didn’t think I was going to be a cruiser. And after we retired and did the first cruise on a small ship with a butler…
SHOP ONLINE:
The great thing is you can go online and look for color, get your size. It’s crazy to get in your car and go and try to find things when you can buy them online. I really hate to shop, but I like to have things to wear. And I don’t like to shop for something when I need it, because that’s when you can’t find it.
LIPSTICK OR EYELINER?
Both.
CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT BEAUTY PRODUCT:
Mascara.
FAVORITE INDULGENCE
Wine. I enjoy it now more than I did when I was working. I used to never drink during the week because it was a ‘school night.’
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