2024 Brunch Keynote Speaker Bio

 Antonio Villarreal ('11,'14)
H-E-B – San Antonio, Texas

Antonio is a partner at H-E-B in the Global Sourcing Department in San Antonio, Texas. Antonio started his career immediately after graduation and has now been with H-E-B for 9 years. Since then, he has served as the Export Manager and worked with H-E-B partners across multiple departments such as procurement, international commerce, own brand/private label, accounting, warehousing, legal, transportation, customs, and marketing for both H-E-B Texas and Mexico divisions.

He acted as the liaison between Texas’ 350+ stores and Mexico’s 90+ stores in an effort to achieve mutual benefits.

Antonio has helped source many private label authentic products from across the globe such as extra virgin olive oils, olives, cheeses, pastas, pasta sauces, jams, spreads, candy, prosciutto, cookware, pet food and much more for both H-E-B Texas and Mexico. In addition, he launched CIAO ITALIA - H-E-B MEXICO six years ago, a month-long sales event with the objective of introducing authentic Italian cuisine, culture, and products to H-E-B Mexico’s consumers.

While pursuing his Master’s degree in International Business and Marketing from TAMU-SA, Antonio, aka DJ TONYC (taw*nik) was, and still is a full-time DJ/event coordinator. He is the founder and owner of one of Texas’ biggest food festivals, the Barbacoa & Big Red Festival which is in its 12th year and gathers nearly 40,000 attendees (now held at The Freeman Coliseum). As a marketing entrepreneur, he served as a consultant to the Miller-Coors Company, Dos XX and Red Bull North America for targeted brand management projects. He now teams up with large corporations such as HEB, Glazers, and Silver Eagle to execute the Barbacoa & Big Red Festival, a non-profit foundation with the goal of giving back to children that don’t have the resources that children with parents do.

The Monterrey Mexico native, is now responsible for sourcing for the entire pet department, canned tuna, canned soups, dry soups (ramen), canned proteins (chili, Spam, chicken, corned beef), cooking sauces, broths, conservas, bouillon, among many other delicious foods where he works hand in hand with leaders across the company to strategize H-E-B’s next big move.